Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2016 Nissan Frontier is a midsize pickup that’s offered in extended cab (known as the King Cab) and crew cab body styles. King cab models come with fold-down rear jump seats and a 6.1-foot cargo bed, while crew cab versions get a 60/40-split folding rear bench seat and a choice of a standard 5-foot or optional 6.1-foot bed. There are also five trim levels available: S, SV, Desert Runner, Pro-4X and SL.

On two-wheel-drive extended cab models with a manual transmission, the base S trim level includes 15-inch steel wheels, rear privacy glass, front bucket seats (with a flat-folding front passenger seat) and cloth upholstery. Select the automatic transmission and you’ll also get standard air-conditioning, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls, Bluetooth phone connectivity and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack. These items can be added to the manual version via the S Preferred package. Meanwhile, crew cabs with the S trim add the V6 engine, 16-inch steel wheels, a sliding rear window and a six-speaker audio system as standard.

Stepping up to the SV trim level gets you all of the above (though the V6 engine is optional for SV extended cab models), along with 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, power windows/locks/mirrors, a tilt-only steering wheel, upgraded cloth upholstery, a sliding rear window, a 5-inch NissanConnect touchscreen interface with Bluetooth audio connectivity and smartphone-integrated apps, a USB port, a media player interface, satellite radio and an additional 12-volt power outlet.

Options include a sunroof on the crew cab and, for the V6-powered SV, a Value Truck package that adds foglights, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, a sliding bed extender, a spray-on bedliner, adjustable cargo tie-downs, a Class IV trailer hitch, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and two extra speakers on extended cabs.

The Desert Runner (two-wheel-drive V6 only in either cab configuration) builds on the base SV equipment list, adding special exterior and interior styling details, foglamps, high-performance shock absorbers, off-road tires and an eight-way manual driver seat. The SV Value package equipment isn’t available here.

The Pro-4X trim level comes with off-road-ready hardware, including special tires, shocks and skid plates.

For serious off-roaders, there’s the four-wheel-drive-only Pro-4X, which features the off-road tires, specially tuned shocks, a locking rear differential, skid plates, automatic headlights, a 5.8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen with navigation, satellite radio and voice controls, the eight-way driver seat, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a first aid kit and everything in the SV Value Truck package (except the trailer hitch and bed extender, which are optional). Pro-4X crew cabs also get a 10-speaker Rockford Fosgate audio system.

The Pro-4X Luxury package (automatic-equipped crew cabs only) adds a sunroof, roof rack with crossbars, heated mirrors, leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats (eight-way driver, four-way passenger) and a rear-seat center armrest.

The top SL trim (automatic crew cabs only) loses the Pro-4X’s off-road-oriented equipment, but retains most of the items in the Pro-4X Luxury package, including a sunroof for long-bed SLs (the sunroof is a stand-alone option for short-bed SLs). Additional standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels and side steps that ease access to the cab. The trailer hitch and bed extender remain optional on the Frontier SL.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2016 Nissan Frontier is offered with a choice of two engines. Extended cab S and SV models come standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder rated at 152 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual and rear-wheel drive are standard, and a five-speed automatic is optional. EPA-estimated fuel economy with the manual transmission earns 21 mpg combined (19 city/23 highway), and 19 mpg combined (17/23) with the automatic. Four-wheel drive is not available with the four-cylinder engine.

Optional for the SV and standard for the rest of the extended cab lineup (as well as every Frontier crew cab) is a 4.0-liter V6 that produces 261 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque. The S, SV and Pro-4X can be had with either a standard six-speed manual or optional five-speed automatic, while the Desert Runner and SL are automatic only. In Edmunds performance testing, an automatic-equipped Pro-4X crew cab went from zero to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds.

Except for the specialized Desert Runner and Pro-4X models, the V6 Frontier gives you a choice of rear- or four-wheel drive. The Frontier uses a part-time four-wheel-drive system with a low-range transfer case. Automatic transmission-equipped four-wheel-drive models also have hill start assist and hill descent control, while the Pro-4X has a locking rear differential.

