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The Nissan Pathfinder has evolved over the years from what was quite a rough-and-tumble Ford Everest style vehicle to a remarkably plush three-row family SUV.
Although it took a while to reach Australia, when the fifth-generation version landed in late 2022 it was a huge leap over its predecessor. And yet it has been a relatively slow seller in Australia.
In the first half of 2024 only 405 were registered, less than a tenth of the segment benchmark Toyota Kluger (5861 sales).
This can be largely attributed to a lack of choice in the Pathfinder range, following Nissan culling entry-grade variants early on leaving only the relatively expensive Ti and Ti-L grades, both fitted with a V6 petrol engine.
To increase customer choice, Nissan has reintroduced the ST-L mid-spec trim with the option of front-wheel drive for under $60,000, before on-road costs. But is it a good buy?
A new petrol-powered 4WD seems an anomaly in a world seemingly hell-bent on rapidly embracing EVs.
However, there’s still room for a traditional off-road vehicle or two – especially those with front and rear diff locks – for the time being, anyway.
I tested the Chinese-made GWM (Great Wall Motors) Tank 300 petrol in late 2023 and noted there was a lot to like about it, although I also highlighted a few negatives.
After recently revisiting it for another hard-core off-road test, have I changed my mind?
Read on.
There’s a lot to like about the Nissan Pathfinder. The current model not only looks a lot better than its predecessor but in ST-L trim — and with an even cheaper front-wheel drive model — it offers the kind of value Australian families are chasing.
For all its practicalities, towing capacity and refined driving experience, the Pathfinder’s fatal flaw is its limited engine choice. A thirsty petrol V6 with no engine start-stop tech stunts its appeal for those who live in suburban areas where a Kluger hybrid just works better.
The ST-L is a worthy consideration for your next purchase if you’re less bothered about fuel use, and it's the pick of the line-up, offering just about every creature comfort and safety feature you'd want in a good-value package.
The GWM Tank 300 is an impressive 4WD wagon. Build quality, ride and handling and off-road capability all deserve praise.
So, is the petrol Tank 300 4WD worth spending your hard-earned cash on? After two off-road tests in it, and spending a bit of time in it on-road as well, I reckon, yes.
It’s packed with standard features, purpose-built for 4WDing and it’s well priced, especially when anything that can match it for features, comfort and capability costs about $20,000 more.
The Pathfinder has a lot going for it in the looks department. Lead designer Ken Lee leaned into the nameplate’s past, incorporating the three horizontal strips between the broad bonnet and 'V-Motion' grille which is encircled in chrome.
There’s real presence to this SUV (partially down to the Pathfinder's sheer size) with chunky wheel arches and plenty of vertical surfaces. The most eye catching colour is 'Scarlet Ember' red ($750) but the pearlescent 'Deep Ocean Blue' seen here is a classy look.
Every manufacturer is doing the spaced out nameplates on the boot lid now, but the Pathfinder was an early adopter and it is particularly well executed on this car. There's also the massive (in proportion to the vehicle) Nissan badges.
Inside, the Pathfinder focuses more on practicality and usability than wow-factor. There are no tacky design flourishes and the three-row SUV manages to stay on the right side of Americana, a trick the Toyota Kluger could learn.
The Tank 300 looks like a mash-up of a Ford Bronco and a five-door Suzuki Jimny; it’s a boxy 4WD with prominent wheel arches and just as pronounced side steps.
Inside and out, it’s a striking blend of old and new, cool retro style with a modern touch.
Our test vehicle was an eye-catching Dusk Orange colour. You’ll like it or loathe it.
Inside, there is a lot of hard plastic everywhere, more than merely a nod to its engineered purpose as a rugged 4WD adventure machine, and that ties in with its all-around ready-for-real-life character.
But leather and soft-touch surfaces throughout provide a low-key sense of classy balance to those durable plasticky aspects.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen is clear and bright and the centre console is a mix of traditional and on-screen buttons – but more about the multi-media system below.
Worth noting is the fact that while the directional air vents look fine they feel rather flimsy once you start moving them around to open/close/direct them.
The Pathfinder is a thoughtfully packaged and practical vehicle, trading on more than just size with plenty of clever storage solutions.
