The Morning Call and Mcall.com's view

OK, blame it on testosterone.

Yup, when it comes to Homo sapiens with lots of “y” chromosomes, they’d rather be dead than caught driving a mommy-mobile like a minivan when doing their daily errands. Nope, these Home Depot he-men like the off-road image that Sport Utility Vehicles (that’s SUVs to you) afford, knowing they can trample anything in their path, be it their neighbor’s petunias or their neighbor’s cat, Petunia.

To say that most people who buy a sport utility vehicle will almost never use it to its full potential is missing the point. You can’t drive a Corvette at 120 mph on public roads either, but you like it because you know it’s there.

And so, as consumers happily snap up these four-wheel drive trucks, many of which have sticker prices in the luxury car class, automakers are trying to make them oh, so civilized.

Case in point: the new-for-’96 Nissan Pathfinder. It doesn’t look a whole lot different than the previous generation, but there are a lot of details that have been improved, be it base XE, mid-line SE or top drawer LE.

Whether one is the styling is debatable. To some, the added creases to the body and grille-work clutter up a purposeful design. Certainly, it looks heavier than before. It is wider, and this pays big dividends inside.

There’s lots of space for two friends and their elbows. The dash helps this wider view of the world. Its graceful arc gives the car a luxurious feel. This is accented by leather-covered bucket seats and fake wood trim.

Excuse me. Do you have any Grey Poupon?

Those front seats are comfy with good support. They’ll hold in you in place going through the corners, where the Pathfinder found plenty of room to lean. The split, fold-down back seat will hold three corn-fed Americans, but two will be much more comfortable. The seat isn’t much better than last year’s, being low and short with little foot space under the front seats.

Getting aboard a Pathfinder is easier than ever, thanks to a low step-in height. But beware, the running boards are shallower than ever.

Cargo space is improved over last year. Although not the biggest in its class, it will do for most people. A cargo net and tie-down hooks are provided. The spare tire is now mounted underneath the vehicle, meaning you no longer have to swing it out of the way to open the rear hatch.

But most guys care about hauling backside, not hauling cargo. Power is improved, with a more powerful single-overhead-cam V-6. Producing 153 horsepower and 183 pound-feet of torque, this power plant has plenty of grunt to make it to Little League on time. Low- and mid-range power is improved over last year. It makes this vehicle feel faster than its official 0-60 time of 11 seconds. The four-wheel drive system is part-time and easy to engage. Transmission choices are the usual five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. The test vehicle’s automatic shifted smoothly.

The suspension is a double wishbone with torsion bar up front and five-link coil springs out back. It gives the truck a much more civilized ride over many competitors on-road, matching the class leaders. The steering is quick, but the tires give up too easily, squealing at the smallest provocation. Couple this with some body lean and you’ll be slowing down in corners.

Braking is courtesy of front disc/rear drum brakes. Every Pathfinder comes with rear-wheel anti-lock disc brakes. A four-wheel disc system is standard on the top of the line 4X4 LE V-6 and optional on the mid-line SE V-6. A limited-slip differential is standard on the LE, optional on the SE.

As families turn to SUVs as transportation, safety is being improved as well. For too long, trucks haven’t met the same safety standards as cars. This is changing. Dual airbags are standard, as are such now-common car safety features as steel side-door beams, front crumple zones, child safety door locks and rear outb ard three-point belts. The best part of SUVs is the element of passive safety one gets from sitting up so high. This gives you a clear view down the road and allows you to spot upcoming road hazards.

If you desire the refinement of a minivan but must have the machismo image that only an SUV can afford, take a look at a Pathfinder Tarzan. Prices start at about $22,000 for a base XE 4X2 V-6. Despite its off-road ability, it still coddles you comfortably.

PATHFINDER LE Standard: 3.3-liter single overhead cam V-6, power assisted four-wheel anti-lock braking system, power rack-and-pinion steering, alloy wheels, P235/70R15 mud and snow tires, underbody mounted full-size spare, fog lamps, chrome trim, heated power mirrors, running boards, body cladding, 160-watt AM/FM/CD player, power antenna, automatic climate control, leather trim, simulated wood grain, digital compass, temperature gauge, driver’s seat lumbar support, rear center armrest, power windows and door locks, front and rear 12-volt DC outlets, cruise control, overhead sunglasses storage, illuminated vanity mirrors, integrated garage door opener, dual airbags, cargo area cover, cargo net. Optional: Luxury Package (power tilt and sliding sunroof, power front bucket seats) Base price: $32,129 As tested: $33,848 EPA rating: 15 mpg city, 19 mpg highway Test mileage: 16 mpg