EPA-estimated fuel economy is 19 mpg combined (17/22) for manual-transmission rear-wheel-drive V6 models, while the ratings drop to 18 mpg combined (16/21) with four-wheel drive. Automatic-equipped V6 Frontiers rate 18 combined (16/22) with rear-wheel drive and 17 combined (15/21) with four-wheel drive. All of these estimates are lower than the respective versions of the Tacoma and Colorado/Canyon.

Properly equipped, four-cylinder models can tow up to 3,500 pounds, while V6 versions can tow as much as 6,500 pounds.

Safety

Every 2016 Nissan Frontier comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability control, front seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Rear parking sensors and a rearview camera are available on all Frontiers except the S, SV four-cylinder and Desert Runner models. The available NissanConnect interface can be upgraded with a suite of emergency communications services that includes automatic collision notification, an emergency call button, stolen vehicle locator and remote alarm notification.

In Edmunds brake testing, a Frontier Pro-4X came to a stop from 60 mph in 134 feet, a fairly common stopping distance for an off-road-oriented truck with all-terrain tires.

The Frontier crew cab received the top rating of “Good” in moderate-overlap frontal-offset, side-impact and roof-strength tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Its seat/head restraint design was given the second-highest rating of “Acceptable” for whiplash protection in rear impacts.

Interior Design and Special Features

The 2016 Nissan Frontier offers comfortable and supportive front seats, but adjustability is limited and the steering wheel does not telescope (it doesn’t adjust at all in the base model). The rear seats are even less appealing, as extended cab models feature rear-hinged half doors that allow access to old-school fold-down jump seats with bolt upright seatbacks and minimal legroom. Crew cab models offer four full doors and more practical rear seats, though the seatbacks are still awkwardly vertical and legroom is in shorter supply than in competing models.

The 2016 Frontier’s interior design and trim are from an earlier era at Nissan, but most of the controls are user-friendly.

As far as the rest of the interior goes, it’s a no-nonsense affair with subpar quality materials throughout. On a positive note, the design and layout of gauges and controls is intuitive, though some of the switchgear lacks the solid heft you’d expect from such a rough-and-ready truck. The latest technology, including Bluetooth audio connectivity, hands-free text messaging and smartphone app integration is available on most models, but the same can be said of its competitors.

The Frontier is particularly adept at hauling cargo, especially with the 6.1-foot bed that’s standard on extended cab models and optional on crew cabs. We’re especially fond of the flip-out tailgate extension and slick adjustable tie-down cleats that make hauling motorcycles or other bulky items easier. A storage area under the rear seats makes a handy place to stash valuable items, while features like adjustable tie-downs and a bed extender/divider give the cargo hold added flexibility.

Driving Impressions

As for driving the 2016 Nissan Frontier, the experience has much to do with what’s under the hood. While the 2.5-liter four-cylinder will eke out a couple of extra miles per gallon, its lackluster performance makes it hard to recommend. We think most buyers will be happier with the gutsier 4.0-liter V6’s noticeably better acceleration — not to mention its enhanced payload and towing capabilities — which comes with very little in the way of fuel economy penalty. Well, at least compared to the four-cylinder. It’s ultimately less efficient than competitor V6s.

The 2016 Nissan Frontier delivers capable acceleration with the optional V6 engine, but rivals offer better overall performance.

When it comes to handling, the Frontier’s slow, heavy steering makes it seem anything but nimble. The soft brake pedal feel can also be a bit disconcerting, though actual stopping power is adequate. The ride quality on the other hand is surprisingly good. There’s a fair bit of wind noise at higher speeds, however, along with tire noise from the aggressive tread on models like the Desert Runner and Pro-4X.

Leave the pavement behind and you’ll find both these models excel off-road, thanks in part to nearly 9 inches of ground clearance and a well-tuned suspension.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2016 Nissan Maxima is a five-passenger midsize sedan available in five trim levels: S, SV, SL, the sporty SR and the top-line Platinum.

