Interior

Hop on in the Pathfinder and you will find just about everything is designed to facilitate the vehicle's functionality. The fabric and plastic surfaces are quite smooth, allowing for quick and easy cleaning. The glossy dashboard and soft door panels give the vehicle's interior quite the upscale feel. Riders have ample room for legs, head and elbows. This is a sizable vehicle in all regards. The Pathfinder has three rows of seating. The second row's bench seat slides to create additional leg room if the third row is vacant. The slide and fold feature makes it easy access to the row in the back. You can leave the child seats locked even when the seat partially collapses. The Pathfinder's third row seats sit quite low, making it quite spacious compared to those provided by competitors. All in all, the new Pathfinder seats seven people.

Technology

The Pathfinder has the brand new NissanConnect infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen. The system is easily controlled with pinches, presses and swipes. Additional features include:

• Tri-zone automatic climate control
• Satellite radio
• HD radio
• SiriusXM Travel Link
• Streaming audio
• Bluetooth phone connectivity
• Ventilated front seats
• Bose audio with 13 speakers

Performance

The Pathfinder has a direct injection 6-cylinder engine with 3.5 liters, 284 horses and 259 pound feet of torque. The vehicle has a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with what Nissan has dubbed ?D-Step? logic that provides the feel of shifting by way of an automatic transmission though a series of steps. It eliminates the high-revs of the typical CVT yet allows the transmission to vary in minor increments for optimal fuel efficiency.

The Pathfinder provides 27 miles per gallon on the highway. Drive the new Pathfinder on city streets and it achieves 20 miles per gallon. The Pathfinder's combined fuel efficiency with front wheel drive is 23 miles per gallon. Opt for all wheel drive and combined fuel efficiency dips a mere one mile per gallon to 22. This is excellent fuel economy considering the vehicle's considerable size.

Safety

The new Pathfinder is one of the safest vehicles on the road. If you get into an accident with this beastly vehicle, the odds are good that you will emerge unscathed. The Pathfinder is larger than most vehicles on the road, providing ample protection that will keep occupants safe in the vast majority of accidents. Pathfinder safety features include:

• Rearview camera
• Rear park assist
• Rear cross-traffic alerts
• Blind spot monitors
• Surround-view cameras with moving object detection
• Forward collision warning
• Emergency braking
• Adaptive cruise control

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