In the front there are generous door bins, twin cupholders and a deep central cubby. But there’s more, with a thin rubberised storage shelf above the glove box perfect for phones or sunglasses and a pass-through space below the centre console for larger items.
A storage space for a smartphone is found in close proximity to USB-A, a USC-C and 12-volt sockets. All of thus is beneath a physical switch panel for the dual-zone climate control.
The 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen is the only letdown, feeling quite small in the Pathfinder's vast cabin. It is still responsive and features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though. The Pathfinder’s sound system is passable after tweaking the bass and treble balance.
The analogue speedometer and tachometer sits either side of a 7.0-inch media screen that gives driving information along with settings for safety systems. There are switches on the steering wheel to control major functions, including cruise control, media and the screen operation.
Among its competitive set, the US-built Pathfinder’s build quality is excellent. There are cleverly positioned soft-touch plastics and we didn’t notice any rattles over our week of testing, unlike Palisades and Klugers. The steering wheel, especially, is appointed in a high quality, smooth-grained leather.
While the ST-L may only get cloth upholstery, which is admittedly harder to clean than leather, the high-quality material is more temperature stable than the imitation cow hide often seen at this price. It’s also combined with heated front seats.
Adding to the comfort factor is power adjustment for the driver’s seat including in/out and up/down lumbar control. The passenger seat is manually adjustable but with a lever for height and the driving position is pleasingly low-set.
The low front seats open up a world of excellence for the second row’s stadium seating which gives passengers a fantastic view out. Not only is this just nice, it also helps kill travel sickness for kids (and grown-ups).
The second row is on front/back sliding rails with fine backrest adjustment to dial in a comfortable position. There’s ample room even for adults over 185cm with plenty of head, leg and toe-room.
Amenities include a third climate zone, USB-A and USB-C charge points, a total of six beverage holders and a fold-out armrest.
The Nissan Pathfinder has ISOFIX tabs in the two outboard rear seat positions. The anchors are not hidden behind a cover so there is nothing to lose and the three top tether points are big and meaty for easy access.
Nissan deserves praise for its wide opening doors, the Pathfinder’s go almost perpendicular to the body with a large square aperture making loading dogs, children or shopping extremely easy.
But there’s one crucial flaw — the back windows don’t go all the way down leaving around a third of the glass sticking up.
The Pathfinder’s three-wide third row is vast in the third row, with enough space for adults in a pinch — at least two across the three-wide bench — and up to four beverages.
The power-actuated second row gets out of the way quickly (perhaps a little too fast!) and slides back into place easily. The rear bench is split 60/40 with the long portion on the Australian kerbside.
There are no ISOFIX or top tether points in the third row of the Pathfinder ST-L which does hurt its practicality. The Ti-L features ISOFIX and top tether for one third row seat.
Aside from that, the Pathfinder is about as good as an SUV gets for practicality, though a Kia Carnival people mover has the edge for outright human carrying ability.
Behind the shapely power tailgate, the Pathfinder offers either 205L, 554L or 782L of cargo space depending on how many seats are in use. And while the smallest figure sounds compact, the space is tall and square making it quite practical. Four school bags would fit easily or five at a pinch.
With the third row stored elegantly in the floor, the space is generous although interrupted by the roof-mounted middle third-row seat belt which is a faff to unbuckle.
Amenities include two shopping bag hooks, a 12-volt socket, four tie-down points and a spacious wet storage area below the boot floor.
The spare tyre is hung beneath the Pathfinder however it is a temporary space saver, rather than a full-size item.
Despite no diesel powerplant, the Pathfinder’s towing capacity is best in class, beating both Palisade and Kluger with its 2700kg braked limit (750kg unbraked).
Though still shy of the ladder frame Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X (3500kg), the monocoque Pathfinder’s high limit is impressive.
The interior is either 'Comfort-Tek' synthetic leather seating (Lux), or Nappa leather seating (Ultra) and beyond those soft-touch surfaces the Tank 300 has a practical and comfortable interior.
The Ultra has five seats, bucket-style up front for the driver and front passenger (both okay, but not ideal in terms of support and comfort), and a three-seat bench-style second row in a 60/40 split configuration.
