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An interesting new number has been added to the description of the Nissan Pathfinder range, the number 550. It indicates that a new engine has been introduced, a super-grunty 550 Newton metre turbo-diesel.
Torque in the range of 550 Nm was only a dream to the average driver until a few years back when companies like AMG Mercedes-Benz and BMW M Sport gave us huge-torque powerplants, matched by equally huge price tags.
Now for $75,990 you can get behind the wheel of a Nissan Pathfinder Ti with 550 Nm on tap. We have just spent an enjoyable week reviewing this family Nissan, often with smiles on our faces as we enjoyed the seemingly endless ability to climb hills and/or overtake in very safe distances.
Note that at this time the big-grunt Nissan diesel is only offered in the topline Ti variant of the Pathfinder. It may filter down to other models later, but Nissan Australia refuses to comment on future plans. The 550 engine is also installed in the topline Navara ST-X 550.
The new Nissan turbo-diesel is a V6 unit with a capacity of just 3.0 litres, using high-tech engineering instead of sheer size to punch out that 550 Newton metres. That torque peak begins from 1700 rpm, which is higher than you might expect in this day and age. At least on paper, because there’s plenty of pulling power from 1200 revs upwards and it has already reached 500 Nm by 1500 revs.
At the top end of the tacho the new Pathfinder 550 engine is reasonably smooth, though we have felt better. Then again this type of vehicle is all about low and mid-range grunt, not big revs.
An interesting feature of this new design of engine, which Nissan carried out with partner Renault, is the use of Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) as the main material for the cylinder block. This provides the stiffness of cast iron but without the weight penalty. Aluminium which is commonly used in petrol engines these days isn’t really suited to the higher pressure within diesels and the CGI is an excellent compromise.
Diesel consumption is generally about eight to ten litres per hundred kilometres in easy driving conditions and isn’t likely to go much over 13 litres in city and suburban running. While these fuel figures may not seem all that low remember this is a big luxury 4WD weighing well over two tonnes, and which provides plenty of performance. The new Nissan V6 turbo-diesel meets the latest European stage V emission regulations.
Nissan Pathfinder is a reasonably tough off-road station wagon that has gained a lot of respect amongst Australian buyers in the many years it has been on the market. While Pathfinder is chiefly aimed at the suburban driver, a fair number of those who live in the bush are using them for quite serious work. Though the Nissan Pathfinder used a monocoque body for a while, the latest Pathfinder, first sold here in 2005, has reverted to a full chassis for added off-road toughness. This has not upset ride comfort overmuch and though you wouldn't regard the Pathfinder as a passenger car it doesn’t miss the mark by too much. Handling isn’t a strong point of this 4WD, it’s quite soft in the steering and tends to understeer at relatively low speeds in bends. Again this isn’t likely to be a hassle for the typical buyer.
The current Nissan Pathfinder is significantly larger than the previous ones and has seating that’s good for four adults, five without too much leg rubbing. Headroom is good and the front seats are well shaped. The rear bench seat is reasonably comfortable. Luggage space is large and the Pathfinder is easy to load.
Nissan Pathfinder uses a sophisticated all-wheel drive system with the title of All-Mode. This 4WD layout offers the driver numerous choices: everything from rear-wheel-only drive for easy on-road use, to four-low for seriously tackling tough off-road terrain. The Auto setting juggles the amount of drive needed to each end of the Pathfinder according to conditions under the wheels. Vehicles in this class are often used for heavy-duty towing and the Pathfinder’s big-torque diesel engine impresses by being able to haul up to 3.5 tonnes.
Nissan Pathfinder is a good compromise between a tough off-roader and a comfortable on-roader. It leans in the direction of off-road use in many ways and will show a dirty pair of wheels to the many soft-roaders that fill out this class these days. Its new turbo-diesel engine is a beauty and likely to be the choice of those who can afford the topline model. Others will need to wait until it joins the options list for mid- to low-end variants.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
ST 2.5-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $48,490 (manual), $51,490 (automatic)
ST-L 2.5-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $46,490 (manual), $59,490 (automatic)
Ti 2.5-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $65,990 (automatic)
Ti 550 3.0-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $75,990 (automatic)
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in all models
Automatic Transmission: $3000 option in ST and ST-L, standard in Ti and Ti 550
Cruise Control: Standard in all models
Dual Front Airbags: Standard in all models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in all models
Electronic Stability Program: Standard in all models
Rear Parking Sensors: Standard in all models
Reversing Camera: Standard in Ti and Ti 550, not offered in other models
USB/Auxiliary Audio Inputs: Standard in Ti and Ti 550, not offered in other models
Satellite Navigation: Standard in Ti and Ti 550, not offered in other models
Bluetooth: Standard in all models
Steering Wheel Mounted Controls: Standard in all models
SPECIFICATIONS (Nissan Pathfinder Ti 550 3.0-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 2.991 litres
Configuration: V6
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 16.0:1
Bore/Stroke: 84.0 x 94.0 mm
Maximum Power: 170 kW @ 3750 rpm
Maximum Torque: 550 Nm @ 1750 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: 4WD
Manual Transmission: Not offered
Automatic Transmission: Seven-speed
Final Drive Ratio: 3.133:1
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4813 mm
Wheelbase: 2853 mm
Width: 1848 mm
Height: 1784 mm
Turning Circle: 11.9 metres
Kerb Mass: NA
Fuel Tank Capacity: 80 litres
Towing Capacity: 750 kg (3500 kg with braked trailer)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Independent, double wishbone, coil springs over shock
Rear Suspension: Independent, multi-link, coil springs
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Ventilated disc
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: Diesel
Consumption - Combined Cycle (ADR 81/02): 9.3 L/100km
GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Green Vehicle Guide Greenhouse Rating: 5/10
Green Vehicle Guide Air Pollution Rating: 3/10
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/100,000km
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