Nissan's tweaked-for-2010 Pathfinder has a new bonnet, grille and bumpers that extend exterior length by 80mm but don't affect cabin space. The new look has modernised the styling without losing its ruggedness and it still has the khaki-and-hiking-boots look of a true adventuremobile.
But, if it's khaki on the outside, the interior looks more like a business suit with revisions aimed at improving perceived cabin quality with new switchgear and fabrics and extra chromed trim.
Also new are a redesigned, easier-to-read instrument cluster, heatable door mirrors with integrated puddle lamps and side indicators and an intelligent key that never has to leave your pocket or purse.
The four-litre petrol V6 is unchanged but the 2.5-litre dCi four-cylinder turbodiesel has had a shot of adrenalin with a 14kW boost to 140kW and a healthy 47Nm rise in peak torque to 450Nm. Those numbers compete favourably with larger-engined rivals such as the three-litre turbodiesel Prado or 3.2 turbodiesel Pajero Sport, each of which musters only 120kW/343Nm.
I tested the Pathfinder 2.5 dCi six-speed manual (an auto is also available) which delivered gutsy low-down power in that typical turbodiesel way - just the ticket for easy cruising and climbing steep hills without sweating.
There's a slight turbo hesitation initially but the clutch makes it easy to deal with.
The engine, which is shared with the Navara, has a typically agricultural bakkie gurgle and sounds unrefined compared to some of today's ultra-quiet luxury German SUV's. For Pathfinder fans seeking more smoothness and power, it might be worth waiting for the V6 turbodiesel engine, due in September, which will wield a gutsy 170kW and 550Nm.
Along with the power increase the 2.5 dCi's fuel consumption is also down a significant 1.3 litre/100km to a claimed 8.5l/100km, with CO2 emissions reduced by 40g/km to 224g/km.
We averaged 10.2 litres/100km in town/freeway driving and 11.2 with some bundu-bashing thrown in.
The Pathfinder shares an engine and a strong family resemblance to the Navara bakkie but Nissan is keen to distance the two vehicles. The Pathfinder's interior trimmings are classier and have the upmarket feel of a luxury SUV - it doesn't feel like a converted bakkie.
It has a well-stocked features list, too, with power adjustment for the front seats, cruise control and dual-zone aircon included for R493 600. An extra R25 000 buys you a satnav/Bose audio combination with a large touchscreen and 3D graphics that's fairly intuitive to use, although once or twice it led me on some inexplicably bizarre routes.
UNDERSIZED EXTRA SEATS
Stability control is standard and new side and curtain crash bags are added to the previous front front bags.
The Pathfinder's a seven-seater or, more accurately, a roomy five-seater with a pair of undersized extra seats that fold out of the boot floor should your wife unexpectedly give birth to another set of twins. Boot space and oddment storage are generous and the door pockets can easily hold an A3 map book as well as a one-litre bottle.
The two-ton Pathfinder has a workhorse ladder-frame chassis instead of a more modern monocoque. Its all-round independent suspension glides over rough roads but it feels a bit wallowy and cumbersome in corners, with neither the handling nor steering sharpness of German SUVs such as the X5 or Q7.
EASY TO USE
The big Nissan has off-road traction well covered with fixed two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive settings, an auto mode that switches between the two as traction needs dictate and low range for slow-and-safe progress over rough country.
It's all easy to use thanks to a single knob on the fascia (there's no extra gear lever to operate) and can switch from two to all-wheel drive "on the fly".
Grip and the hill-chomping torque are good it didn't quite live up to its Pathfinder name with conservative entry and departure angles and sometimes scraped its undersides over rocky terrain on our standard off-road course - a surprise given its generous 232mm ride height.
Highly recommended rough, slippery and hilly turf but stay away from extreme rock climbing.
VERDICT
The Pathfinder has a lot going for it, not least its gutsy engine, luxury, seven-seat practicality and its ability in many off-road situations - but it also has some compromises in both on and off-road capabilities. - INL Motoring