The Nissan Pathfinder Concept that debuted at the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show last April has indeed evolved into a production vehicle as proven by the photos that surfaced in China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The SUV looks entirely different from the US-spec Nissan Pathfinder and will likely be exclusively offered in China, with local production by the Dongfeng Nissan joint venture.
The SUV’s exterior design closely mirrors the previewing concept, adopting Nissan’s latest styling language with modern features and clean surfacing. The only exception is the slightly altered LED headlights and taillights which lost the full-width treatment of the concept, coming with more conventional graphics.
Likewise, the Nissan emblems and the Pathfinder lettering on the tailgate are not illuminated, and the fancy DRLs within the wide grille gave way to chrome inserts. At the moment we don’t have photos of the interior, but we can see it features a three-row 7-seater layout.
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According to the data from China, the Dongfeng Nissan Pathfinder measures 5,130 mm (202 inches) long, 1,981 mm (78 inches) wide, and 1,767 mm (69.6 inches) tall. This makes it 109 mm (4.3 inches) longer than the US-spec Nissan Pathfinder R53 and 14 mm (0.6 inches) longer than a Toyota Grand Highlander.
The automaker has yet to provide details about the underpinnings of the SUV. However, a closer look at its design and specs strongly suggests it uses Nissan’s good-old D Platform instead of a more modern CMF-CD architecture. The 2,900 mm (114.2 inches) wheelbase is identical to both the US-spec Pathfinder and the mechanically-related Infiniti QX60. The greenhouse and hard points of the Dongfeng Nissan Pathfinder look very similar to the latter, making us believe that it is a re-bodied Infiniti focused on the Chinese market. You can see for yourself by checking out North America’s Infiniti QX60 in the photos below.
Under the bonnet lies a non-electrified turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 248 hp (185 kW / 252 PS). The same powertrain is also used by the Chinese-spec Infiniti QX60 and the locally-produced Dongfeng Nissan Altima. The 4×4 badge found on the tailgate of a particular trim suggests that the SUV offers the option of all-wheel-drive.
According to local media, the Dongfeng Nissan Pathfinder will launch in China in the fourth quarter of 2023. Until the formal introduction of the SUV, you can check out the official photos of the concept below and try to spot the differences with the production model.
