NISSAN

2026 Nissan Pathfinder®

Adventure is a family thing, and the new Pathfinder is here to let your imagination take it further than ever. With proven strength, available advanced safety, room for gear and up to eight explorers, premium tech, and a capable V6 engine, it’s ready to go. Want to push your adventure even further? Get into Pathfinder Rock Creek® and take family exploits to the limits of imagination, and beyond. 

Once a stout, body-on-frame all-terrain vehicle, the mid-size Nissan Pathfinder, now in its fifth generation, finds itself more suited to hauling families and groceries in the suburban jungle. A V-6 engine provides good pep and decent fuel economy, and the Pathfinder's three-row interior is quiet when cruising the highway. But even its most rugged trim—the Rock Creek—won't go toe-to-toe with off-road-focused rivals such as the Ford Bronco, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, or the Toyota Land Cruiser.

If your family is among the less adventurous, then consider the Pathfinder a decent choice for road tripping, errand running, and quiet commuting. Properly equipped, it can tow up to 6000 pounds, which adds a level of utility you can't get with a smaller SUV. Cargo space is also class competitive, which adds to the Pathfinder's practicality score.

Expert Tip: If the Pathfinder's top Platinum trim just isn't quite posh enough for you, there's a luxed-up mechanically similar cousin called QX60 that sold through Nissan's Infiniti luxury brand.

Nissan has given its three-row crossover a styling refresh for 2026 by redesigning the grille, the front and rear bumpers, the exterior lighting elements, and the wheels. The Pathfinder's interior also gets several upgrades, including a new 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, a more powerful wireless smartphone charging pad, and more upscale materials on the top Platinum trim.

Although Nissan equips the S and SV Pathfinders with desirable driver-assistance features, we'd recommend going for the more expensive SL trim if it fits your budget. We'd also suggest the SL Premium package, which adds a panoramic sunroof, 20-inch wheels, a hitch for towing, a 13-speaker Bose stereo, and second-row captain's chairs.

All Pathfinders are powered by a 3.5-liter V-6, which is paired with a nine-speed automatic. The V-6 makes 284 horsepower in most models but is cranked up to 295 hp in the Rock Creek trim. Front-wheel drive is standard on all but the Rock Creek, and all trims can be equipped with all-wheel drive. Upgrading to the all-wheel-drive system also adds a set of seven drive modes, including the off-road-focused Sand and Mud/Rut mode. We drove the 2026 Pathfinder in both Rock Creek and Platinum trims and found that the Rock Creek's all-terrain tires create a bit of extra road noise, but the driving experience is otherwise similar.

Acceleration is perky, and the V-6 engine is relatively refined. Handling is utterly forgettable and not in the least entertaining. We've also complained that the Pathfinder's ride isn't as smooth as its rivals, but Nissan's attention to sound-deadening elements makes the cabin extra quiet when cruising.

If adventure is the destination, Pathfinder's got the pull. Fueled by an enduring V6 engine, it can tow up to a maximum of 6,000 lbs., so you can bring the big toys.

In Comparison: At our test track, our front-wheel-drive Pathfinder SL test vehicle got to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds; the Platinum with all-wheel drive managed it in 6.6 seconds. Those results mean the all-wheel-drive Pathfinder is quicker than the Hyundai Palisade and the Toyota Highlander.

The S, SV, and SL models with all-wheel drive earned ratings of 21 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. The Platinum trim is rated for 20 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined, while the Rock Creek version is good for 20 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. All front-wheel-drive Pathfinders are rated for 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined.

On our 75-mph highway fuel economy test, the Platinum all-wheel-drive beat its EPA rating and returned 28 mpg; the Rock Creek model managed 25 mpg in the same test, some 2 mpg better than its EPA highway estimate. For more information about the Pathfinder's fuel economy.

NISSANCONNECT®...Welcome to your personalized ecosystem of connected driver experiences. Tap into features like Remote Engine Start, My Car Finder, Remote Vehicle Status, and more using the MyNISSAN App.

A 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is standard and runs the latest version of the NissanConnect software interface. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard and work wirelessly. SiriusXM satellite radio and in-dash navigation are also included. A 12.3-inch digital gauge display, a wireless smartphone charging pad, and a head-up display are optional features. A fairly basic six-speaker stereo is standard, but a 13-speaker Bose system is optional on the SL trim and standard on the Pathfinder Platinum.

Warranty and maintenance coverage...Nissan's warranty coverage provides nothing remarkable, especially when compared with Hyundai and Kia's famously long warranties of 10 years or 100,000 miles. There is a bright spot, however, as all new Nissans come with a complimentary scheduled maintenance plan covering up to three oil changes for the first 24,000 miles or two years.

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