Standard features of the base S model include 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, foglights, keyless ignition and entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, power front seats (eight-way driver and four-way passenger), a 60/40-split folding rear seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Electronics features include a large gauge cluster display, an 8-inch touchscreen display, a navigation system, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio, two USB ports and an eight-speaker sound system with satellite radio, HD radio and a six-disc CD changer.

The SV model adds heated outside mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, heated front seats and extendable thigh support and power lumbar for the driver seat.

The SL model gets a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel, ambient interior lighting, active noise cancellation, active sound enhancement, a premium 11-speaker Bose audio system and adaptive cruise control. It also adds several safety features (see Safety section below).

With upscale materials and a standard 8-inch touchscreen, the 2016 Nissan Maxima is a step above more common family sedans.

The sporty SR adds 19-inch wheels (with available summer performance tires), a sport-tuned suspension, Active Ride Control (uses the brakes to quell body motions over bumps), Active Trace Control (uses targeted braking to keep the vehicle on its intended path) and active engine braking that helps slow the car when heading aggressively into corners or approaching a stop. The SR also has LED headlights, premium leather upholstery, simulated suede interior trim and heated and ventilated front seats. The SR lacks the panoramic sunroof, however.

To the SL’s equipment roster, the Platinum adds the LED headlights, a power-adjustable steering wheel, driver memory settings, premium leather upholstery, automatic wipers, a power rear sunshade, a 360-degree parking camera system (with a moving object detection system) and a driver attention alert system. The Platinum also features Nissan Connect.

Powertrains and Performance

Under the hood, the 2016 Nissan Maxima features a familiar 3.5-liter V6, but it is updated this year to produce 300 horsepower (up 10 from last year). Torque stays the same at 261 pound-feet. The lone transmission is a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that drives the front wheels.

In Edmunds.com testing, a Maxima SR sprinted from zero to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, which is average for a sedan in this segment with a V6.

EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings check in at 25 mpg combined (22 city/30 highway), which is a bit better than most of its rivals.

Safety

Standard safety features on the 2016 Nissan Maxima include antilock brakes, traction and stability control, front seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and a rearview camera. Standard on the SL and above are a blind-spot monitoring system, rear cross-traffic alert and a forward collision warning and mitigation system with automatic braking. The Platinum model also adds a 360-degree parking camera system with a moving object detection system that sounds a beep and gives video alerts on the center screen when even small objects are moving anywhere around the vehicle. The Platinum also includes a driver drowsiness monitor and Nissan Connect, which includes automatic collision notification, remote starting, emergency calling and stolen vehicle locating.

In government crash tests, the 2016 Maxima earned an overall score of five stars (out of a possible five), with five stars for total front-impact safety and five stars for total side-impact safety. The Maxima also earned top scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, receiving a “Good” rating in the moderate- and small-overlap frontal-offset impact tests as well as a “Good” rating in the side-impact, roof-strength and seat/head restraint tests. The IIHS also tested the Maxima’s forward collision mitigation system and awarded it a score of “Superior.”

In Edmunds brake testing, a Maxima SR with all-season tires stopped from 60 mph in 123 feet, an adequate showing by class standards.

Interior Design and Special Features

The Maxima may not have the brand name of a luxury car, but it has the interior of one. Passengers are surrounded by quality materials, including soft-touch surfaces on most of the major touch points. Nissan’s “Zero Gravity” seats are present as well. They’re supportive, though we haven’t found these to be as superbly comfortable as the ones in the Altima. One particularly thoughtful feature is the bin mounted forward of the shifter that contains two USB ports, space for the largest phones on the market and a slot to mount a phone vertically so you can see messages as they pop up.

The 2016 Maxima’s intimate, well-trimmed interior is one of its strongest suits.

The Maxima’s 8-inch touchscreen interface is paired with a redundant control dial (called “Display Commander”) that’s located on the center console, giving drivers multiple ways to control the various functions. When paired with a smartphone, the system can read incoming text messages aloud through the speakers and even conduct Google searches. A navigation system is also included. In general, the system is intuitive and responsive to inputs, but as of this writing, Nissan Connect’s collection of apps for smartphone integration is quite limited.

