Nissan Pathfinder Used Buying Guide

• If you’re looking for a hybrid model, unfortunately, that will be a bit harder to find, but not impossible. This gives it the best fuel economy in pre-owned Nissan Pathfinder models.
• The most recent iteration of the Pathfinder can tow up to 6,000 pounds, making it more than just a soccer mom SUV.
• With the addition of trailer sway control, this has the edge over other SUVs on the market.
• If you want the most comfortable option for your family, then you’ll want the second row captain’s chairs that come in the fifth generation.

Having been released in recent years, this is the one to look for in terms of new features. This generation comes in the S, SV, SL, and Platinum trims. Unlike other models in this segment, this one only features one engine, making it easy to look solely for features. The engine that you can find is the 3.5L V6, and it comes with 284 horsepower and 259 lb-ft of torque. This is powerful enough to tow 6,000 pounds, and it is efficient as it comes with a 23 MPG combined rating from the EPA.

An area that makes this generation unique is the option to swap the second row with captain’s chairs. This is a change from the bench seats that are standard throughout other generations, and still featured on this one. Another area where this generation stands out is the new terrain-management system called “Intelligent 4x4” that comes with seven management settings. If that’s still not enough to look for this generation, Nissan has added trailer sway control to the Safety Shield 360.

If you want the best features, such as the semi-aniline leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof, you’ll want to look for the higher-end trims. If these features aren’t too important, then you can look for the S and SV. These models are still outfitted with an 8-inch infotainment screen that comes with phone connectivity, helping you keep the cost down while still enjoying something new. On the higher-end trim, this becomes a 9-inch screen with wireless phone connectivity.

One area where this generation remains the same as the newest one is the engines, with the bulk of the features that are different coming around with the 2014 model. This comes part of the SL tech package, and it adds a Bose premium audio system, as well as the Nissan Navigation System, voice recognition, XM NavTraffic and NavWeather capability, and Bluetooth streaming.

One area where this model does shine over the most recent generation is the inclusion of a hybrid model. Being that it was only around for one year, which was 2014. Nissan had claimed that it can get anywhere from 25 to 28 MPG combined, with the EPA finding that it can get 26 MPG combined, making it a bit better than the most recent engine. This model will be hard to find; if you do, you’ll have something rare and efficient.

If you find an SL or Platinum trim from 2017, you can enjoy a Motion-Activated Liftgate that was included in this year's update. But other than that, this generation didn’t change all that much, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad find.