1997 Nissan Pathfinder Review (continued)
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Walkaround

What we have here, at least visually, is a brawny station wagon with extra ground clearance. With no shared sheet metal between Pathfinder and Nissan pickups, the family resemblance is gone. Though the new entry retains the distinctive triple slots above the grille, it has a more rounded nose with faired-in headlights and a wagon body with the hard edges smoothed out.

Automotive resemblances don't stop with the sheet metal. The Pathfinder eschews the body-on-frame construction common to most sport-utes, using instead a unit structure that Nissan claims is more than twice as rigid as its predecessor, as well as considerably lighter. That should keep squeaks and rattles to a minimum, as it did during our test.

There are three models--XE, SE and LE, in ascending order--and the fancier versions carry more bright trim than most passenger cars; their grilles, bumper tops and running boards are plated or polished. Equivalent pieces on XE models are black (though, curiously, the XE rides on chrome wheels), creating an immediately apparent distinction between the models.

Both XE (from $23,919, including destination) and LE (from $33,339) versions are available with rear- or four-wheel drive. The latter is a part-time system with shift-on-the-fly capability, and we recommend the optional limited slip rear differential if you're planning to challenge mucky forest trails.

The sporty SE (from $28,369) is a 4WD-only model that essentially splits the difference between XE and LE and offers extra ground clearance--8.3 inches, versus 7.5.

As the wide range of listed prices suggests, the various Pathfinders run the gamut from relatively basic to fully loaded, though there's not a stripper" in the bunch. All have a V6 engine, ABS, AM/FM/CD audio system and rear wash/wipe as standard, but to get air conditioning, power windows, mirrors and locks, plus leather seats and automatic transmission without exhaustive option-shopping requires purchase of an LE version.

Our tester was a top-of-the-line LE, with 4WD."

Interior Features

Is it a car or a truck? From the inside, you'll be hard-pressed to tell which category the Pathfinder fits best. Granted, the seats are higher off the ground than they would be in, say, a Nissan Altima, but the dashboard, seats and all other trim pieces convey a sense of passenger car ambience and comfort.

Like most sport-utes, getting into or out of a Pathfinder requires a long step up (or down), but once inside you'll find all the right stuff in all the right places. Dials (speedometer, tachometer, water temperature and fuel level) are large, as are buttons for most other necessary functions and rotary dials for climate control. The radio buttons are a little too small, and the electric mirror switches are hidden from view by the wheel, but by and large, the designers have done their work well. Everything else is sited for easy use.

Seating quality and noise isolation fall into the car-like class as well. A quiet, comfortable environment is one of the Pathfinder's greatest assets, followed by generous cargo space, enhanced by the vehicle's increased dimensions. On the debit side, taller occupants may find a little less headroom than they'd like, and all adults will wish the rear seat offered more legroom.

Very little needs to be added to complete the Pathfinder's cabin, especially when it's an SE or LE; most of us will be quite well served by an SE with added air conditioning. In fact, we prefer the lesser model's cloth upholstery--especially for the first sit-down on cold winter mornings. On the other hand, we like the LE's power glass sunroof and excellent Bose sound system.

One standard feature that might work better on the option list is the heavily tinted privacy glass for rear doors, quarter windows and liftgate. Some buyers might find it a trifle dark for night driving.

On the plus side of the driver sightline ledger, the 1996 redesign moved the spare tire from the liftgate to an underbody storage nook, a change that also makes it easier to get in and out of the rear cargo hold.