Item: Used Nissan Pathfinder 4x4 2005 - 2010
Author: What Car? Team

What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

<p dir="ltr">Nissan turned up early to the SUV party, with its Qashqai paving the way for the countless models we see today. The Qashqai continues to sell in big numbers in the UK, too, and was also our overall Car of the Year in 2014.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Don’t think Nissan is just about SUVs, though. As well as the Qashqai, the smaller Juke and the larger X-Trail, the Japanese brand has the Micra hatchback, GT-R sports car and Navara pick-up truck.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Nissan was also one of the first big car makers to launch a fully electric car, with its latest Leaf being one of the best on the market.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Despite being based in Japan, Nissan has long committed to building cars in the UK, making several of its best-selling models at a huge factory in Sunderland.</p>


NISSAN

PATHFINDER

<p>The Nissan Pathfinder is a fine car, but we'd rather spend a bit more and get a Land Rover Discovery</p>


Used Nissan Pathfinder 4x4 2005 - 2010

<p>Compared with obvious seven-seat rivals such as the Land Rover Discovery and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volvo/xc90/4x4/review/n99">Volvo XC90</a>, the Pathfinder is something of a bargain to buy.</p>

<p>If you ignore the petrol engine, which is expensive to buy and keep going, the running costs on a Pathfinder don't look too bad. Both fuel and insurance costs are on a par with those for the Discovery and, while a diesel XC90 is cheaper to fuel, it's more expensive to insure.</p>

<p>The routine servicing costs also look good - considerably lower than a Discovery's and slightly better than an XC90's. To cap it all, if you need unscheduled work on the car, there's more good news: Warranty Direct says both dealer labour rates and average repair bills for Nissans are at the lower end of the scale.</p>

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The Nissan Pathfinder is a fine car, but we'd rather spend a bit more and get a Land Rover Discovery

<p>There's a choice of two engines, but the 4.0 V6 petrol comes only in the most expensive trim and has the highest running costs, so it's a distant second-best to the 2.5-litre diesel.</p>

<p>This comes in a variety of trim levels, and all but the most basic have seven seats. However, as these two rearmost seats are really only suitable for children, there's little point in buying a seven-seat version. Instead, treat it as a go-anywhere five-seat car with a huge boot.</p>

<p>All versions are well equipped, with even the basic S trim (our favourite) getting climate control, six airbags, four electric windows and a CD player. SE added a CD-changer and driver's seat height adjustment, while SVE had leather upholstery and T-spec included sat-nav.</p>

<p>From May 2006, the range was reduced to four trim levels: Trek took over from S, Sport replaced SE, and T-spec became Aventura. However, our favourite remains the most basic model.</p>

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all passengers</li> <li>Large boot with lots of clever storage solutions</li> <li>Good fuel economy and running costs</li> <li>All-round comfort</li> <li>High-quality interior finish</li></ul>

<p>We define a large SUV as anything longer than 4.5 metres. These cars aren’t usually particularly cheap to buy or lease, so in return we expect a roomy cabin, a lengthy list of standard equipment and excellent cruising refinement. A few models in this class are two-wheel drive, but the vast majority have four-wheel drive for at least a modicum of off-road ability.</p>

<p>The Mazda CX-5 is firmly road-focused, but its 2.0-litre petrol engine is a strong, refined performer, making it looks good value for less than&nbsp;£25k. If you can stretch the budget a fair bit, the Audi Q5 provides a combination of comfort, driving prowess, quality and space that's hard to beat. Unlike some rivals, it can't be had with seven seats, though.</p>

<p>A more affordable, yet well-equipped alternative is the Peugeot 5008. It’s more than capable of coping with family life&nbsp;– and all versions have seven seats as standard.&nbsp;</p>

Large SUV

<p>The Pathfinder has been the subject of two recalls. The first concerned cars built up to the end of September 2005, where the propshaft may not have been installed correctly; and the second affected cars built before the end of January 2006, where there was a possibility of a problem with the steering.</p>

<p>However, these are the only problems we have heard of with the car, and all cars are still covered by the new-car warranty anyway. The online reviews from owners are almost uniformly positive, with no reports of any mechanical problems. Just about the only reservations people had concerned the ride.</p>

<p>Still, that's no more than you might expect. Nissans traditionally does very well in reliability surveys, and other 4x4s from the company, such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/patrol/4x4/used-review/n523">Patrol</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/x-trail/4x4/review/n51">X-Trail</a>, have proved very hardy. This is all backed up by figures from Warranty Direct, which show that the claim rates on Nissans are less frequent than average.</p>

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<p>The Nissan Pathfinder has its own distinct place in the brand's 4x4 line-up, between the X-Trail and Patrol.</p>

<p>It looks suitably rugged inside and out, but what it loses in outright style, it makes up for with hard-wearing practicality. The driving position is good, the dash is well laid out, and there's enough space for five adults, albeit a little less than in rivals like the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/discovery/4x4/review/n17342">Land Rover Discovery</a>.</p>

<p>In most models, there's also a folding third row of seats in the huge boot, to make the Pathfinder a seven-seater, but these are really only suitable for children.</p>

<p>It's a fine off-roader, too, but shown up by rivals on the road. The ride is firm at low speeds, the body rolls a lot through bends and the diesel engine is noisy. All in all, a Discovery is a far better drive.</p>

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Used Nissan Pathfinder 4x4 2005 - 2010 review

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