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The Nissan Pathfinder — a special-purpose vehicle explained

The Nissan Pathfinder is a special-purpose vehicle built from 1986 to 2026 across 6 generations. Most were assembled in the United States (78.9% of the cars in our records), though 1 other country builds it too. Over that time it grew 64 cm longer and put on 412 kg.

Data · NHTSA & EPA · 1986–2026 · 41 model years · Updated Aug 22, 2026 · 4.5 ★★★★★★★★★★ ForCar Score
Quick answer

The Nissan Pathfinder is a special-purpose vehicle built from 1986 to 2026 over 6 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 78.9% of those on record. Between 1987 and 2026 it grew 64 cm longer and gained 412 kg. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6, V8. Worth buying? It scores near the top of what we track at 4.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).

1986–2026
Years
149
Recalls
26
Top MPG
5★
NHTSA
7498
Complaints

What the Pathfinder is

The Nissan Pathfinder is a special-purpose vehicle that Nissan built from 1986 to 2026 — 41 model years. Our measurements put it at 6 generations, the current one starting in 2013. It has been offered with 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6, V8 power. Its closest siblings in the Nissan range: Rogue, GT-R, Altima.

Where the Pathfinder is built

A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 6,269 Pathfinders on record.

FIG.02·Where the Nissan Pathfinder is built
Assembled inShareVIN starts withYears seen
the United States78.9%5N1, 1N61989-2026
Japan21.1%JN8, JNH, JNB1987-2013
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA records, grouped by VIN manufacturer code

Check your own: the first three characters of a Nissan VIN decide which of these 6 lines your Pathfinder belongs to. What every character in a Pathfinder VIN means →

Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Nissan Pathfinder adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.

Pathfinder generations, and what changed

These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Pathfinder's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Pathfinder that gives 6 distinct generations below.

FIG.03·Nissan Pathfinder by generation
GenerationLengthWheelbaseWeightvs previousWeight change
1987-1995437 cm265 cm1575 kg--
1996-1999453 cm270 cm1814 kg+16 cm+239 kg
2000-2004464 cm270 cm1874 kg+11 cm+60 kg
2005-2007477 cm285 cm2150 kg+13 cm+276 kg
2008-2012488 cm285 cm2185 kg+11 cm+35 kg
2013-2026501 cm290 cm1987 kg+13 cm-198 kg
ROWS 6·SOURCE Transport Canada vehicle specifications, 1971 onward

Between 1987 and 2026 the Pathfinder gained 64 cm in length (+14.6%) and 412 kg in weight (+26.2%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Pathfinder that is 412 kg against 64 cm. Full dimensions by year →

Nissan Pathfinder tire size, oil type & owner specs

The fitment Pathfinder owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.

Wheels & tires
Wheel sizeby VIN
Tire sizeby VIN
Bolt patternby trim
Tire pressure32–36 PSI
Engine oil
Oil typeFull synthetic
Gradeon oil cap
Capacityby engine
Battery
Main battery12V · group by trim
Key-fob cellCR2032
Wiper blades
Front bladesby generation
Rear bladeif equipped
Fuses
Fuse boxeshood + dash
Diagramon box lid
Light bulbs
Headlightby trim
Tail / brakeby trim
Fogif equipped

Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.

What engines does the Nissan Pathfinder have? Power & range

The Nissan Pathfinder is offered with 4 powertrains — 3.5L 6-cyl, 5.6L 8-cyl, 2.4L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl Hybrid. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 4 for the Nissan Pathfinder, against one or two on most rivals.

FIG.06·Nissan Pathfinder Powertrains
EngineDisplacementTransmissionDriveFuel
V63.5L · 6-cylAutomatic (S9)FWDRegular
V85.6L · 8-cylAutomatic (S5)4WDPremium
4-cyl2.4L · 4-cylManual 5-spd4-Wheel or All-Wheel DriveRegular
Hybrid2.5L · 4-cylCVTFWDRegular
ROWS 4·SOURCE EPA + NHTSA vPIC

Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.

The Pathfinder by the numbers

What the federal and market records say about the Nissan Pathfinder. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.

FIG.05·Nissan Pathfinder by the numbers
TopicPathfinderDetail
Recalls149 campaignsNHTSA, all years
Owner complaints7,498 filedWhat breaks and when
Reliability4.5 / 5Best and worst years
Crash safety★★★★★ NHTSAFrontal, side, rollover
Insurance$1,383/yrEstimated full coverage
Used value1,820 listingsWhat it sells for now
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA, EPA, HLDI and market listings
Everything on the Nissan Pathfinder
Recalls149 campaignsFuel economy26 mpg bestReliability4.5/5Common problems7,498 complaintsCheck a VINAgainst this exact buildDimensionsSize, weight, generationsUsed prices1,820 listingsWhat yours is worthValue by year & mileageInsurance costEstimated per yearWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character means

Frequently asked questions

What kind of car is the Nissan Pathfinder?

The Pathfinder is a special-purpose vehicle, built from 1986 to 2026 across 6 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6, V8.

Where is the Nissan Pathfinder made?

Across 6,269 cars in our records the split is: the United States (78.9%), Japan (21.1%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.

How many generations does the Pathfinder have?

6 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2013. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the Pathfinder grew 64 cm longer and gained 412 kg.

What is the Nissan Pathfinder warranty?

New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.

Is the Pathfinder reliable?

It scores 4.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.

How do I check a specific Pathfinder?

This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.

More in Nissan

More Nissan models
ModelYearsRecallsBest MPGForCar score
Nissan Rogue2008–20269234 mpg4.5/5
Nissan GT-R2009–2026919 mpg4.0/5
Nissan Altima1993–202614634 mpg4.5/5
Nissan Frontier1998–202614222 mpg3.5/5
Nissan Sentra1982–202615841 mpg4.0/5
Nissan Versa2007–20267535 mpg4.0/5
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA
Data sourced from NHTSA (recalls, complaints, safety ratings) and EPA fueleconomy.gov (MPG). Best/worst-year analysis is ForCar's own aggregation of complaint volume. Last updated Aug 2026. — ForCar Editorial Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.