Room front and rear is family-friendly, but the Maxima can’t match the rear seat space of such rivals as the Chevrolet Impala or Chrysler 300. Similarly, the Maxima’s 14.3-cubic-foot trunk capacity trails a number of rivals in this class.

Driving Impressions

The 2016 Maxima isn’t really the “four-door sports car” that its marketers would have you believe, although it does feel rather sporty until you start to explore its modest limits. The steering is precise, body motions are fairly disciplined when going through turns, and the car is generally fun to drive. Notably, the SR model has 19-inch wheels instead of 18s, plus a sport-tuned suspension. Those features slightly improve overall agility, but the ordinarily supple ride becomes firm — perhaps too firm for some buyers. No matter which trim level you pick, the Maxima is quiet at highway speeds.

If you’re looking for a sporty family sedan, the 2016 Nissan Maxima should be an excellent choice.

The 3.5-liter V6 provides ready and willing power across the rev range, and it works well with the CVT, although torque steer is noticeable during hard acceleration. As with other CVTs, the Maxima’s transmission has no fixed gear ratios. However, Nissan has added seven simulated gear ratios that are used in certain instances to provide the feeling of a regular automatic transmission, minimizing the prolonged high-rpm droning that has given CVTs a bad reputation. We generally like the result, as the CVT does a pretty fair impression of a conventional automatic without giving up its edge in fuel economy.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

All 2016 Nissan Titan XD heavy-duty pickups come with a crew cab, a 6.5-foot bed and your choice of rear- or four-wheel drive. The crew cab can seat five or six, depending on trim and equipment. There are five trim levels: S, SV, Pro-4X, SL and Platinum Reserve.

The entry-level S work truck starts things off with 17-inch steel wheels, a lockable damped tailgate, a manual-sliding rear window, manual side mirrors and remote keyless entry. Inside you’ll find power windows, air-conditioning, cruise control, Bluetooth, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a bench front seat, 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks and cloth-and-vinyl upholstery. The audio system features a 5-inch color display and provides USB connectivity and an auxiliary audio jack. Buy the S Convenience and Utility package to add a spray-in bedliner, a front overhead console, a receiver hitch and a 7-pin wiring harness connector at the rear bumper.

The SV adds the overhead console as standard, and it also gets power side mirrors with integrated turn signals, a few dabs of chrome, upgraded instrumentation, satellite radio, Siri Eyes-Free and NissanConnect mobile-app integration. The SV Tow Convenience package combines the S trim’s optional receiver hitch and wiring harness connector with heated manually extendable tow mirrors, a trailer brake controller and an integrated gooseneck hitch.

Choose the comprehensive SV Comfort and Convenience package to get 20-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights and wipers, foglights, front and rear parking sensors, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, a power-sliding rear window, step rails, keyless entry and ignition, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, upgraded cloth upholstery, heated front bucket seats with 10-way power adjustments for the driver (including power lumbar), dual-zone automatic climate control, a center console with rear power outlets and climate vents, a rearview camera and a 7-inch infotainment display with a navigation system. The SV Utility package adds a lockable storage box under the backseat, a Utili-Track bed rail system with four moveable tie-down cleats, LED cargo box illumination, the spray-in bedliner and a 120-volt in-bed power outlet.

Next up is the Titan Pro-4X, which receives dark-finished 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, off-road-tuned Bilstein shocks, a lockable rear differential, skid plates, hill descent control and special cloth-and-vinyl upholstery. The Pro-4X also boasts LED headlights, the spray-in bedliner, a towing package akin to that of the SV, voice controls and most of the equipment from the SV Comfort and Convenience package. The optional Pro-4X Convenience package builds from there with remote engine start, an auto-dimming driver-side mirror, unique leather upholstery with contrast stitching, a four-way power passenger seat, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, a power-adjustable steering wheel and driver memory settings.

Also offered on the Pro-4X is a Utility and Audio package that combines the SV Utility package with a Rockford Fosgate audio system featuring 12 amplified speakers and a subwoofer. And then there’s the Pro-4X Luxury package, which adds a pair of removable “Titan box” in-bed storage compartments, a surround-view camera system and ventilated front seats.

