Nissan Pathfinder ST-L

The mid-size Pathfinder has been a quiet achiever for Nissan this past decade. Plodding dependably along in the sales race beneath the bigger and tougher Patrol, the Pathy has forged its own niche as a crossover wagon/off-roader with very little compromise.

Families loved the spaciousness, off-roaders enjoyed its sure-footed abilities and the towing fraternity found it more manoeuvrable and only marginally less capable than the Patrol. But the Pathfinder has grown up; an all-new model landed Down Under mid-2005.

By all-new we mean brand-spanking -- only the name's the same. Pathfinder has ditched the monocoque chassis for a return to the ladder chassis of the original. It's one of only two contemporary four-wheel drives we can think of to marry a separate chassis with all-independent suspension, and the benefits are obvious on- and off-road.

Pathfinder III is bigger in the body, and bigger inside as a result, but still undoubtedly a mid-size 4WD. Styling has been toughened substantially, all those geometric shapes, edges and angles give it a really brutish visage. Inside there's seats for seven in a 2-3-2 configuration, though the third row does eat substantially into cargo space.

The Pathy is marginally smaller than competitors like the Prado and Pajero outside and in. Legroom and headroom is adequate in all three rows for adults

Pathfinder's significant step up in style and content is obvious in the driver's seat. The new instrument binnacle and centre stack is classy and clean, the dials laid out without crowding. Like its Maxima and 350Z passenger car brethren, Pathy features cruise control and stereo controls on the spokes of its tilt-adjustable steering wheel.
 
All models have air-con, remote central locking, electric windows and mirrors. Our ST-L test car added dual zone climate control, leather bound steering wheel, a CD stacker and a rear cargo net. The top-spec Ti counts leather seat trim and a separate rear-entertainment system among its many additional features.
 
Australian buyers will have a choice of two engines, a 200kW 4.0lt V6 petrol (from the same engine family as new Navara) or 128kW 2.5lt four-cylinder diesel, which we tested. The diesel engine lets you know how hard it's working. A healthy 403Nm of torque -- on call from 2000rpm -- gives the 2230kg Pathfinder a surge when you bury the throttle and combines well with the smooth, slurring gear changes of the five-speed auto.
 
This is not a quick vehicle, but it does have the grunt to tow up to its 3000kg braked limit, and it'll use a lot less fuel than its petrol counterpart doing so. On test our Pathy dipped below 10lt/100km without a trailer, and up around 15 with another two tonnes on the back.
 
Don't think all this wonderful new performance, space and equipment comes for free. The new Pathfinder is also significantly more expensive than before. Prices start at $44,990 for the ST diesel, $3000 more than Gen II's starting price. The mid-spec ST-L we tested is priced at $48,990, and the top of the range Ti asks $58,990 for a ticket to ride.

So, is Pathfinder generation three worth the dosh? That's a tough question made even tougher by comparison to the current king of the mid-size crop, the Toyota Prado. Pathfinder does enjoy a price advantage over Prado, but trails in refinement and ride quality. Pathfinder is heavier, but its more powerful diesel engine gives it stronger real world performance – and that, for us, is crucial if you're being followed by a couple of tonnes of trailerboat.

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