2022 Nissan Pathfinder arrives with new design and more tech

The Nissan Pathfinder has been a success story for the brand but its existence is always overlooked. Blame the decent yet forgettable looks of the SUV for that. Nissan aims to change the status quo with the completely new 2022 Nissan Pathfinder. With a stronger design and more tech, the new model adds some zing to Nissan’s global cash-cow.

Give the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder a glance and it is easy to mistake it for a Patrol. The Pathfinder draws inspiration from the big brute for its front fascia, with the Patrol-like headlights and the V-Motion grille. The Pathfinder looks more upright with a squared silhouette, shedding its minivan-like design from the old generation. Slim tail lights at the rear add more width to the vehicle, so does the large Pathfinder badge.

Practicality is king when it comes to the Pathfinder’s interior and the 2022 model. The HVAC system gets proper buttons and knobs instead of the modern-age touchscreen gimmick. Yet, the Pathfinder gets a 9.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.8-inch head-up-display to keep up with its competitors.

In the 2022 model, the third row is larger and can seat three passengers, allowing the SUV to carry a total of 8 passengers. There is a seven-seater option too, with captain seats in the second row. The fold-and-slide function from the current model appears in the 2022 Pathfinder as well, making it easier to climb into the third row.

The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder is offered as standard with Nissan Safety Shield 360 Suite. This offers safety systems like lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring and automatic rear braking. A ProPilot Assist will add adaptive cruise control and lane-centering to the list, in the mid-level variants. The range-topping Platinum variant will get Navi-Link, an active system that uses data from navigation to slow down earlier for upcoming bends, exits and junctions.

Nissan scraps the CVT transmission of the outgoing model in favour of a nine-speed unit that is paired to the 3.5-litre V6 engine carried over from the predecessor. This mill produces 271 hp and 340 Nm in its old guise, so expect the outputs to be a little higher this time. In the U.S. market, the new Pathfinder produces 284 hp and 351 Nm. The power is sent either just to the front wheels or to all four wheels, depending on the trims and options chosen.

There is no official price out for the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder yet. It goes on sale in the U.S. by mid-2021 so expect it to pop up in the UAE and GCC by the end of the year.