2017 Nissan Pathfinder | Cars.com photo by Aaron Bragman
CARS.COM — Americans just can’t get enough SUVs, with 2016 sales through the roof in just about every segment. Nissan’s Pathfinder, however, hasn’t been following the trend — sales are down this year as the aging 2016 model isn’t proving popular with buyers. Nissan hopes to change that slide with the revised 2017 model, which will arrive in showrooms in September.
On the outside, it’s not all that different. It wears a new front and rear end and a new hood that Nissan hopes will convey a more masculine, trucky appearance. Inside, it’s not all that different either, with a new center console design and a few new materials, plus the same slick folding second-row that makes for seriously easy third-row ingress. You still wouldn’t want to put an adult in the third row, but if they do need to be there, it’s not difficult for them to get in or out. First- and second-row occupants have a much more comfortable environment, but a lack of toe room underneath the front seats means second-row legroom is a little tight.
The biggest difference for 2017 is the Pathfinder’s new multimedia system, which looks and feels updated and modern. The automaker switched to an icon-focused system instead of a menu-based one, allowing you to reconfigure the screen as desired. As multimedia systems go, this one seems top-notch, with big icons, clear graphics and good contrast for clear visibility in bright conditions. We’ll have to test it before we can rate its speed or ease of operation but, at first glance, it looks like a winner.
As for how it drives, stay tuned; we’ll have a full road test of the new 2017 Pathfinder later this month.
Aaron Bragman
Detroit Bureau Chief Aaron Bragman has had over 25 years of experience in the auto industry as a journalist, analyst, purchasing agent and program manager. Bragman grew up around his father’s classic Triumph sports cars (which were all sold and gone when he turned 16, much to his frustration) and comes from a Detroit family where cars put food on tables as much as smiles on faces. Today, he’s a member of the Automotive Press Association and the Midwest Automotive Media Association. His pronouns are he/him, but his adjectives are fat/sassy.