2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid

SPECIFICATIONS

1. Hybrid pathfinders are powered by a supercharged 2.5L 4-cylinder mated to a 15 kW electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack to produce 250 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque. 2. Fuel economy is rated at 25 MPG city and 28 MPG highway for FWD models (25/27 for AWD), roughly a 25 percent improvement over the V6. 3. With no base S model, the Pathfinder Hybrid SV starts at $35,970 or roughly $3,000 more than the equivalent V6 model.

PREVIEW

There are some who are still smarting over Nissan's decision to turn the Pathfinder from an off-roader into a soft-roader in 2013. Those same people will probably defecate kittens when they learn that the Pathfinder will be available in a hybrid version for 2014.

INTERIOR

And on that, the Pathfinder Hybrid does indeed deliver. The vehicle we tested was a top-of-the-line Platinum model stuffed with every feature the Pathfinder offers, including buttery-soft leather seats, a power tailgate, Bose stereo, and touch-screen navigation. The Pathfinder Hybrid offers an active noise cancellation system, and it did a stellar job keeping the interior as quiet as a library. It's a very nice vehicle -- so nice we have to wonder how Nissan plans to sell the Infiniti version (the QX60, formerly known as the JX35).

Size-wise, the Pathfinder feels bigger than the Toyota Highlander, which happens to be the only other seven-seat SUV to offer a hybrid option. In terms of seating, it's closer to the General Motors Lambda triplets (Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia), with a third-row seat that is tight but useable, plus 16 cubic feet of cargo space with all three rows in place. But the Pathfinder doesn’t feel as large or ungainly as the Lambdas, and it's far easier to park, especially when equipped with the Around View Monitor, which uses strategically mounted cameras to give a virtual overhead view.

UNDER THE HOOD

The Pathfinder Hybrid's drivetrain is built around a supercharged (yes, supercharged!) version of Nissan's 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine. A 15 kW electric motor is sandwiched between the gas engine and the Pathfinder's CVT automatic transmission, adding 20 horsepower to the engine's 230 for a total system output of 250 hp (ten fewer than the V6-powered Pathfinder).

A pair of clutches separates the three elements, which allows electric motor to power the Pathfinder Hybrid independently of the gasoline engine. (It also allows Nissan to sneak the phrase "dual clutch" into their PR and marketing materials, though the Pathfinder Hybrid's arrangement has nothing to do with the dual-clutch transmissions found in performance and economy cars.)

From the transmission back, the drivetrain is identical to that in the V6-powered Hybrid, including optional "4x4-i" all-wheel-drive system. The electric motor draws its power from a 144-volt lithium ion battery pack that fits under the third row seat, and since the Pathfinder was designed from the get-go with a hybrid option, there is no impact on interior space. Towing capacity is reduced, however, from 5,000 lbs to just 3,500 lbs.

EPA fuel economy estimates are 25 MPG city and 28 MPG highway for front-wheel-drive versions and 25/27 with all-wheel-drive, a significant step up from the V6-powered models, which are rated at 20/26 and 19/25.