Watch out Toyota and Honda, there’s a new player in town: ladies and gentlemen, this is the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. Although the first visual impact with the car doesn’t show it, the 2013 Pathfinder actually dropped 500 pounds and as a result it delivers a fuel economy of 20 mpg city/26 highway and 22 combined for the front-wheel-drive model, and 19/25/21 for the all-wheel-drive version. This means that the new Pathfinder will be with 30 percent more fuel efficient than the outgoing model. Comparing it with the competition, the 2013 Pathfinder promises to make your neighbors jealous, as the FWD Honda Pilot is rated at 18/25/21, the Toyota Highlander at 18/24/20 and the Ford Exporer at 18/25/20.
Still, don’t forget that Toyota and Honda will bring their new versions of Highlander and Pilot next year, but that’s good new as Nissan will have an advantage for 12 months. In terms of design, the 2013 Pathfinder received some radical changes but we all know them because we saw the Pathfinder Concept, right? Other significant changes will be a smaller 3.5-liter V6 engine that will replace the previous model's 4.0 V6 and the introduction to a more fuel-efficient continuously variable transmission (explained in the video).
The new Pathfinder will also have a smaller fuel tank, but the good news is that it will deliver an increased driving range. "Unveiling our next-generation Pathfinder is a major follow-up to the introduction of the all-new Altima sedan," said Al Castignetti, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan North America, Inc. "With its bold new design, best-in-class fuel economy and family adventure capabilities, our dealers can't wait to share this new model with customers in their showrooms."
