The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder – looking good and extremely practical.

Is your little hatchback “shopping trolley” getting too small?  Got a growing family?  Do you need to take the kids (and their friends) to parties and sports matches, and stop in to do the shopping on the way?  Do you need to just about take the kitchen sink with you every time you go on holiday?  If you answered yes to all or most of these questions then you are likely to find a car that meets your needs in the new 2014 Nissan Pathfinder (aka the All-New Pathfinder).

First up, the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder seats seven easily.   And by easily, we mean easily.  Nissan has come up with the EX Flex seating system that allows you to get to the third row of seats in the back without having to take out any child seats fitted in the middle row (which is by far the easiest place to install baby or child seats).  This turns up in all varieties of the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder, from the basic ST 2WD to the top-notch Ti 4WD.

Families with several children have to combine the conflicting needs of fuel economy to stretch those dollars further versus plenty of towing ability (for trips to the dump with the trailer, or for taking the boat or caravan on holiday – or even a horse trailer). The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder does its best to deliver in both these areas.  OK, the 3.5-litre V6 engine is never going to beat the fuel economy of what you get in a little hatchback, but for something this big, 9.9 L/100 km (combined figures for the 2WD version) is pretty respectable, especially when you consider that this engine has 190 kW of power tops at 6400 rpm and 325 Nm at 4400.  You can select towing mode, meaning you get the extra oomph when and only when you need it (more useful for families than the Sport drive mode option you get in some vehicles these days). You’ll find this engine in all six possible versions of the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder, and it comes coupled to the next-generation Xtronic CVT transmission.  Hill Start Assist, Vehicle Dynamic Control, traction control, ABS brakes with EBD and Brake Assist are all available in all examples of the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder.

So what are these six possibilities in the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder? Your first choice is between 2WD and the four-paw.  Trim level varies from the basic ST to the slightly more sophisticated ST-L and the fancier Ti at the top of the range.

So let’s start with what the basic 2014 Nissan Pathfinder ST has. Don’t let the description “basic” fool you into thinking you’re going to get something at the level of a Cold War era Lada but with seven seats.  Au contraire.  You’ll find a 7-inch colour display screen, a 2-GB hard drive for storing music, a sound system that takes the works (CD, DVD, MP3, USB… and good old AM/FM radio), Bluetooth handsfree phone preparation, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, triple zone climate control, push-button engine start, remote keyless entry, leather accents on the steering wheel and gearshift, a 8-way adjustable driver seat with lumbar support, four 12-volt power sockets, rear view camera and reverse sensors, airbags everywhere, roof rails, speed sensitive windshield wipers and full preparation for child seats

If you go up to the ST-L variant of 2014 Nissan Pathfinder, you’ll get everything on the ST plus electronic tilt & telescopic adjustment of the steering column, heated front seats, electric adjustment of the lumbar support in the driver’s seat, power recline/slide adjustment for the front passenger, automatic anti-dazzle for the rear view mirror, heated outdoor mirrors, integrated front fog lamps, a panoramic glass roof with sunshade, and leather accents on the door and seat trim.

Inside the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. This is what you get in the fancy Ti model.

The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Ti takes the bells and whistles to then next level with satellite navigation, 9 GB of hard drive storage for your music, the Tri-Zone entertainment system that includes monitors in the back of the front seats that lets kids in the middle row play video games and watch movies (with wireless headphones so the adults in the front don’t have to put up with endless Shaun the Sheep), 13 speakers rather than just six, front seats that can be heated or cooled as you fancy, a memory function for the remote keyless entry, memory for the driver’s seat positions, memory for the steering wheel adjustments, Around View monitors, memory function for the door mirrors, auto close on the rear tail gate open/close function and an 8-inch colour display monitor.

Looks tend to be lower down on the priority list when choosing a good, practical family SUV. This doesn’t mean that the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder is plug-ugly, though. Far from it. You’ve got stylish chrome trim here and there (enough to look smart but not enough to look tacky and showy).  The ST and ST-L variants sit proudly on 18-inch alloy wheels, and the Ti ups that to 20 inches.  All variants have a perky little rear spoiler that set of the chunky good looks quite nicely.

The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder isn’t only going to appeal to busy families, either.  Because of how the rear seats fold down completely flat, combined with the professional good looks and the      , the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder is also suitable as a commercial vehicle for tradespeople.

Current model series include:

• 2014 Nissan Pathfinder ST 2WD
• 2014 Nissan Pathfinder ST-L 2WD
• 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Ti 2WD
• 2014 Nissan Pathfinder ST 4WD
• 2014 Nissan Pathfinder ST-L 4WD
• 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Ti 4WD

For any more information on the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Nissan dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!