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6.26.2018

Progress: The 2018 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD

Front 3/4 view of 2018 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD
The 2018 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD.
Refreshed significantly for 2017, Nissan isn't letting any grass grow under the feet...um, tires...of the 2018 Pathfinder. This year brings a host of new features.



Rear 3/4 view of 2018 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD
2018 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD.
The 284-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and Continuously Variable Transmission are the same as last year, as is the EPA fuel economy estimate of 19 miles per gallon city/26 highway.   The new stuff?

Standard automatic emergency braking, standard Intelligent Cruise Control and NissanConnect with Navigation and services (now standard on SL in addition to Platinum), four more USB ports (for a total of six), two new colors (Scarlet Ember and Midnight Pine) and one potentially life-saving feature.

It's called Rear Door Alert.  If the system detects that the rear door was opened before driving, and you don't open it again at the end of the trip, the system will remind you that something (valuables, a pet or a child), might be in the back seat.  It's standard on the 2018 Pathfinder and will make its way to all Nissan models in the coming years. 

Interior view of 2018 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum
2018 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum interior.
Base price has gone up as a result of the additions, from $43,560 to $44,010, but there's a lot more than $450 worth of new stuff, so Nissan's arguably cutting the price from 2017.

Our tester had extra-cost options:

  • Splash guards ($175)
  • Premium paint ($395)
  • Nissan Mobile Entertainment (dual eight-inch DVD monitors and players, wireless headphones, wireless remote controls, one HDMI jack and an additional USB port, plus rear headphone jacks with volume control)
  • Carpeted floor mats ($235)
  • Illuminated kick plates ($365)
With $960 destination charges, the bottom line came to $47,840.

The Pathfinder is comfortable, roomy and a capable four-wheeler.   At this level of equipment, the price is a good value.