2018 Pathfinder Platinum AWD

 
 

Discover exceptional towing capability with the 2018 Pathfinder. It is a family friendly minivan alternative with a history of being an off-road ready vehicle. Let's see how the week with the Pathfinder fairs!

Disclosure: NissanCanada provided me with the 2018 Pathfinder Platinum AWD for a week to test drive, and photograph. All photos in this blog post was taken by me.


ACCELERATION: 8.5/10

  • 284 HP @ 6400 and 259 lb-ft @ 4800
  • 6000 lbs towing capacity. Almost the highest it's segment
  • 0-60 miles/hr in 7.4 seconds

BRAKING: 8.1/10

  • Good braking due to the lighter curb weight and tires
  • 20" x 7.5" machine finished aluminum-alloy wheels

HANDLING: 7.5/10

  • Being one of the lighter options in the segment it helps with handling.
  • Suspensions and steering is on the softer side

RIDE: 8.5/10

  • One of the softer suspensions making it comfortable for long highway drives and city route which make it comfortable when transporting many passengers

ECONOMY: 7.8/10

  • 23 MPG FWD 
  • 22 MPG AWD

CABIN NOISE: 8/10

  • Engine is very quiet even when reving to higher RPMs.
  • Road noise and wind is very well controlled

EXTERIOR: 7/10

  • Not much has changed from last years model other than the front end. 
  • Power Panoramic Moonroof
  • Chrome body side mouldings
  • Smart Auto Headlights
  • Roof Rails
  • Front Tow Hook
  • Heated outside mirrors
  • Fog lights

SAFETY|SECURITY|TECH: 7.5/10

  • Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with Traction Control System (TCS)
  • Rear Cross Traffic Alert
  • Blind Spot Warning (BSW)
  • Active Brake Limited Slip (ABLS)
  • 3-point ELR passenger seat belt system (ELR for driver)
  • Front seat belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters
  • Adjustable front, outboard 2nd & 3rd row head restraints
  • Hood-buckling creases, energy-absorbing steering column and pipe-style steel side-door guard beams
  • Tire Pressure Monitoring System w/ Easy-Fill Tire Alert
  • Automatic Emergency Braking
  • Anti-theft system
  • Nissan Advanced Airbag System (AABS) with dual-stage supplemental front airbags with seat belt and occupant-classification sensors
  • Driver and front passenger seat-mounted side-impact supplemental airbags
  • Roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags with rollover sensor for outboard occupant head protection for all three rows
  • LATCH System (Lower Anchors & Tethers for Children)
  • Zone Body construction with front & rear crumple zones
  • Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with individual tire pressure display and Easy-Fill Tire Alert
  • Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System

INTERIOR FOR DRIVER: 7.5/10

  • 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar
  • Very roomy and comfortable due to the wide seats
  • Rear view camera is much better in the rain compared to the Qashqai
  • The USB connection is pretty hard to see from the driver seat. You'll need to bend down to see it.

INTERIOR FOR PASSENGERS: 9/10

  • 6-way power-adjustable passenger’s seat
  • Very good leg room for every row especially the 3rd
  • Possible to move the 2nd row seats up to access the 3rd row while having a baby seat installed
  • Eight cup holders and six bottle holders
  • Dual head-restraint-mounted monitors, remote control & 2 wireless headphones. DVD video playback capability

INTERIOR STORAGE: 7.5/10

  • Unfortunately no bumper sensors to automatically open the trunk if you're holding groceries.
  • While this isn't as big as the competition there is plenty of space for us.

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM: 6/10

  • Very dated in terms of graphical interface
  • Using the system feels clunky
  • No Android Auto or Apple Car Play Support

OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE 2018 Pathfinder Platinum AWD:

The 2018 Pathfinder Platinum AWD is perfect for those who tow a lot as it almost has the highest towing capacity in the segement. If you're looking for a family friendly hauler with plenty of space for passengers and can live with the dated infotainment system then definitely keep this on your shopping list.