The Nissan Pathfinder has had a tough time trying to figure out where it belongs in the world. It started life as a body-on-frame SUV and then, in '96, switched to a unibody platform. The next redesign, in 2005, saw the Pathfinder go back to a body-on-frame design to help spread the cost of the F-Alpha platform that was shared by the Pathfinder, Frontier, Titan, Xterra and Armada. And now that the Pathfinder is up for a redesign, the conversation has once again turned to the specific architecture. Will it wait for a redesigned truck platform, or switch back to unibody?
Judging from these photos, and current market conditions, we have to say that this one is going back to unibody with a front-or-all-wheel drive layout in an effort to compete with the Explorers, Traverses and Durangos of the world. This switch, though brings up a new question: What platform will they use? Nissan already has the D platform that underpins the Murano, Quest and Maxima which could work. Building it on the Murano platform brings up the problem of this vehicle potentially stepping on the toes of the Murano.
Beyond that we have the new, more Nissan-like design that fits in more cohesively with the rest of the lineup and an overall shape much more in line with modern crossovers than SUVS. Another 4x4 bites the dust.
orangutan says:
07:00 PM, 12/ 9/11
First picture looks like a 2004-ish Grand Cherokee mixed with the current Santa Fe.
Guess it's going to be a three-row Murano now.
ctpaul says:
07:51 PM, 12/ 9/11
looks more like a station wagon than an SUV - current Pathfinder appears absolutely dead in the market so not surprising. Appears to a small three row suv like Sorento or RAV4, something Nissan does not have now.
roar02ram says:
08:13 PM, 12/ 9/11
Pathfinder turns into a mushute, boo-hoo, wah, whatever. It makes a lot of sense, especially since Nissan doesn't have a 3-row crossover. And because Nissan has the Xterra.
Speaking of the Xterra...
transpower says:
05:38 AM, 12/10/11
I agree with ctpaul--it looks just like a station wagon. When SUV's first came out, they looked distinctive and different from station wagons. Now they're turning into station wagons, which is going to turn off most buyers.
moparbad says:
08:16 AM, 12/10/11
SUV is just a station wagon with higer center of gravity and worse fuel economy.
sniperruff says:
01:02 PM, 12/10/11
I think the Pathfinder lost a majority of its following after the 2nd gen. Don't even think the Pathfinder as a relevant model anymore.
bodyblue says:
01:42 PM, 12/10/11
Ford has shown that a FWD biased unibody SUV can sell well.....maybe Nissan wants part of that market?
eric_l says:
03:23 PM, 12/10/11
Looks just like an Infiniti JX, which itself is basically a stretched Murano with a 3rd row. So why wouldn't this be the next Murano vs the Pathfinder?
transpower says:
06:32 AM, 12/11/11
Moparbad: That's not fair to real SUV's. Most station wagons do not have AWD, and they have no ground clearance to speak of. I like sitting up high and occasionally going off-road. As for fuel economy, there are hybrid SUV's available.
brn says:
11:17 AM, 12/11/11
We need to get some of those guys in the Explorer threads over here to make constant comparisons to minivans. :(
bodyblue says:
07:52 AM, 12/12/11
Brn; Did you know a Mazda 2 is a better SUV than an Explorer? Mainly because more are sold in Canada.
Hows that?? :)
blueprint1 says:
09:28 AM, 12/12/11
@bodyblue:
Yup, the Mazda 2 is a better Sport Urban Vehicle than the Explorer, no question there, and it does sell well in Canada, in fact.
threemopars says:
06:27 PM, 12/12/11
No problem with uni-body SUV if it's done right.....hell the Grand Cherokee has been uni-body (well Uni-frame) from the start. No questions on its off-road abilities.