FAQs
Terrific styling overcomes iffy quality, and the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder wins our unqualified recommendation for a midsize SUV.
What is the best thing about the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
The 2005 Nissan Pathfinder is so incredibly well-rounded, it’s hard to pick a favorite thing about it. So let’s go the superficial route and say styling. After the 2005 Pathfinder first debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in 2004, Ford designer J Mays was reportedly overheard to say that he wished his company had something like it. In our opinion, this SUV is clean, industrial, and tough looking, an extremely well-balanced design that deftly blends traditional Pathfinder styling cues with modern Nissan truck themes. We particularly like the way the front fenders sweep up and onto the sides from the front bumpers, and the roof rack is easy to load thanks to the SE model’s running boards and rear bumper step pad. What is the worst thing about the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
In our experience, the least impressive aspect of the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder is the quality of its materials and construction. Inside, like many Nissan products of late, it’s too easy to see cost cutting through various bits and pieces that look and feel insubstantial. For example, the upper door panel pads in our test truck showed significant wear with less than 10,000 miles on the odometer. Making matters worse, many of the Pathfinder’s parts flex under stress, tarnishing the SUV’s impression of solidity. And on the outside, our test truck had large hood gaps, a sticking fuel door, and tailgate that was obviously tweaked off-center from several feet away. Should I buy a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
Our single reservation about this terrific new SUV, aside from our complaints about quality, is with fuel economy. We averaged 15.4 mpg during a mix of city, highway, and off-road driving. If that doesn’t bother you, you’re going to love the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder.
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