Driving Impressions

The Pathfinder is a mighty smooth operator. Not only is Nissan’s SUV a true pleasure to drive and ride in, but it also delivers plenty of performance. The ride quality reaches close to gentle, and it gets choppy only on washboard-type road surfaces. Despite the soft ride, the Pathfinder’s handling ranks above average as it maneuvers easily and adeptly. It stays relatively flat in curves and corners, and little correction is needed on straightaways. An easy-acting automatic transmission delivers prompt gear changes.

The seats are comfortable and supportive. The backseat is as inviting as the front seat, and it offers fine legroom but not quite as much headroom. The Pathfinder is very carlike, in the best sense of the word.

    See also:

    Freeing a frozen door lock
    To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply deicer through the key hole. If the lock becomes frozen, heat the key before inserting it into the key hole, or use the remote keyless entry keyfob (i ...

    Outside mirrors
    The outside mirror remote control will operate only when the ignition switch is in the ACC or ON position. Move the small switch (1) to select the right or left mirror. Adjust each mirror to ...

    Starting the engine
    1. Apply the parking brake. 2. Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) model: Move the shift selector to P (Park) or N (Neutral). P (Park) is recommended. The starter is designed not to operate ...