In the grand tradition of second-row seats it's okay, not great. The second row folds flat to expand the rear cargo space.
Cargo space is a listed 400 litres when the second row seats are in use, and 1635 litres when that second row is stowed away.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system is easy enough to use even if the English-as-a-second-language wording on some of the driving-mode explanations is off-target every now and again.
The audio system is nine-speaker in the Lux and Ultra, but the Ultra's is described as 'Premium'.
There's wireless charging, front and rear USB ports, as well as 12V and 220V power outlets.
The seats are Nappa leather accented, heated and cooled (up front), and the driver gets an eight-way power-adjustable perch (with lumbar adjustment and massage function).
The 64-colour ambient lighting is a discotheque touch at night.
The ST-L is not lacking for features, with 18-inch alloy wheels, a 360-degree camera view system, tri-zone climate control, a head-up display, built-in navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, front and rear parking sensors, cloth upholstery and heated seats.
The front-wheel drive ST-L starts at an impressive $59,670, undercutting the Hyundai Palisade Elite ($66,800) and more spartan Toyota Kluger GX hybrid ($60,920). The all-wheel drive ST-L seen here costs $64,170, with all prices before on-road costs.
As for other Pathfinder trims, the Ti adds a more powerful stereo, leather-accented upholstery and different wheel designs for $67,990 (in front-wheel drive) and the full-fat Ti brings a digital driver’s display, 20-inch alloy wheels and second row captain’s chairs — dropping seat capacity to seven — for $82,490, all before on-road costs.
The Tank 300 petrol line-up has two variants: the Lux ($46,990 drive-away) and Ultra ($50,990 drive-away).
Standard features include a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), wireless charging, 12V and 220V power outlets, Nappa leather accented seats, heated and cooled (front) seats, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar adjustment and massage, nine-speaker premium audio, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, front and rear diff locks, 18-inch alloy wheels, 64-colour ambient lighting and more.
It has LED headlights and tail-lights, front and rear USB ports, a sunroof, side steps, roof rails, seven airbags (including front centre), and a stack of driver-assist tech including AEB and forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, lane centre keep, emergency lane keep, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, rear cross traffic alert with brake, tyre pressure monitoring, front parking sensors and rear parking sensors, 360-degree around-view camera, transparent chassis function and more.
The GWM Tank 300 is available with five different paint jobs: 'Fossil Grey' is no-extra-cost standard, but 'Lunar Red', 'Pearl White', 'Crystal Black' or 'Dusk Orange' each cost $595, at time of writing.
The Nissan Pathfinder is only available with a petrol engine. It is an all-aluminium dual overhead cam direct and multi-point injection 3.5-litre V6. It's part of Nissan’s ‘VQ’ engine family that has been around since 1994.
The V6 develops 202kW at 6400rpm and 340Nm at 4800rpm which are respectable outputs. The torque builds steadily from around 3000rpm and starts to really move the Pathfinder above 4000rpm.
The lusty engine note is a nice touch in a world dominated by down-sized turbo-petrols and hybrids. There’s something refreshing about the natural response of a large capacity naturally aspirated engine, too, interfacing slickly with the nine-speed automatic transmission.
The Tank 300 petrol has a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, producing 162kW at 5500rpm and 380Nm from 1800 to 3600rpm.
It has an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission (the hybrid has a nine-speed auto) and a part-time four-wheel drive system with 4WD high-range and 4WD low-range for off-roading.
For all the benefits of that large capacity V6 it has a fatal flaw and that is fuel efficiency — particularly around the suburbs.
The Pathfinder’s rated fuel consumption is 10.5L/100km in the ADR combined (urban/extra urban) cycle with 245g/km CO2 outputs, however it is much thirstier around town.
After 100km of suburban driving in Sydney, the Pathfinder’s trip computer read 15.3L/100km. It lacks an engine start-stop system to save precious millilitres when sitting at traffic lights.
Other large V6 vehicles will be similar, or probably slightly higher in the case of the multi-point injected Palisade, but the gold standard in this segment is the Toyota Kluger hybrid which easily returns figures of 6.0L/100km or less in pretty much all driving.
