Getting Away From It All Is Easy In the All New Nissan Pathfinder 3-Row SUV
Sara Lacey
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Sci-fi or real scenario, the all new Nissan Pathfinder will help you escape.
I’ve watched way too many dark television shows and movies lately. Whether they’re alternate-universe espionage like Counterpart or post-apocalyptic doomsday themes in Station Eleven, Don’t Look Up, and Snowpiercer, my binge-watching may explain my initial reaction to the Pathfinder- it’s perfect if we gotta jam. My more rational self says that the new 2022 Nissan Pathfinder has a lot of useful, flexible features, and it’s fun to see what improvements they’ve made in their longest-running SUV.
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The Nissan Pathfinder with the third row up. Photo: Sara Lacey
What is least-apocalyptic about the 2022 Pathfinder? The pricing
- The base price on a 2022 Nissan Pathfinder S 2 wheel drive is $33,680. You’ll get a third row standard, and also Apple Car Play/Android Auto, Nissan Safety Shield 360, and trim-zone automatic temperature control.
- Stepping up to the SV trim (and costing $36,470) adds heated front seats, intelligent lane intervention, intelligent blind spot intervention, 10-way power driver’s seat, remote engine start, and Nissan’s innovative ProPilot Assist program.
- Keep going up to the SL trim (and costing $39,940) will get leather-appointed seats in the first and second rows, a heated steering wheel, around view monitor, wireless CarPlay integration, LED fog lights, and NissanConnect 9 inch color touch screen display.
- Lastly, you can hit the Platinum trim level starting at $46,540 and get 20 inch alloy wheels, second row captains chairs, panoramic moonroof, wireless charging, tow hitch receiver, and a Bose premium audio system.
- These same trim levels are available in 4 wheel drive Pathfinders, with the S trim starting at $35,580, SV starting at $38,370, SL starting at $41,840, and Platinum starting at $48,440. Bear in mind, you can add additional accessories for more money. My test vehicle was a Pathfinder SL 4 wheel drive, and had a few upgrades bringing the total to $47,215 not including dealer fees.
Gas mileage is estimated at 20/25/22 miles per gallon with it’s 3.5l V6 engine that has 284 horsepower. The mileage is on par with an SUV of this size and engine configuration. Bottom line, whether you’re doing the daily drive, camping, or fleeing from self-actualizing robots, the Pathfinder is a lot of car for the money.
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The Pathfinder driver’s seat. The gear selector has morphed from a stick to a small module that fits in the palm of your hand, leaving the space feeling more open. Photo: Sara Lacey
Pathfinder’s 4-wheel drive, seven drive modes and tow capacity will save you
Rational me says the flat grey paint job looks classically rugged. The new chrome details will also look polished in any line: school drop-off, activity, even the valet. My more paranoid self says that when we are on the run, it’ll camouflage nicely in a dystopic landscape if need be. Hey, and if we are in a wintery landscape, I’ll just switch the drive mode accordingly. The 2022 Pathfinder has an optional Intelligent 4 wheel drive system which means I can switch into Snow, Mud/Rut, Sand, Sport, Eco, Tow, or Auto mode and the Pathfinder will make the necessary mechanical modifications to get me through. Additionally, tow mode works in conjunction with trailer sway control. The 3.5l V6 engine has a towing capacity of 6,000 pounds. Try to catch me now, zombies! I mean, follow me, fellow camping enthusiasts!
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The Nissan Pathfinder in its natural environment. Photo: Sara Lacey
Can the Nissan Pathfinder stash my gold bars? I mean, my purse?
On the inside, all the storage cubbies are great for stashing all your goods. I particularly liked the center console that accommodated my purse, and I’m sure it would work just as well for lots of freeze dried rations. Additionally, there were tons of bottle holders and cup holders.
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The Pathfinder’s center console is sizable and fits my handbag. Photo: Sara Lacey
Seating for 7 or 8, *just in case* you have extra passengers
There was seating for eight, and I loved that the second row seats could be moved back and forth, depending on how much legroom the third row passengers wanted. Second row captain’s chairs are an option, but that reduces the seating to seven. There were three sets of latch connectors (two in the second row and one in the third), and every rear seating position had a tether anchor.