The available “Titan box” bedside storage containers are great for holding tools or even cold beverages.

The SL trim does away with the Pro-4X off-road gear, instead providing standard 20-inch alloy wheels and copious chrome exterior trim along with relatively understated leather upholstery. The SL also gets essentially all of the Pro-4X’s optional packages except the Luxury package as standard, though the rear-seat heaters are curiously unavailable. Also absent is the Luxury package’s surround-view camera; however, the Titan boxes can be added separately.

Pretty much every upgrade mentioned so far (except the Pro-4X off-road bits) comes standard on the Platinum Reserve, a loaded truck with a higher grade of interior and exterior finish. Outside, unique dark chrome plating adorns the 20-inch wheels and various trim accents, while the front seats are sumptuous black-and-brown pleated leather buckets (heated and cooled, of course). The rear-seat heaters come standard, as do aluminum sill plates and wood interior accents. Exclusively offered on the Platinum Reserve is a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with headrest-mounted displays and wireless headphones.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2016 Nissan Titan XD is powered by a turbocharged 5.0-liter diesel V8 engine that makes 310 hp and 555 lb-ft of torque. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is standard on all but the Pro-4X, which comes standard with a four-wheel-drive system (4WD) that’s optional on the others. The transmission on every Titan XD is a six-speed automatic.

In Edmunds track testing, the heaviest version — a 4WD Platinum Reserve — recorded a zero-to-60-mph time of 9.6 seconds, which can only be described as disappointing. But torque and towing are what the XD is all about. The 3.92-to-1 axle ratio is the sole offering, so the hitch is all you need for heavy towing. The lighter S 4×2 tops the list with 12,314 pounds of towing capacity or 2,091 pounds of payload, while the heavier 4WD Platinum Reserve can tow 10,610 pounds or haul 1,470 pounds. In between, the versatile Pro-4X can tow 11,784 pounds or tote 1,733 pounds.

Fuel economy is a major diesel selling point, but like all other heavy-duty trucks, the XD is exempt from fuel economy testing and labeling. We spent nearly 1,200 miles in a Platinum Reserve 4×4 and averaged 16 mpg. Our worst city-dominated tank was 13.8 mpg and our best all-highway tank was 20.8 mpg.

Range is ultimately limited by the standard 26-gallon fuel tank, the only offering. And the small 4.5-gallon diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tank may well need topping-up during a particularly long road trip.

Safety

Every 2016 Nissan Titan XD comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock disc brakes, front side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags with rollover deployment sensors. The front seatbelts have force-limiting pre-tensioners and the backseat has LATCH anchors and seatbelts with automatic locking retractors to ease the installation of child seats.

A rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert comes standard on the Pro-4X, SL and Platinum Reserve and can be added to an SV via that trim’s Comfort and Convenience package. The Platinum Reserve’s standard backup camera is in fact Nissan’s full 360-degree Around View Monitor multi-camera system, which can be added to a Pro-4X via the Luxury package.

The SL and Platinum Reserve come with NissanConnect Services, a subscription-based service that includes automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle recovery assistance and one-touch access to roadside assistance. It’s added to the Pro-4X when you buy the Convenience package.

Interior Design and Special Features

The 2016 Nissan Titan XD deviates from past Titans in its use of a column shifter, with manual-shift toggles and a tow-haul switch out near the end. This seemingly small change transforms the interior. It makes possible the three-passenger front bench seat in the S and SV, and it reduces clutter and opens up valuable central real estate for storage when the front bucket seats are present. It also simplifies the layout of the nicely arranged climate control interface and opens up a ready home for the integrated trailer brake controller, which is at once out of the way and close at hand.

The 2016 Titan XD’s cabin isn’t necessarily a standout, but we like its simplicity and space.

