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3
Handling
Performance
Usability
5
Feelgood factor
4
Readers' rating
2.5
By Matthew Jones
First Drives
14 May 2008 11:10
Remember Nissan’s TV advert where the Pathfinder sent people screaming for cover as it chugged through an Amercian city? That’s because this pick-up is a gigantic brute of a car, a proper workhorse, a ‘car’ that’s not afraid to roll up its sleeves and get dirty. And because Nissan knows that it can’t match the green oval kudos of Land Rover you can buy the Pathfinder loaded with leather, heated electric seats and sat-nav. Question is, is this a step too far?
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Nissan Pathfinder 2.5 dCi Aventura (2008) CAR review
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AndyTaylor says
RE: Nissan Pathfinder 2.5 dCi Aventura (2008) CAR review
Would such a workhorse as the Navara on which it's based actually benefit from having a super smooth 3.0 V6 diesel engine taken from the Infiniti range, or would the inevitable price hike actually damage Nissan sales?
07 February 2011 13:30
Fattaff says
I have owned mine for four years, covering 280,000km. Nissan replaced the clutch after 100,000, and it just goes and goes. That has been the only problem. Monday to Friday it has been used to commute, with the 3 kids, weekends it pulls a horse box, and at holiday times we take grandparents as well. 85-90mph on the motorway is easy, stable, and comfortable. 70mph with the box behind it, two roof racks and loaded to the gunnels, no problem. Better than 30mpg, as well. No, it doesn't corner like an Elise, but an Elise is no use if there's five adults, two big dogs and a horse to move around, and neither will it pull a horsebox across a wet field. Going to visit the family is a 1000km trip, 12 hours driving, and the seats are brilliant, I get out without backache, as do the rest of the tribe, which again is not something you can say about many cars, or at least I can't. If I would give one piece of advice, it would be not to go for the sat-nav, which is fine new, but cannot be updated without dismantling half the car to change the disk. Oh, and buy a hydraulic jack, as the one supplied is a bit feeble. That apart, if this is the market you're in, you can't do better. A second hand Disco as an alternative? You must be on another planet. I wouldn't swap mine now for a new Discovery, as I know two people who've bought one for pulling their kids' horses around, and they've both spent as much time off the road being fixed under guarantee as on it. Our other car is a 2004 X-Trail, with 180,000km so far, and again, never a problem.
I have owned mine for four years, covering 280,000km. Nissan replaced the clutch after 100,000, and it just goes and goes. That has been the only problem.
Monday to Friday it has been used to commute, with the 3 kids, weekends it pulls a horse box, and at holiday times we take grandparents as well.
85-90mph on the motorway is easy, stable, and comfortable. 70mph with the box behind it, two roof racks and loaded to the gunnels, no problem. Better than 30mpg, as well. No, it doesn't corner like an Elise, but an Elise is no use if there's five adults, two big dogs and a horse to move around, and neither will it pull a horsebox across a wet field.
Going to visit the family is a 1000km trip, 12 hours driving, and the seats are brilliant, I get out without backache, as do the rest of the tribe, which again is not something you can say about many cars, or at least I can't.
If I would give one piece of advice, it would be not to go for the sat-nav, which is fine new, but cannot be updated without dismantling half the car to change the disk. Oh, and buy a hydraulic jack, as the one supplied is a bit feeble. That apart, if this is the market you're in, you can't do better.
A second hand Disco as an alternative? You must be on another planet. I wouldn't swap mine now for a new Discovery, as I know two people who've bought one for pulling their kids' horses around, and they've both spent as much time off the road being fixed under guarantee as on it.
Our other car is a 2004 X-Trail, with 180,000km so far, and again, never a problem.
11 August 2010 10:03
thenoname says
RE: Nissan Pathfinder 2.5 dCi Aventura CAR review
Adventura is good and I have just got a 2007. However £14,000 is pushing it as I paid £12,300 for mine and that was from a Nissan Dealer. The car guides put them at around that price so £14K+ is a no no. Cant make up my mind on it yet as I PX a Patrol. I do find the paint on the Pathfinder soft and prone to scratches and markes where the Patrol seemed solid. I have been informed that it is down to the fact that they use waterbase paint, but as I do not have a clue I cannot comment. A lot of plastic inside that also is prone to marking. I did however put a tuning box on which I fit to all my vehicles which supposidly boosts the BHP up to 206. It certainly feels more responsive and can say with hand on heart I put the cruise control on 60mph from Gatwick to Heathrow on M25 and returned 48mpg. And 30+ urban. Then it's all how you drive it. The tyres that come with it are a odd size 255/65R17. Twin duelers were not much cop in the snow even with the traction controll off. I swappep them on the Patrol for General Grabber AT which were brillient as I off road a fair bit. I can't seem to find Grabbers in Pathfinder size as the Patrol was a 16 inch rim and wider. They were £90 each. Maybe some one can direct me to a site that will give me a good AT tyre that fits. The sat nav updates are expensive at well over £300, But I got one for £20 from Ebay that works fine. Trust this helps Thenoname
11 February 2009 16:39
karenmelton says
i am buying a used pathfinder, on 07 plate top spec aventura dci any problems i should be aware of ahead of the purchase , buying it as price is so low only 14,999, its got 17.000 miles on the clock in todays credit crunch no one wants these beasts but we compared it to the likes of vauxhall zafira at allmost the same cost and this seems a better buy
18 January 2009 22:51
Oakwood says
Does anyone know if Nissan have sorted out the clutch and flywheel design after the failures of the 2005 Pathfinders? I had two clutches fail in 40000 miles, against earlier ownership of a Landrover where the clutch lasted over 10 years. Nissan have yet to persuade me that their vehicles are reliable.
18 January 2009 14:43
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