Technical
Only one engine is offered for the Pathfinder for 2005. It is a 24 valve DOHC 4.0L V6 that churns out 270 hp at 5 600 rpm and 291 lb/ft of torque at 4 000 rpm. Attached to the only motor, you will find the only transmission available, a 5-speed automatic. There are two different 4WD systems offered on the Pathfinder. The first is a shift-on-the-fly 4WD with a 2-speed transfer case. The second is an all-mode 4WD also with a 2-speed transfer case. The all-mode system is reserved for the LE and the
other system is standard on the XE and SE models. The SE off-Road package adds hill descent control and hill start assist. Brakes are comprised of 4-wheel vented discs and the truck rides on a fully independent suspension.
On the road
The new 4.0L V6 is muscular but it becomes very noisy when solicited. It really penetrates into the cabin and quickly becomes frustrating during an average commute. Acceleration is rapid as are passing manoeuvres. Nissan's V6 engines all sound brawny and the Pathfinder's is no different. Something would occur from about 2 000 rpm onward that worried me: the engine made an odd metallic rumble that sounded more internal than external and it was not a pinging sound. The brisk and smooth shifting transmission does quick work of changing gears.
The rate at which the Pathfinder consumed fuel was mind boggling. The lowest average amount I could manage was 20.5L / 100 km. The worst came when I had to let the truck idle for a while during a taping session. The meter indicated just over 28L / 100km. The Pathfinder has now entered my Hall of Shame of Gas Guzzlers.
If there was one thing I was expecting when I got the keys to the Pathfinder, it was tons of rattles like its bigger Armada and QX56 siblings. To my great surprise, there were very few if any at all. Something I was not expecting was to have frozen climate and audio controls every morning. The HVAC would start a minute or so after the truck was started however the radio would only come to life fifteen minutes later. The first
time this happened, I played around with the controls and left it at that. Let me tell you that a radio that suddenly comes on with the volume just shy of maximum when you least expect it, is quite a shock. Good thing I was at a traffic light. Heat distribution for the feet is very poor and annoying: my right foot would catch on fire while my left foot would turn into a block of ice. Also, the blower motor is quite noisy.
The Pathfinder's ride is rough to say the least. Even if all four corners can do what they please, wheel travel feels limited when going over irregularities on the road. This setup does allow for some spirited driving though, as there is a fair amount of lateral grip going around bends. Brake pedal travel is fairly long, yet response is quick enough to make much an issue out of it. I can make no constructive comments about the vehicle's steering as it simply does what it has to. The traction control is brutal and noisy when it kicks in.
On one evening, I entered a parking lot to complete a few errands. The surface was sufficiently snow covered (it was not equipped with snow tires) that I decided to switch from 2WD to Auto mode for extra traction. As I left and got to the first stop sign, I switched back from Auto to 2WD mode. The small 4WD mode screen incorporated in the tachometer went blank and a 4WD indicator light went on. Leafing through the owner's manual at that point, I found that this little 4WD light indicates a malfunction in the system. It only happened once although it was enough to get me thinking about this truck's potential dependability.
Only one engine is offered for the Pathfinder for 2005. It is a 24 valve DOHC 4.0L V6 that churns out 270 hp at 5 600 rpm and 291 lb/ft of torque at 4 000 rpm. Attached to the only motor, you will find the only transmission available, a 5-speed automatic. There are two different 4WD systems offered on the Pathfinder. The first is a shift-on-the-fly 4WD with a 2-speed transfer case. The second is an all-mode 4WD also with a 2-speed transfer case. The all-mode system is reserved for the LE and the
 |
On the road
The new 4.0L V6 is muscular but it becomes very noisy when solicited. It really penetrates into the cabin and quickly becomes frustrating during an average commute. Acceleration is rapid as are passing manoeuvres. Nissan's V6 engines all sound brawny and the Pathfinder's is no different. Something would occur from about 2 000 rpm onward that worried me: the engine made an odd metallic rumble that sounded more internal than external and it was not a pinging sound. The brisk and smooth shifting transmission does quick work of changing gears.
The rate at which the Pathfinder consumed fuel was mind boggling. The lowest average amount I could manage was 20.5L / 100 km. The worst came when I had to let the truck idle for a while during a taping session. The meter indicated just over 28L / 100km. The Pathfinder has now entered my Hall of Shame of Gas Guzzlers.
If there was one thing I was expecting when I got the keys to the Pathfinder, it was tons of rattles like its bigger Armada and QX56 siblings. To my great surprise, there were very few if any at all. Something I was not expecting was to have frozen climate and audio controls every morning. The HVAC would start a minute or so after the truck was started however the radio would only come to life fifteen minutes later. The first
 |
The Pathfinder's ride is rough to say the least. Even if all four corners can do what they please, wheel travel feels limited when going over irregularities on the road. This setup does allow for some spirited driving though, as there is a fair amount of lateral grip going around bends. Brake pedal travel is fairly long, yet response is quick enough to make much an issue out of it. I can make no constructive comments about the vehicle's steering as it simply does what it has to. The traction control is brutal and noisy when it kicks in.
On one evening, I entered a parking lot to complete a few errands. The surface was sufficiently snow covered (it was not equipped with snow tires) that I decided to switch from 2WD to Auto mode for extra traction. As I left and got to the first stop sign, I switched back from Auto to 2WD mode. The small 4WD mode screen incorporated in the tachometer went blank and a 4WD indicator light went on. Leafing through the owner's manual at that point, I found that this little 4WD light indicates a malfunction in the system. It only happened once although it was enough to get me thinking about this truck's potential dependability.