Nissan’s prolonged tease of the all-new 2013 Pathfinder SUV is finally coming to an end, as the automaker is now releasing the remaining information and photography it previously withheld.
We’ll have a more detailed report on the new 2013 Pathfinder later this afternoon, but here are a few brief highlights:
-Unibody: Moving from a truck frame to a unitized body/frame design allows the new three-row Pathfinder weigh nearly 500 pounds less than the outgoing 2012 Pathfinder. Front-wheel-drive units tip the scales at 4149 pounds, while four-wheel-drive models weigh in at 4290 pounds. Switching to unibody also allowed for a flat interior floor, making for more passenger and cargo room.
-Powertrain: Nissan has confirmed the 2013 Pathfinder will be powered by a 260-hp, 3.5-liter, DOHC V-6. Regardless of the driveline (i.e. FWD, 4×4), all Pathfinders channel that power through a continuously variable transmission. It’s Nissan’s latest version of the Xtronic CVT, and is more advanced and more efficient than the similar CVT in the Pathfinder’s platform-mate, the 2013 Infiniti JX35. Four-wheel drive models give the driver the ability to select two-wheel drive, four-wheel-drive, or allow the transfer case to automatically engage the rear wheels when slip is detected.
-Fuel Economy: Front-drive 2013 Pathfinders should be rated at 20/ 26 mpg (city/highway), while four-wheel-drive models are expected to attain a 19/25 mpg rating from the EPA. Nissan credits the improved highway scores to the fact that the 2013 Pathfinder is more aerodynamic than its predecessor, with a drag coefficient of 0.34. The lower curb weight and more-efficient powertrain also help.
-Towing: Despite the unibody construction and the CVT, Nissan still says the 2013 Pathfinder boasts a standard towing capacity of 5000 pounds.
-Technology: As in the 2013 Altima, the new Pathfinder gets a new four-inch color screen in the instrument cluster. Nissan’s AroundView Monitor 360-degree camera is available, as are heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-screen DVD players mounted to the front seat headrests. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer lane-departure or blind-spot monitoring systems — and unusual omission in this safety-oriented segment.
For more information on the new 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, check out our First Look.
