Nissan’s most family-friendly SUV is getting closer to Australia.
The company has once again confirmed the new Pathfinder SUV is on track to arrive in Australia during 2022, at which point it’ll go head-to-head with the Hyundai Palisade, Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Kluger.
Now, Nissan has also confirmed it’ll feature a choice of seven- or eight-seat interiors, putting it on a par with the Palisade and offering more seating capacity than the CX-9 and Kluger.
The eight-seat has three seats in both the second and third rows, while the seven-seater has a pair of more luxurious captain’s chairs and a removable centre console in the second row.
Power in the car still comes from a 3.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol V6 with 212kW of power and 351Nm of torque, but it’s now mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel and front-wheel drive options are on the menu in the USA, but Nissan hasn’t confirmed whether both will be offered in Australia.
Although it has the same 2900mm wheelbase as before, the 2022 Pathfinder is 39mm shorter, 19mm wider, and has a 19mm higher roof than the current model.
It’s more than five metres long, but the new Pathfinder will still live in the shadow of the bigger, more off-road focused Patrol in the Nissan Australia range.
Nissan says 11 colour combinations will be available in Australia, including a selection of two-tone options.
Described as “all-new from the ground up”, the new Pathfinder has more technology inside and a tougher look on the outside.
There’s almost no link between the current Pathfinder and the 2022 model from behind the wheel.
The dashboard is dominated by a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system – goodbye button mania – and a 12.3-inch digital instrument binnacle is available in the USA.
A 10.8-inch colour head-up display is also available. Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, wireless phone charging, a Wi-Fi hotspot, satellite navigation, and a surround-view monitor are all present.
The cleaner transmission tunnel has a huge storage space beneath it, and an effort has been made to deliver a more premium feeling with metallic accents and the option of quilted leather seats.
Boot space is 470L behind the third row, 1274L behind the second, and 2279L with both rows folded flat. That figure is likely measured to the roof of the car, not the seat backs.
A full suite of active safety features will be offered in the USA, including adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist that combine to take the stress out of highway driving.
High-spec models in North America will even feature the latest ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link, which is a more capable adaptive cruise control system that will slow for corners or junctions based on navigation data.
With 10 airbags, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, reverse AEB, and auto high-beam, even base models come well equipped.
The previous-generation Pathfinder was removed from sale in Australia in the middle of 2021.
