2005 4x4 Truck Of The Year

Nissan Pathfinder SE Off-RoadEvery 4x4 of the Year test includes at least one "first-time" experience. It's inevitable, and stems from the fact that we're taking new 4x4 technology out on terrain that is unimpressed by the latest widget. It's Machine vs. Nature and when these two forces clash it's always interesting. So for the first time ever on a 4-Wheel & Off-Road vehicle test we had a supplemental restraint system (SRS) airbag deploy (the passenger-side curtain airbags in this case) when our '05 Pathfinder slid onto its running board. It happened when our Nissan Pathfinder, with its four-wheel independent suspension and no lockers or limited slips, found itself out rockcrawling with this year's tough competition. We'll chalk it up to the fact that our test vehicle was a pre-production unit that is not representative of the final production version. We doubt that any airbag would normally deploy during the type of trail riding we were doing, but since it was the only Pathfinder Nissan had available at the time of our testing, we can't draw any further conclusions.

The large BFGoodrich Rugged Trail tires were the Pathfinder's biggest asset. They gave it very good ground clearance over obstacles, but the ABS-based traction control and 3.36 axle gears did not make it an efficient rockcrawler. We found that out the hard way as we dinged and dragged the Nissan running boards over watermelon-sized rocks. Most of our judges had a hard time taking the Pathfinder over the same lines that every other 4x4 in the group could handle. There were even some hillclimbs on our test that the Pathfinder just couldn't complete. Downhill descents, on the other hand, were no problem, thanks to Nissan's Hill Descent Control (HDC) that automatically modulated the Pathfinder's brakes to keep us in control. This Nissan system makes up for some of the shortcomings of not having a low crawl ratio, and it is much quieter in operation than some of the competitors.

We had better luck with the Pathfinder in the sand where it could flex its 4.0L V-6 muscles and rely on the control of its multilink independent rear suspension to keep the tires on the ground. Judges still wished for better shock tuning in the rough sections where the Frontier's Bilstein shocks seemed better suited than the Pathfinder's Rancho tuned units.

On road the Pathfinder won much better praise with its quiet interior and third-row seating option. Nissan has mastered the art of the folding seat and lets you stow literally the entire passenger side of the vehicle to fit extremely long cargo inside the vehicle. If you're looking for an off-road capable SUV from Nissan you may want to hold off a year for the new redesigned Xterra.

Specifications

LikesSix-speed manual transmissionDouble cab versatility110-volt outlet in pickup bed

DislikesFour-wheel-drive dial would not obey our commandsNeeds lower axle gearsDown on horsepower

VerdictToyota's mini-pickup icon is good, but losing ground to Nissan.