ia eh ee 43

speaker AM/FM stereo cassette player. Inquire about the Pathfinder at Northshore Nissan, 1160 Marine Dr. North Vancouver.

THE PATHFINDER is one
of the most populgr import
4X4 sport-utility vehicles on
the market, though not quite
as popular as domestic 4X45
like the Ford Explorer and
Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The Pathfinder’s principal com-
petitor is the Toyota 4-Runner. Like
the 4-Runner, the four-door
Pathfinder offers a 3.0-Htre VG
engine, part-time. shift-on-the-{Ty
four-wheel-drive, a sturdy truck-
fike frame, and five-passenger
capability, A two-door model is not
available.

ISS.

Popular sport-utility vehicle

As with most sport-utility vehi-
cles, the Pathfinder combines utility
and comfort in a way unheard of a
decade ago.

Its car-like interior. quiet, com-
fortable ride, and smooth, quict
motor contrast with the off-road
capability of four-wheel-drive. liin-
ited slip differential, skid plates,
and a high ground clearance.

The Pathfinder is neither a car
nor a utility vehicle, but something
in between.

The standard 3.0-Titre single
overhead cam V6 offers 153 horse-
power, and is adequate to pull the
Pathfinder’s 1,783 ke (3,923 Ibs)
curb weight. but Nissin’s claims of
a towing capacity of up to L588 kg
(3.500 Ibs) seems a fot fora 3.0-
litre engine.

Fuel consumption reflects the
heavy. four-wheel-drive construc-
tion of the Padvinder: 16.0 litres
per 100 kilometres (0 mpg) in
urban environments, and £2.2 1/100
kn (23 mpy) on the highway.

Rearewheel anti-ock brakes are
standard on all Pathfinders. a fea-
ture that enhances stability by help-
ing to prevent the rear wheels from
locking up ander hard braking.
However, there's no ABS on the
front wheels.

Niassa softened up the Path-
finder’s interior last vear with a
rounder, carlike appearance and
controls that are easier to manipu-
hate.

The Pathfinder can be equipped
like a lexury car with such features

Friday, February 4, 1

ME Baa et ivai aes My tz.

NEWS photo Neil Lucente
The 1994 Nissan Pathfinder four-door sport-utility vehicle offers shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive, standard 3.0-litre V6 engine, rear anti-lock brakes and eight-

adding more luxury to off-road capabilities

as leather upholstery, premium
stereo, power windows and remote
keyless entry. Driver and passenger
airbags are not yet available.

My weck-long test drive
revealed that the Pathfinder is a
very quiet, comfortable, casy-to-
drive truck.

Despite its sturdy. ladder-tvpe
box frame. the Pathfinder has a *
comfortable ride and handles well.

Four-wheel-drive is engiged by
pushing a Cloor-mounted lever at
speeds below 30 kin/h (19 mph).
High or ow ranges can be selected,
depending on the severity of the
conditions.

The driver sits up high for good
visibility and there's lots of window
glass. The Pathfinder seats five and
both beadroam and legroom are
adequate. hough three passengers
in the rear seat is certainty a bit of a
aquees ec.

Behind the rear seats is a fairly
large storage area. but if you choose
to have the spare lire mounted
inside. be prepared to give up a fot
of cargo space, Ud hiehly recom:
mend mounting ion the outside.

The versatiie filt-up tailgate has
a separaic fift-up rear window to
taad small items.

The Pathfinder is available in
three trim levels: NEL SE and LE
with suggested reutil prices of

S23.890, $29 4190 and $28,290
respectively. Top-of-the-line mod-
ely can go over $32,000.

XE and SE models come with
five-speed manuel ar four-speed

ce Nt RR Rn TR

cutooitic transmissions, but the Li
is available only with an aimomatic
transmission.

For $23,890, the Pathfinder XE
offers a standard 3.0-fitre V6, man-
tal four-speed transmission and
shift-on-the-fy four wheel drive
system with automatic locking front
hubs.

Other standard NE features
includy rear anti-lock brakes, CPC-
free dir-conditioning, an eight
speaker AM/FM stereafcassette. tilt
stecring Wheel, intermittent wipers,
cruise control and split, folding rear
seals.

The sportier SE Pathfinder
629.490) adds bigger 31-inch tires,
Hinvited rear stip differential, four-
wheel disc brakes with rear ABS,
alloy wheels. pop-up sunrool, out-
side mounted spare tire carrier.

Price as tested S32.474

Base price (XE) $23.890

Type four-door, five-pissenger
sport ullity longitudinal) front
engine/rear-wheel-drive

Engine 3.0-fitrre VG, SOHC,
multi-point fuel injection
Horsepower 153 @ 4.800 rpm
Torque iSO f-lbs @ 4.000 rpm
Transmission four-speed auto,
Transfer case two-speed, shift-
on-lTy

Curb weight 783 ke

Re

heated driver's seat, power wine
dows and door locks, heated out-
side mirrors, dark tinted rear glass.
and rear seat armrests — all stan-
dard equipment.

At $28,490. the top-ol-the-line
LE Pathfinder is actually cheaper
than the SE. but adds @ standard
automatic transmission, chrome
bumpers and rear cargo net.

The LE doesn't have the 31-inch
lires. external tite carrier, or
adjustable driver's seat.

My test (ruck had the optional
leather upholstery. steering wheel
and shift knob, running boards,
semi-automatic air conditioning,
remote Keyless entry system, and
two-tone paint which brow
as-tested price to $32,174, Freight.
dealer inspection fees and taxes are
ontop of that,

Tires PI3S/75R 15

Wheelbase 2.649 aun (104.3 in
Length 4.366 mm (171.9 in)
Width 1.689 nim (06.5 in.)
eight '.669 mm (63,7 in.)
Cargo valume seat up: 890
litres: seat down: 2.27] litres
Fuel consumption City 16.0
W100 kin (18 mpghk Hey 12.2
Y1O0 kur (23 mpg)

Warranty Basic three yrs/ .
SO.000Ka: Powertrain six yrs/
100,000 kin,

994 —- North Shore News - 23