The rest of the dash is peppered with familiar gauges and switchgear that are pure Nissan. It’s all logically arrayed and pleasing to the touch, but some of the buttons do seem small against the backdrop of the XD’s massive cabin. Indeed, the Titan XD provides an abundance of interior room. There’s easily enough space for a 6-foot-2-inch adult to comfortably sit behind his own adjusted driver seat. Front or back, the leather seats are inviting and offer long-distance support, though the pleated Platinum Reserve seats don’t offer a clear advantage over the others apart from styling.

In terms of technology, the 7-inch touchscreen entertainment and navigation system works well and is easy to use, but it’s not really any more advanced or capable than what Nissan has been offering for the last several years. Competing trucks offer slicker interfaces with a greater depth of capability. The same can be said for the XD’s driver information screen between the gauges: it’s straightforward and does the job, but it’s not class-leading.

You can flip up the rear seat bottoms when hauling cargo in the cab, but the floor below isn’t entirely flat. To remedy this there’s a flip-out platform that stands about 3 inches above the carpet on fold-down legs, just like in Ram trucks. The Utility packages include a lockable cab-wide bin that’s concealed under the seat bottom and just might hold a fishing pole or two.

Driving Impressions

The 2016 Nissan Titan XD’s 5.0-liter diesel V8 engine helps this big truck move out smoothly and is relatively quiet as it goes about its business. There’s plenty of torque for anything from around-town driving to freeway merges to hill climbing. However, the Titan XD’s formidable weight (7,080 pounds on our scales for the 4WD Platinum Reserve) puts a damper on acceleration despite the V8’s significant output, as our track test results illustrate.

Although acceleration is leisurely at full whack, the 2016 Titan XD has more than enough motor for regular tasks.

With the possible exception of low-speed crawling through freeway traffic, the six-speed transmission makes all the right moves. Shifting is smooth and positive, and the gearbox is especially adept when climbing grades with a trailer latched behind, where the expansive torque of the V8 helps it hold gears confidently and resist dithering. On the subsequent downslope, a tap of the brakes in tow-haul mode engages a downhill speed control feature that uses transmission downshifts to regulate descent speed.

The big Titan XD goes down the road with a sense of authority and is generally impervious to crosswinds. The heavy-duty recirculating-ball steering system doesn’t impart a strong sense of connection as it goes about its business, but at least it makes the truck feel manageable during low-speed maneuvers and U-turns, which can test your patience on account of the gigantic 53.9-foot turning circle. All three versions we’ve sampled — a Pro-4X, an SL and a Platinum Reserve — delivered a calmer ride on a variety of surfaces than your typical 2500-series truck. The Pro-4X emerged as our favorite due to its combination of special suspension tuning and taller tires, which did a better job of filtering out coarse road textures and sharp edges alike.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2015 Nissan Pathfinder is a midsize seven-passenger crossover SUV offered in four trim levels: S, SV, SL and Platinum.

Standard equipment on the entry-level S includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a roof rack, rear privacy glass, keyless entry and ignition, tri-zone automatic climate control, a manual height-adjustable driver seat (with manual lumbar adjustment), 60/40-split-folding second-row seats (with slide and recline), a reclining 50/50-split third-row seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cruise control and a six-speaker sound system with a six-CD changer.

The SV model adds automatic headlights, a front tow hook, rear parking sensors, remote start, an eight-way power driver seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a 7-inch color multi-information display, a rearview camera and an upgraded audio system with a single-CD player, satellite radio and a USB/iPod interface.

Stepping up to the SL trim level gets you foglights, heated mirrors, a power liftgate (with position memory), leather upholstery (first and second rows), heated front and second-row seats, driver memory settings, a four-way power passenger seat, a blind-spot warning system and rear cross-traffic alert. Opting for the SL Tech package adds a larger 8-inch touchscreen display, a 360-degree parking camera, a 120-volt household-style power outlet, towing preparation (also available separately on SL and SV), a navigation system with voice controls and a 13-speaker Bose audio system with Bluetooth audio connectivity. The SL Premium package is essentially the SL Tech package plus a dual-pane panoramic sunroof.