Me in the Pathfinder’s third row. I fit! And two more could fit in a hasty escape. Photo: Sara Lacey
No competition for cupholders and USB ports – there are plenty
The driver’s side and passenger side doors had large bottle holders. I loved that my large water bottle fit with ease, and that it was easy to get in and out. There were two cupholders and a bottle holder in the second row doors, and two cupholders in the center armrest. There were two cupholders in each of the outboard seats in the the third row, along with USB charging outlets. Trust me, you and your whole gang can clear out comfortably in the Pathfinder.
The Pathfinder’s second row, which slides forward and back to allow passengers to make room for others. Photo: Sara Lacey
Gear is life, and you can bring it all with you in the Pathfinder. Well, almost all of it
But what about my stuff if every seating position is filled? The 2022 Pathfinder has 10.6 more cubic feet than the outgoing model. With the third row down, I can bring a ton of gear, even my skis and ski bag. With the third row up, there are 16.6 cubic feet of space in the back.
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Pathfinder Cargo Area. Photo by Sara Lacey
Nissan uses the golf bag as a unit of measurement, you can put four bags in the back with the third row in use. Or a 120-quart cooler. Pretty sure it would house a large suitcase designed to talk to my other self in an alternate universe.
Pathfinder Cargo With 3rd Row In Use. Photo: Sara Lacey
There is also an underfloor storage cubby where I can keep my wet and dirty ski boots, or hide my secret supply of toilet paper and bottled water.
A large, deep cargo bin lets you hide the goodies. Photo: Sara Lacey
Taking control of your situation in the Pathfinder’s driver’s seat
But the front seats are really where a lot of action is. As it should be, if my navigator and I are to flee my safe house. I’m going to need to know the route, forecasted weather, and also be able to play my favorite playlist. The Pathfinder accommodates all my needs mostly due to the 12-inch digital dashboard, and the 9-inch touchscreen.
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The Pathfinder’s digital dashboard. Photo: Sara Lacey
You can get weather, connect your device (Apple CarPlay or Android Auto are standard on all trims) and also use Nissan Connect. Our test model had a whole host of other features like the aforementioned weather app and navigation, options or standard on many trims. I can customize all the menus so I get the information I want displayed how I want it.
Pathfinder Weather App. Photo: Sara Lacey
All the buttons, whether they are on-screen or actual, physical buttons, are clearly labeled and easy to reach. The passenger side had a generous glove box, and I liked the grippy exterior shelf above it, great for resting one’s devices on. There was also a grippy cubby that was in front of the gearshift, great for housing and wirelessly charging devices (if yours is able to do that). In case I leave my safe house in a real rush and drop my gloves, the heated steering wheel takes care of me and I love it very much. The front and rear seats are heated too, and some trim levels offer ventilated front seats as well. The seats are comfortable, not overly bolstered and bucketed so I can slide in and out easily. Not that I like thinking about leaving my happy, safe Pathfinder.
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Pathfinder Steering Wheel. Photo: Sara Lacey
But What If I Get Stuck In Traffic While Fleeing the Meteor?
Safety features are in no short supply in the Pathfinder. The list of standard features is as long as your arm and includes antilock brakes, brake assist, airbags galore, and latch connectors. What may have you feeling like your car has been taken over by self-actualizing robots is the whole suite of interventional and preventive safety features. Nissan calls this their ProPILOT system and it’s designed to ease stressful heavy-traffic driving experiences. Using adaptive cruise control and Navilink navigation software, the Pathfinder will essentially read the flow of traffic to keep pace and when it comes to a stop in high-traffic situations, come to a full stop for as long as 30 seconds at a time, restarting when traffic moves again.
Pathfinder Glovebox. Photo: Sara Lacey
What I loved about the Pathfinder:
- Super crisp around-view monitor
- Cavernous space
- Rugged look and feel, but still a comfortable ride
- Impressive sound system
- Digital Dashboard
- Drive Mode Selector takes the confusion out of different driving environments
Who is the Pathfinder for?
The Pathfinder SUV is for anyone shuttling kids, anyone who likes outdoor activities, anyone who likes their personal space bubble out on the road, paired with some serious capability. It’s a lot of car for an urban environment, but manageable if you really love getting out of the city as much as you love living in it.
Disclosure: The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder was provided to A Girls Guide to Cars by Nissan for this review. All opinions are my own.