Better mileage but blander styling marks the return of the unibody to the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder

Going with the market

Aficionados of the bold and rugged Pathfinder SUV have been put on notice: if you want one you'd better high-tail it down to your local Nissan new car dealer quickly.

That's because the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder has traded its rugged looks for a more refined exterior – one would almost say bland. In addition, off-road prowess has been swapped for fuel efficiency as the Japanese manufacturer seeks to fill a void in its lineup that could only be filled by a seven-passenger crossover.

The goal of the newest Pathfinder was laudable, don't get me wrong. By eighty-sixing its body-on-frame construction the newest generation is fully 500 pounds lighter while retaining a standard towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. It also sports EPA figures of up to 26 mpg on the highway.

Family adventure

"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."

Mr. Castignetti is correct, as far as I can tell, on at least two points: the Pathfinder is a major follow-up to the 2013 Nissan Altima and, as far as I know, it may very well have “best-in-class” fuel economy.

I would, however, like to point out a couple of areas with which I take issue.

For one, its “bold new design”, in my opinion, seems derivative. Park it next to anything else in its class, including any of the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave or GMC Acadia triplets and you'd be hard pressed to find anything distinctive that sets it apart.

Secondly, comparing it to the new Altima seems a bit of a stretch, to say the least. Unlike the Pathfinder Concept that nearly put me to sleep at this year's Detroit Auto Show, the unveiling of the Altima came close to blowing me away in New York.

Finally, pointing out its “family adventure capabilities” amounts to throwing the last shovelful of dirt on the grave of the previous-generation Pathfinder and its off-road prowess.

Availability

With that being said, the new Pathfinder will go on sale this fall with new car prices being announced closer to its launch.