1996 Nissan Pathfinder SE Is High-Riding High Fashion

From the January 1996 issue of Car and Driver.

The first Pathfinder, introduced as a 1985 model, was one of the pio­neers in what has now become a high-fashion category, compact sport-utes. That was way back in the pre-Explorer days when four side doors seemed like a goofy idea. “Whaddaya gonna do, use it for a car? Harharhar.”

That Pathfinder had two side doors, like all Broncos and Blazers and Jimmys of the day. Only the odd Cherokee and Wag­oneer had four doors.

Times change. This all-new Pathfinder only comes with four side doors, and the idea of using it as an off-road dustbuster seems, well, “Ya wanna risk denting up your cool $28-grand car?”

For the record, we’ve driven the test Pathfinder out in the belly-scraping nas­ties, and it behaves as if it were made for the job. Yet we’re well aware that most owners think getting to the other side of deep Cool Whip on the way to the trattoria is challenging enough. A sport-ute, to them, is an all-weather road car with the rugged good looks of the Marlboro man.

Actually, that first Pathfinder probably did more than any other single model to put sport-utes in the fashion spotlight. Its taut, hard-body shape and macho-swagger treads—especially those hunky, square-shouldered tires—made a helluva fashion statement to the urban sophisticate. It was Patagonia on wheels.

This all-new Pathfinder takes that con­cept of go-anywhere gear and smooths off the edges. It’s so easy-to-wear now that Maxima and BMW drivers can make a painless transition to an authentic sport­-ute. In fact, we think they’d be happier here than in one of the American choices because Nissan has built in so many of the cues that import drivers associate with their kind of car. Little things like the hue of the speedo needle and the texture of the steering-wheel rim and the firm support­iveness of the seats are all import style. There’s a sense of quality here too, a lack of squeaks, creaks, and quivers. The Pathfinder feels well made, lasting, and expensive.

Part of the credit should go to unitized construction, new for the Pathfinder and rare for a sport-ute (the Cherokee and the Grand Cherokee are unit bodies). This design stiffens the structure; Nissan claims 2.3 times greater bending stiffness and 2.9 times more torsional stiffness than in the old Pathfinder.

Credit the ride, too—it’s surprisingly smooth, notably better than that of a V-8 Explorer. Credit the lack of interior noise—howl from the drivetrain and tires are nicely muted. Credit the on-road response of the controls—always linear and predictable. Even the classically cor­rect round dials on the instrument panel are reassuring. Except for the sit-up-high driving position, there’s nothing trucky about the Pathfinder.

Outside dimensions have been increased in the new model. It has 2.0 inches more wheelbase, and it’s 6.4 inches longer overall (without the optional external spare) and 2.2 inches wider. That makes the Pathfinder about Grand Cherokee size, some three inches shorter than the Blazer, and more than ten inches shorter than the Explorer. Passengers are more comfortable than in the Grand Cherokee, particularly in back, where Pathfinder knee and foot spaces are much more generous and the rear seatback reclines over a wide range.

In hauling capacity, sport-utes are tighter inside than their hulking presence suggests—comparable to compact station wagons—but the Pathfinder’s extra width now allows it to carry a full sheet of ply­wood (it rests atop the wheel wells and extends out the tailgate). The load floor can be made flat by tilting the seat cushions forward, then folding the one­third/two-thirds split seatback forward into the space vacated by the tilted cushions. The full interior compartment is available because the under-floor storage area for the spare accommodates tires of all sizes. The test car’s outside-mount spare is an option, offered because some folks like the look.

By enlarging the V-6’s bore, Nissan added 0.3 liters of displacement, for 3.3 total. Power is up 15 hp to 168, but the spe­cialty here is torque—over 90 percent of peak torque is available by 1500 rpm. Nat­urally, this means little need to visit the upper reaches of the tachometer, though the redline allows 5900 rpm. Accelerating to 60 mph takes 11.3 seconds, exactly one second quicker than before (weight is up 54 pounds to 4254, offsetting part of the power increase). The Pathfinder still feels slow compared with 9.1-second Blazers and 10.4-second Grand Cherokees.

Off-road, the Pathfinder feels a bit low; the center differentials drag sooner than we expected. But let’s be serious—this is, for most customers, a road car, and many of those customers com­plain about the high step aboard. (Why else would Nissan make those contrived, whacked-tube step rails standard equip­ment on the SE model?) Road-driving cus­tomers don’t like noisy off-road treads either, so the tires have been greatly compromised toward touring, probably a wise decision.

Unfortunately, the on-road security of full-time four-wheel drive that is available in the Explorer, the Bravada, and upper­-level Grand Cherokees is not available on this Nissan. Still, the Pathfinder’s part-­time, shift-on-the-fly (below 50 mph) system acquitted itself handsomely in our off-road ventures. Excellent bump absorp­tion, lack of steering kickback, and stiff body structure are all appreciated in the rough stuff. Serious hill-and-gully riders will be delighted by the available five­-speed manual, with its creamy-smooth clutch and snick-snick shifter. An off-road package including cockpit-adjustable suspension damping and a limited-slip rear differential is available on the SE.

The anti-lock system standard on all Pathfinders has been specially adapted for off-road use, Nissan says, by the addition of a “G-sensor” that adjusts braking for the tricky condition of loose gravel. With normal anti-lock, the tires tend to skim over the loose surfaces commonly found off-road, locking and releasing too easily, resulting in long stopping distances. We did not measure a stop on gravel, but in our normal dry-pavement braking evalua­tion, 206 feet was required to stop from 70 mph, longer than the sport-ute average.

On road, body roll is nicely limited by the standard-equipment anti-roll bar front and rear. We measured 0.69 g at the skidpad limit, accompanied by a deter­mined understeer. Automatic-transmission Pathfinders are rated for towing up to 5000 pounds.

Not that towing matters for most owners. Rugged-looking sportswear that doesn’t bind, chafe, or irritate is the over­whelming desire, and with this new Pathfinder, Nissan proves to be a fine tailor.

Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com