A longer 200km loop taking in motorways and country roads saw the Pathfinder consume fuel at 11.4L/100km which is an improvement but still very high.
Our observed fuel consumption gives the Pathfinder, with its 71L tank, a theoretical driving range of 602km. It will happily take standard 91 RON unleaded at the pump.
The GWM Tank 300 Ultra petrol has a listed combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 9.5L/100km. It uses regular unleaded fuel.
On test I recorded 10.4L/100km from pump to pump.
The Tank 300 has a 75-litre fuel tank so, going by the fuel figures above, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 720km from a full tank.
Note: Drop 30-50km off any driving-range figure for a better idea of your vehicle’s safe touring range. Also, remember that numerous other factors affect your fuel consumption and so impact your touring range, including how much extra weight you have onboard (passengers, camping gear etc), whether your vehicle is fitted with any aftermarket equipment (bullbar, spare-wheel carrier, etc), whether you are towing (a camper-trailer, caravan, or boat etc), your vehicle's tyre pressures and the conditions.
The Nissan Pathfinder is a remarkably pleasant drive. It is smooth and quiet on the motorway, comfortable around town and talented on testing Australian country roads.
Nissan has managed to nail the fundamentals including a well-weighted electronic power steering system, good ride comfort at high and low speeds and impressive body control for a high-set 2052kg vehicle that rides on passive dampers.
The 18-inch alloys are wrapped in 255/60 Kumho Crugen HP71 tyres which are notably cushier than the Ti-L’s bigger 20-inch alloy wheels shod with 255/50 rubber.
Being a car-based SUV, the Nissan Pathfinder is more comfortable and a sportier drive than more off-road focused vehicles such as the Ford Everest and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. It is not as dynamic as smaller seven seaters such as the Kia Sorento but is still secure and stable.
There are seven drive modes in total, with three ('Sand', 'Mud' and 'Snow') dedicated to off-roading, a further trio ('Auto', 'Eco', 'Sport') for the tarmac and a dedicated 'Tow' mode.
Along with adjusting steering weight and shift logic, the all-wheel drive Pathfinder adjusts the torque split settings. It can be a little slow to shift torque to the front wheels leading to chirping on fast getaways but it is mostly solid and a worthy $4500 investment over the new front-wheel drive only model.
Visibility is not great with a high belt line and low-set driving position. With the third row's large headrests up it's hard to see out the rear window, too, so it can be difficult to judge kerbs and walls while parking. A standard 360-degree camera system helps in low-speed manoeuvring.
I covered about 400km in total, on sealed surfaces in between off-road testing and overall the Tank 300 was rather impressive.
It’s quiet and refined on-road but has few alarming characteristics, which I’ll get to soon.
The petrol engine is lively and punches this 2106kg wagon along at a nice clip.
Steering has a sporty weight to it and is precise enough for easy driving in the city, suburbs and on the highway.
Ride and handling is nicely composed – mostly. It feels a bit floaty at times, some body-roll creeps in during livelier turns and there is a spongy feel to the coil-spring suspension.
But, other than that, this 4WD consistently feels stable and planted.
NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels are kept to a minimum, though there’s some wind rush around the chunky wing mirrors.
Visibility is reasonable but a bit pinched in places. The big bonnet can impact the driver’s forward vision, and that’s why, when you’re 4WDing, the Tank 300’s transparent chassis function comes in handy.
As for those 'alarming characteristics' I mentioned earlier…
Under heavy braking the Tank 300 pitches forward severely, with seemingly all momentum forcing the vehicle into a disconcerting nose-dive. Not good.
Driver-assist tech is generally seamless, but lane keep assist is too harsh and too pre-emptive in its application – wrenching you into line whenever it ‘thinks' you have drifted too far off-centre.
Auto stop-start engages abruptly and there is a disconcerting amount of lag before the vehicle starts again from standstill.
Not good at all when you need quick off-the-mark pace to safely merge with traffic from a stop light or after a lengthy pause at a roundabout.
The Tank 300 did however prove to be an effective off-roader. It handled the gravel track to our 4WD test site with ease.
This route is peppered with light corrugations, as well as, deeper into the bush, severe ruts and potholes, so it’s not an easy drive for any standard 4WD.
