nine Cool Facts About the two thousand seventeen Nissan Pathfinder
A Closer Look at Nissan’s Significantly Refreshed Crossover
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The refreshed two thousand seventeen Nissan Pathfinder has been unveiled, and with the mid-cycle freshening comes many updates to make this three-row crossover safer, more powerful, and more rugged than its predecessor. While not a utter redesign, the Pathfinder gets a much needed infusion of spectacle and technology to keep it fresh and competitive with key rivals like the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, and Ford Explorer. Here are nine notable features on the refreshed two thousand seventeen Nissan Pathfinder, which goes on sale in September of this year.
Yes, the VQ Engine Lives On
You heard right, the workhorse VQ35 Three.5-liter V-6 lives on but with fifty six percent of the engine comprised of fresh parts. As a result, it now makes two hundred eighty four hp and two hundred fifty nine lb-ft of torque thanks to the addition of direct injection, a fresh intake manifold, fresh pistons, and an enhanced compression ratio of 11.0:1. Compared to its predecessor, the revised VQ35 is also lighter thanks to the use of an aluminum block and goes with mirror-bore cylinder decorating. As with the older version of the VQ35, expect this one to trickle down to other cars including the Murano, Maxima, and Altima.
More Power, Same Fuel Economy
Despite the fresh engine getting a healthy dose of power and torque, don’t expect the two thousand seventeen Pathfinder to be less efficient. In fact, Nissan says that fuel economy ratings from the pre-facelift Pathfinder, 20/27 mpg city/highway for front-drive models and Nineteen/26 mpg for all-wheel-drive variants, should carry over for the refreshed model.
Suspension and Steering Tweaked for Improved Driving Dynamics
In an effort to make the Pathfinder a better treating vehicle, Nissan has also tweaked the car’s suspension. The front and rear shock absorbers are now stiffer and rear spring rates have been enlargened by twenty five percent. Fresh rebound springs in the front struts have been added while the steering ratio has been enlargened by eleven percent to make it more responsive.
No, There’s No Hybrid Coming…For Now
When asked whether a hybrid variant of the Pathfinder would comeback as part of the refreshed two thousand seventeen lineup, Nissan says that’s not in the cards…for now. Despite the quiet addition of a Murano Hybrid and the come back of the Infiniti QX60 Hybrid, the Pathfinder won’t get a hybrid variant in the near future. The Pathfinder Hybrid was sold only for a brief period and featured a Two.5-liter supercharged I-4 coupled to an electrical motor for a total output of two hundred fifty hp.
There’s More Tech to Keep You From Crashing
Yes, there are more baby sitters to keep you from rear-ending another car on the road. Safety features that will be added to the two thousand seventeen Pathfinder include automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and Moving Object Detection. These features, which have been available on the related Infiniti JX35/QX60 for some time, should keep you from getting into too much trouble.
Improved Infotainment System
The latest version of NissanConnect has found its way into the two thousand seventeen Pathfinder and the touchscreen has grown to eight inches from the previous car’s 7-inch unit. Along with it comes a number of connected functions such as SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link and navigation. However, Apple CarPlay, which was added to the two thousand seventeen Maxima, and Android Auto are conspicuously missing in the version of NissanConnect found in the two thousand seventeen Pathfinder.
The CVT is Fresh, and it’s Still the Only Transmission Suggested
Nissan’s third-generation CVT, which spotted duty very first in the two thousand sixteen Maxima, has found its way to the two thousand seventeen Pathfinder. Like in the Maxima, this transmission features Nissan’s D-Step Logic Control, which is a fancy way of telling that it makes simulated gear switches so that it feels like a stepped gearbox.
seven Inches of Ground Clearance
Don’t expect the refreshed two thousand seventeen Pathfinder to be able to go rock crawling like its body-on-frame predecessors because it only has seven inches of ground clearance and doesn’t have the right underpinnings to do so. Instead, this is a crossover meant for transporting the family through snow or on light trails to get to the campsite.
A More Rugged Face
The two thousand seventeen Pathfinder received a nip and tuck that gave it a fresh front fascia. Its headlights, in particular, have been reshaped and feature a kink that kicks up a little. The front end features a different take on Nissan’s V-Motion grille, which is less aggressive and emphasizes the width of the car by placing the chrome bars far apart from each other and placed more upright compared to other Nissan models with the fresh corporate face.