Nissan has quietly axed the Pathfinder Hybrid for the 2016 model year, only a year and a half after its market launch.
Nissan spokesman Dan Bedore told Edmunds that the Pathfinder Hybrid is no longer offered. “Our emphasis is on the 3.5-liter V6 Pathfinder that achieves a best-in-class 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway fuel economy. Nissan has no announcement on future hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain applications at this time,” the executive said.
There’s no separate sales data for the Pathfinder Hybrid, so it is unclear how many units Nissan has sold so far. Sales of hybrid vehicles in the United States are affected by low fuel prices.
In standard 2WD configuration, the 2015 Pathfinder Hybrid returns 25 mpg city and 28 mpg highway, according to the EPA. The vehicle’s main rival is the the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
While the Pathfinder Hybrid has been discontinued, its sister model, the Infiniti QX60 Hybrid, continues to be available at some dealers across the United States. “For the United States, while the QX60 Hybrid continues to be available at some retailers across the country, our production is currently focused on the QX60 3.5 model. If consumer interest for the QX60 Hybrid increases along with fuel prices in this market, we have the manufacturing ability to make them available,” Infiniti spokesman Kyle Bazemore said.
The Infiniti QX60 Hybrid remains in production at Nissan’s Smyrna, Tennessee plant for several global markets, including China and Mexico. The QX60 Hybrid competes with the Lexus RX 450h and Porsche Cayenne Hybrid.
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