I test drove the all-new 2022 Nissan Pathfinder on a perfect week. Specifically on the long Thanksgiving weekend when the kids had no school and there was a lot of people hauling required.

The Scarlet Ember slick SUV arrived and the first thing I noticed was how large it was. The Pathfinder I remembered was a slim and not so large SUV. Parked next to a Toyota 4Runner it looked just about the same size or even larger?! Actually the Pathfinder is 197” in length, 78” in width and 71” in height, compared to the current 4Runner it is 7” longer, 2” wider and an inch shorter depending on the specs of wheels and suspension set up of either SUVs.

My first drive in the car was actually with my 10 year old daughter and boy did we both like the spacious and luxurious interior of this Platnum trim. It comes with a third row built for medium size people but the two second-row seating are captain chairs with a nice removable center console.

The driver and passenger seats up front weren’t shabby either. The Platinum seats come with leather upholstery with heated and ventilated front seats. The driving position was comfortable and the huge mirrors and windows pretty much reduced any blind spots. The controls are all intuitive and easy to grasp. The infotainment system is basic and maybe lacks some of the bells and whistles of other SUVs in this class but the graphics are easy to see and navigate. No complaints at all. Besides with Apple CarPlay compatibility, what is there to complain about?

As my daughter was oohing and ahhing in her second-row seat, I put the car in drive and started our short journey around town. Safety features are of course a concern for those with or without children and Nissan didn’t disappoint in this field either. The 2022 Pathfinder comes with the Nissan Safety Shield 360 throw everything but the kitchen sink package of driver aids, emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, you name it.

The Pathfinder delivers a smooth drive from its 3.5-liter V6 engine which was carried over from the previous model with the same 284HP and 259 pound-feet of torque. But the nine-speed automatic transmission is all new, which probably contributes to the quality ride. Acceleration was swift and the shifts were seamless. Handling was ok considering the size of the Pathfinder. Obviously it doesn’t handle like a sports car or even a sedan but what can one expect?

We didn’t get to test the Pathfinder’s upgraded all-wheel drive system. The driver can control the Terrain Mode in seven different driving modes of Standard, Sport, Eco, Snow, Sand, Mud/Rut and Tow. It also comes with a hill-descent control that holds the vehicle to a set speed going downhill to prevent it from descending too fast. The Pathfinder is equipped with enough off-road capabilities as the above but it still may not be the choice for planning to go on a serious overlanding excursion. A trip out to Mammoth for a ski/snowboarding trip? Ideal.

How about fuel-economy? The Platinum all-wheel drive model is rated at 22 mpg combined (22 mpg city & 25 mpg highway). Most other 2022 Pathfinder trim levels are 23 mpg combined (21 mpg city, 27 mpg highway) with all-wheel drive. Sure you can get the front-wheel drive trims to shave off some bucks and a measly mile off your mpg, but we’re old school and what’s the point of having an SUV if you don’t have all-wheel drive? Besides, how would one survive the zombie apocalypse without all-wheel drive?

The new 2022 Nissan Pathfinder is available at Nissan dealerships in S, SV, SL and the Platinum trim. Prices ranges from $34,560 for a base front-wheel drive S trim to the $49,240 top of the line all-wheel drive Platinum trim we tested.

All in all, we think the Pathfinder is a good SUV with stylish looks, quality ride and comfort combined. Definitely look into the Pathfinder if you are in the market for a 7 (or 8) seater SUV to haul your kids around town with all of their stuff and plan to take some road trips here and then. Thumbs up.

2022 Nissan Pathfinder Review