But this GWM wagon in 4WD high-range, did well, and was only ever rattled (a bit) when we hit a section of much deeper wheel ruts and potholes where modified 4WDs had damaged the track.
My patented ‘Watch out for that 'roo!' emergency-braking test again revealed the Tank 300’s tendency to pitch forward dramatically under heavy braking and it took some work to keep the vehicle on track.
The Tank 300 is well suited to low-range 4WDing. It may not have a ton of torque on tap (380Nm), but that pulling power is available across a decent rev range and this 4WD makes efficient use of what it does have.
Its off-road driving modes, including 'Mud/Sand', 'Rock', 'Mountain' and 'Pothole', seem calibrated appropriately for the demands of different terrain, although I wouldn’t rely on them, too much.
In the middle of an Aussie summer I didn’t get to test the ‘Snow’ setting, but when you engage some of the modes it will lock diffs where appropriate.
Low-range gearing is sound, without being Jeep Wrangler Rubicon great, and with its front and rear diffs locked, the Tank 300 tackled every 4WD challenge with ease.
Visibility is restricted in places due to the cabin build style, but that’s not such an issue when you’re 4WDing at very low speeds – you can always stop and get out of the vehicle to check the track ahead.
However, the Tank 300’s 'Transparent Chassis' function goes some of the way to improving driver visibility.
This system is similar to the 'Transparent Bonnet' view in the Land Rover Defender in that its aim is to extend the range of the around-view camera to include a view under the Tank 300 (represented on-screen as a ‘ghost vehicle’ outline when Transparent Chassis is selected).
Wheel travel is decent enough – the Tank 300 has a live rear axle – but the standard Michelin Primacy SUV tyres (265/60 R18) are not well suited to 4WDing. Fit a decent set of aggressive all-terrains to make this 4WD wagon even better off-road.
The Tank 300 loses a few off-road efficacy points, though, because…
It feels low. Ground clearance is listed as 224mm, and it has official approach and departure angles of 33 and 34 degrees, respectively (no ramp-over angle is listed), but it feels vulnerable to scraping its undercarriage on the earth.
Its pronounced side steps also seem to nudge the ground when you’re traversing rough terrain. Not among the Tank 300’s best features.
Listed payload is 446kg, which will quickly be used up once you add aftermarket equipment, passengers, camping gear and your dogs to the mix.
Unbraked towing capacity is listed as 750kg, while braked capacity is 2500kg.
The Nissan Pathfinder received a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2022.
It has a total of nine airbags including dual front, a front centre, side chest for first and second rows and curtain airbags covering all three rows, unlike some smaller rivals.
Active driver assistance systems include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that can detect cars, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycles.
The AEB system functions front and rear and includes junction cross-traffic detection. Lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and speed sign detection are also standard. Stability control and ABS systems intervene early and smoothly.
Going further than just having the systems, the Pathfinder’s integration is very good. The adaptive cruise control is smooth, the lane-trace assist is mostly good. They can all be easily disabled if you like, too.
The Tank 300 has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing in 2022.
As standard, it has seven airbags and a comprehensive suite of driver-assist tech including AEB, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, lane centre keep, emergency lane keep, adaptive cruise control (it worked for me on this test), traffic sign recognition, rear cross traffic alert with brake, tyre pressure monitoring, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree around-view camera.
Nissan recommends the Pathfinder is serviced every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.
You can pay-as-you-go ($2592) or up front ($2333) which saves $259 over five years ($518.40/$466.60 average per workshop visit).
Those service price options are closely aligned with the Hyundai Palisade ($2345) but Toyota’s $1325 Kluger offer remains unbeaten.
A five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty covers all Nissan vehicles in Australia. It is now the standard with other marques, including Kia, MG and Mitsubishi pushing boundaries with longer seven and 10-year offers.
The Tank 300 has a seven-year/unlimited kilometre factory warranty, five years of roadside assistance and five-year capped price servicing.
Servicing intervals are set for every 12 months or 10,000km.
Capped price servicing puts the costs at $300 each for the first, second and fifth service, and $550 each for the third and fourth service. That's an annual average of $400.