Nissan’s Pathfinder blazed onto the scene in 1996 as a body-on-frame rival for Ford’s Bronco II and Jeep Cherokee. It was tough and durable, yet sadly, the utilitarian approach didn’t last, with subsequent generations taking more of a car-like approach.

The current R52 series Pathfinder is no exception. Tailored for family hauling, it is a far cry from its mid-90’s forbearer. It’s also staggeringly long in the tooth – dating back to 2013 in fact (although not quite as old as the ancient Frontier). Fortunately for Pathfinder fans, the Japanese automaker has an all-new one in development and we take an illustrated preview at what to expect later this year.

Contemporary Appearances 

Whilst the current car won’t have you drooling over its aesthetics, it has managed to age rather gracefully. However, for 2021, the scalpel has well and truly been applied with crisp new styling inspired from the latest Rogue and Patrol.

Photo Renderings Copyright Carscoops / Josh Byrnes

Frontal styling is dominated by a bold ‘V-motion’ grille and split LED headlamps exuding a modern, technical appearance. Moving around to the side reveals similar proportions to the outgoing model, whilst featuring Juke-inspired shoulder lines and a lower roofline. Outback, the view is upright and boxy, with rear glass that now wraps around the tailgate.

A Nicer Place To Be

As with the exterior, the cabin of the outgoing Pathfinder is arguably average. Fortunately, past sins have been rectified with an impressive new interior, benefiting from higher quality materials and improved occupant space.

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The seven-seat wagon is expected to feature a flat-bottom steering wheel, digital instrument cluster and a large freestanding touchscreen high up on the dash with HVAC controls positioned below. Nissan had previewed its future infotainment offerings through the production-intended Ariya concept last year. Lower down, the new Pathfinder will get a stubby Toyota RAV4-style gear lever surrounded by piano black trim, wireless charging pad and a rotary terrain mode selector.

Nissan previewed it’s future tech offerings too with the Ariya Concept seen above

Expect the latest in Nissan’s ProPILOT suite of assists; including pedestrian & cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition and blind-spot intervention.

Under the Skin

Propelling the Pathfinder will be a carryover 3.5-litre V6, along with Nissan’s trick turbocharged 2.0-litre variable-compression four-cylinder unit and a hybrid due at a later date. There are conflicting reports over which type of transmission it’ll use; with conjecture suggesting the current CVT setup will make way for a 9-speed automatic.

Nissan’s latest 2.0-liter VC turbocharged four-cylinder

Power will be sent to the front wheels, or optionally all-four, with shift-on-the-fly terrain modes. Underpinning the Pathfinder will be a modified version of the current D platform that forms the base for other Nissan models including the Altima, Maxima and Murano.

Rivals & Reveal

The all-new Pathfinder will battle for school-run supremacy (and buyers) against an assortment of SUVs such as Ford’s Explorer, Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Subaru Ascent, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Honda Pilot

Like the recently revealed all-new Rogue, we expect the Pathfinder to debut later this year as either a 2021MY offering or as a 2022MY if Nissan pushes its introduction back over the delays caused by the ongoing pandemic.

Would a new Pathfinder ever be on your radar? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The current 2020 Nissan Pathfinder pictured top and below