The top-of-the-line Platinum model starts with the above features and further adds 20-inch alloy wheels, a power-adjustable heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats. Offered exclusively on the Platinum is a Family Entertainment package that adds a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with dual displays.

Depending on when your Pathfinder was built, standard equipment may vary slightly. Early Pathfinders (built before January 2015) in the base S trim do not include the standard roof rack; instead it is standard on the SV. Early SV models (pre-January 2015) also get foglights, heated exterior mirrors and painted roof rails. For Pathfinders built after January of 2015, those items are optional on the SV and standard on the SL. Finally, SVs built after January of 2015 get remote start as standard, which was previously standard on the SL.

Powertrains and Performance

Every 2015 Nissan Pathfinder is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that puts out 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. It uses a CVT and can be paired with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (which Nissan calls four-wheel drive). The AWD system includes hill-descent control and a switch that allows the driver to lock power distribution in a 50/50 front-to-rear ratio, which is useful on dirt roads and in the snow.

In prior Edmunds performance testing, an AWD Pathfinder went from zero to 60 mph in 8.0 seconds, which is average for the segment. The EPA fuel economy estimates stand at 23 mpg combined (20 city/27 highway) with front-wheel drive and 22 mpg combined (19 city/26 highway) with all-wheel drive. In Platinum trim, the Pathfinder is rated at 21 mpg combined (19 city/26 highway). Properly equipped, any Pathfinder can tow up to 5,000 pounds.

Safety

Standard safety features on the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder include antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags that cover all three rows of seats. Rear parking sensors and a rearview camera are standard on all Pathfinders except the base S, which can’t get these items even as an option. The SL and Platinum come with a blind-spot warning system and rear cross-traffic alert, while the Platinum comes with a more deluxe surround-view camera system that is optional on the SL.

In Edmunds brake testing, the Nissan Pathfinder AWD came to a stop from 60 mph in 124 feet, an average result for this segment.

In government crash tests, the Pathfinder received the top five-star rating overall, with four stars for total frontal-impact protection and five stars for total side-impact protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Pathfinder the highest score of “Good” in the small-overlap frontal-offset, moderate-overlap frontal-offset, side-impact and roof-strength crash tests. The Pathfinder also received a “Good” rating for whiplash protection in rear impacts.

Interior Design and Special Features

A big part of the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder’s appeal is its attractive cabin. High-quality materials give it a decidedly premium look, especially in the top Platinum trim level. The gauges and controls are easy to find and operate. We’re especially fond of the touchscreen electronics interface — there’s nothing particularly flashy about it, but it’s very user-friendly and offers helpful redundant controls adjacent to the screen.

Both front- and second-row occupants will find their seats comfortable and supportive. The second-row seats can slide fore and aft and recline for greater comfort, and they’ll slide forward even with a child’s car seat in place, eliminating the need to uninstall the car seat in order to get people into the third row. When unoccupied, those seats also slide farther forward than those of most competitors. Unfortunately, once back there, third-row leg- and headroom trails that of competitors like the Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Explorer and Honda Pilot. Only children or small adults are likely to be comfortable.

The 2015 Pathfinder also has just 16 cubic feet of cargo room behind the third row, but with the second- and third-row seats folded flat, it offers a useful but comparatively modest 79.6 cubic feet. Most competitors offer more maximum space.

Driving Impressions

As a suburban runabout, the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder gets the job done. The 3.5-liter V6 and CVT are responsive enough in most situations, and the gearless CVT’s simulated upshifts take some of the monotonous droning out of maximum acceleration. It’s still an unconventional experience, however, so we recommend a thorough test-drive to make sure you’ve got a feel for how the transmission operates.

On pavement, the Pathfinder’s suspension does a good job soaking up bumps and road irregularities to create a smooth, stable ride. However, if you choose a Platinum model, which has 20-inch wheels, the ride is noticeably stiffer. Although the steering is light and precise, handling is not a strong suit for the Pathfinder, and it feels large from behind the wheel. Consumers looking for sportier handling will find it in the Mazda CX-9, for example, although we suspect most Pathfinder buyers won’t view this as a significant weakness.