When testing a vehicle like the Nissan Pathfinder, which is
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better known as a multi-seat 4x4 car than a heavy duty van, one obvious problem arises: should the Pathfinder be ranked against the mass of car-derived vans on the market, or should we take a more niche approach and call it as a go-anywhere off-roader with valuable covered storage?
You'll probably see many more Pathfinders equipped with seven-seats rather than a bulkhead and full-length loadspace, and few will make more than a handful of journeys off road. However, after just a few minutes on a rough road, it's apparent that there is huge potential in the Pathfinder's abilities, and that this not an ordinary van.
So rather than be tempted to think this is your neighbour's 4x4 with the seats bolted flat, think of it as a vital weapon in the arsenal of an on-call plumber trying to make his way through this winter's snow and ice to fix your leaking pipes.
The revamped Pathfinder went on sale across Europe in April after it was unveiled at the Geneva motor show, where Nissan added a powerful V6 engine to the passenger car line-up. Unfortunately, panel van buyers don't get the option of the new 228hp lump, but the styling revisions are carried over.
The most striking changes are the revised grille, modified headlight clusters and new look bumpers that are more rounded at the front, and squarer at the rear. On the inside, the dials, door trims and switchgear have all been replaced, and the cabin now gets chrome highlights on the transmission tunnel and around the dials.
However, the changes are not just cosmetic: Nissan has improved the only available engine option, the four-cylinder, 2.5-litre dCi, resulting in a CO7 saving of 40g/km and an 11% rise in power and torque, now up 18hp to 188hp and 47Nm to 450Nm respectively.
On the road
That extra power and more torque have transformed the Pathfinder into a formidable warrior. Its prowess on the
asphalt was noted by drivers and passengers alike, with the extra grunt and powerful kick of the revised turbo enough to propel a fully loaded Pathfinder up to 50mph on our test straight in just 12.5 seconds. Its next trick was to comfortably haul the same 740kg up a 1:4 slope from a standing start on the incline, before rounding the show off with a controlled descent down a 33% gradient with the low-range gears engaged.
As if a display of brute strength on the test hills wasn't enough to impress, the Pathfinder stormed through the challenging handling route, gripping the road brilliantly in both FWD and 4WD modes. The suspension even soaked up a brisk 1/4 mile stint on a section of simulated broken road surface without any concerns.
Although we weren't able to put any slippery slopes or deep water in its path, off-road it coped adequately with the waterlogged and rutted route but unfortunately, with the added weight. it never felt as if it could truly master the terrain.
Away from the track and on the road, the Pathfinder demonstrates a firm but adequately cushioned ride that appears well tuned for our mixed surfaces. At high and low speeds, it handles well and feels equally at home being chucked around or getting set to dead centre and aimed down a motorway. However, the common-rail diesel engine sounds coarse under acceleration at the bottom of the rev range, and it's not until you near motorway speeds that the tone of the engine truly relaxes.
Productivity
Revisions to the engine have not only slashed the amount of CO2 emitted by the new Pathfinder, but also shaved nearly 15% off the consumption figures. Nissan claims the panel van will achieve 33.2mpg, but our unladen run around the usual test route bettered this, producing a figure of 34.4mpg, while the laden run returned 33.9mpg, a penalty of just 0.5mpg.
Rear side doors, with steel panels replacing the windows. improve loading access, as the high tail-gate made loading and unloading, particularly towards the centre of the vehicle, difficult. The low opening level of the boot hatch also proved troublesome, with this particular tester catching his head on more than one occasion.
The Pathfinder can claim a sizeable load length of over 2.5m with several lashing points along the floor. hut it's the additional storage touches that elevate it above a rival pick-up truck with a covered body.
Although fitted with a rear privacy grille and wire bulkhead for security, you will need out-of-sight storage on occasion. The cargo net compartments along the side won't provide that, but there are small cubby holes above the rear wheel arches that can swallow up smaller items.
However, the two lockable metal gun cabinet-style lockers — located under the floor and accessible through the rear doors — do offer some much needed secure storage. And because it retains the same rear doors as the passenger car, there are deep pockets that are ideal for storing paperwork out of sight, but easily accessible.
Even if your gun cabinets, rear storage points and cargo nets are all full, there's yet more storage space available, with ample space in the front from the split lockable glovebox, large door pockets, coin tray and cup holders on the transmission tunnel.
Cab comfort
Despite the new switchgear, good build quality and the smatterings of chrome, the Pathfinder's interior still looks quite basic, mainly due to the crude plastics used on the large steering wheel and the basic design and feel of the indicator and windscreen control stalks.
Small touches such as the soft close compartment in the dashboard and the leather trim on the centre arm rest improve the overall feel, but the solid seats that border on uncomfortable make lengthy journeys tiring. Taller drivers will find the cabin cramped and will struggle to adjust to a comfortable position.
Large mirrors aid rear visibility, while the view from the front is hampered by a thick A-pillar.The tinted portion of the windscreen and the adjustable speed of the intermittent windscreen wiper function are also thoughtful touches that you really appreciate with our varying climate.
With boxes to tick on the options list few and far between, the list of standard equipment is commendable, and although navigation, cruise control and parking sensors are all unavailable as extras, the Pathfinder does feel suitably well equipped with a standard issue CD/ radio, Bluetooth handsfree, dual-zone air conditioning and heated electric mirrors. The only extra our £23,292 test vehicle came with was a set of £60 floor mats.
The only slight criticism of the Pathfinder's equipment is the clarity of the display, with the orange on black readouts particularly hard to read in sunlight, and the instrument cluster a touch too shaded to read clearly on a cloudy day. The CD/radio also lacked the ability to play MP3 CDs, although there is an AUX connection and additional 12V socket sensibly located in the centre arm rest. in