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.