2005 Nissan Pathfinder First Drive

Finding its way among larger SUVs


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Click to enlarge. The 2005 Nissan Pathfinder comes standard with an electronically controlled 5-speed transmission.

Rated by Nissan at 270 horsepower (5600 rpm) and 291-plus lb.-ft. torque (4000 rpm), the new motor is derived from the award-winning “VQ” engine family, familiar to buyers of the 350Z, Maxima, Altima, Murano and Quest. These engines have received much acclaim, and during a two-day drive through on country roads, freeways and city streets, it did indeed perform admirably, promptly delivering power on command. During lane changes, it was easy to call up a burst of acceleration; during long drives, it quickly settled into a relaxed gallop. From behind the wheel, only two issues were noteworthy: the exhaust note was a bit whiny (officials said that this would be adjusted prior to launch), and wind noise off of the windshield wipers and A-pillar was a little intrusive at speeds over 65 mph. Road and engine noise, however, was muted and hardly noticeable.

That’s the thing about long drives in the Pathfinder – the miles are hardly noticeable thanks in part to the amount of software on-board.From the standard 5-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission to a host of performance software such as Electronic Throttle Control with secondary mapping in 4LO (4WD models), Continuous Valve Timing Control (C-VTC), and Nissan variable Induction Control System (NICS), all of which operate transparently to the driver is designed to either enhance the Pathfinder’s performance and efficiency – or order a pizza for the driver.