Needless to say, the V8 Pathfinder's ability to leave others, including some sport sedans, in its wake is very real indeed. The polished operation of this mill belies its underlying brute force. Never did I find my test vehicle wanting for punch. Truth be known, the awesome power is a delight; that is until fill-up time, which comes all too soon.
At 17.1 and 11.4 liters of premium petrol per 100K of city and highway driving respectively, the V8 Pathfinder is no miser, albeit folks requiring this level of performance will undoubtedly be impressed with the engine's overall capability despite its considerable thirst.
Pathfinder's power seamlessly delivered to all four wheels
The underhood potency flows through a five-speed automatic transmission before heading off to a sophisticated transfer case that allows the driver to choose between two-wheel-drive, automatic four-wheel-drive, four-wheel locking high-range and four-wheel locking low-range.
Adding to the overall control package is Nissan's Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) program and their Active Braking Limited Slip (ABLS) technology, the latter of which directs power to the wheels acquiring superior traction. The Pathfinder's four-wheel antilock disc brakes provide strong stopping power, and are easy to modulate. Missing though is a hill-descent control program, which some competitors such as Toyota's 4Runner are equipped with.
This week's testing didn't subject the Pathfinder to passages more challenging than dirt roads; that's because I had the opportunity some months ago to take the Pathfinder off-roading and found it capable of easily conquering pitches and inclines best left to all but the most robust 4WD vehicles.
Ride and handling
The Pathfinder is fitted with double wishbone suspension front and rear, along with stabilizer bars. Despite contending adeptly with rough off-road terrain, these underpinnings deliver pleasing "real world" ride quality, much of which can be attributed to the Pathfinder's structural rigidity.
In so much as handling can be assessed in this segment, the Pathfinder is secure, stable and predictable. It may not possess the cornering verve of a BMW X5 but it has no apologies to make thanks to its superior ride quality; an attribute of importance from my perspective. Living with a hard-riding SUV can be wearisome.
At 17.1 and 11.4 liters of premium petrol per 100K of city and highway driving respectively, the V8 Pathfinder is no miser, albeit folks requiring this level of performance will undoubtedly be impressed with the engine's overall capability despite its considerable thirst.
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| Nissan's big DOHC V8 displaces 5.6-liters and utilizes CVVTCSto generate310-horsepower and 388 Pound-feet of torque. |
Pathfinder's power seamlessly delivered to all four wheels
The underhood potency flows through a five-speed automatic transmission before heading off to a sophisticated transfer case that allows the driver to choose between two-wheel-drive, automatic four-wheel-drive, four-wheel locking high-range and four-wheel locking low-range.
Adding to the overall control package is Nissan's Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) program and their Active Braking Limited Slip (ABLS) technology, the latter of which directs power to the wheels acquiring superior traction. The Pathfinder's four-wheel antilock disc brakes provide strong stopping power, and are easy to modulate. Missing though is a hill-descent control program, which some competitors such as Toyota's 4Runner are equipped with.
This week's testing didn't subject the Pathfinder to passages more challenging than dirt roads; that's because I had the opportunity some months ago to take the Pathfinder off-roading and found it capable of easily conquering pitches and inclines best left to all but the most robust 4WD vehicles.
Ride and handling
The Pathfinder is fitted with double wishbone suspension front and rear, along with stabilizer bars. Despite contending adeptly with rough off-road terrain, these underpinnings deliver pleasing "real world" ride quality, much of which can be attributed to the Pathfinder's structural rigidity.
In so much as handling can be assessed in this segment, the Pathfinder is secure, stable and predictable. It may not possess the cornering verve of a BMW X5 but it has no apologies to make thanks to its superior ride quality; an attribute of importance from my perspective. Living with a hard-riding SUV can be wearisome.
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| The underhood potency flows through a five-speed automatic transmission. |