Review

Review: Nissan R52 Pathfinder Hybrid (2014-20)

3.5 stars

  • Responsive hybrid powertrain
  • Economical for city driving
  • Spacious and versatile interior
  • Well-weighted steering
  • On 18-inch wheels, comfortable ride
  • On 20-inch wheels, suspension lacks low-speed compliance
  • Body roll when cornering
  • Weight blunts agility
  • Foot-operated park brake
  • High retail price (relative to rivals) and potential depreciation

Review: Nissan R52.I Pathfinder Hybrid (2014-16)

Overview

Released in September 2014, the Nissan R52 Series I (R52.I) Pathfinder Hybrid was a seven-seat SUV that was available in front- and all-wheel drive models. Manufactured in Tennessee, USA, the Pathfinder Hybrid was powered by a 2.5-litre supercharged petrol engine and a 15 kW electric motor which operated in conjunction to provide similar performance to the non-hybrid Nissan R52 Pathfinder .

QR25DER engine and electric motor

Specifically, the Pathfinder Hybrid powertrain consisted of:

  • A supercharged 2.5-litre QR25DER engine which had an aluminium block and cylinder head, double overhead camshafts (chain-driven), four valves per cylinder, variable intake valve timing, variable induction system, counter-rotating balance shafts, Electric Active Control Mounts (E-ACM) to reduce engine vibration and a compression ratio of 9.1:1;
  • A 15 kW electric motor which was positioned between the petrol engine and the continuously variable transmission (CVT). The electric motor drew its power from a 144 volt lithium-ion battery (fitted under the third row seat), but could also act as a generator when the vehicle was decelerating by receiving energy from the CVT and using it to recharge the battery (i.e. regenerative braking); and,
  • Nissan’s ‘Intelligent Dual Clutch System’ which managed power from the petrol and electric motors. While one clutch was installed between the petrol engine and the electric motor, the other was within the CVT.

Over the combined ADR 81/02 test cycle, the front- and all-wheel drive Pathfinder Hybrids had fuel consumption of 8.4 and 8.5 litres per 100 km, respectively (using 91RON petrol).

Nissan R52 Pathfinder Hybrid specifications
Variant Drive Motor Trans. Peak power Peak torque
ST FWD 2.5-litre supercharged petrol I4
(QR25DER)
CVT 172 kW at 5600 rpm 329 Nm at 5600 rpm
Electric motor 15 kW N/A
Combined 188 kW at 5600 rpm 330 Nm at 3500 rpm
ST-L,
Ti
AWD 2.5-litre supercharged petrol I4
(QR25DER)
CVT 172 kW at 5600 rpm 329 Nm at 5600 rpm
Electric motor 15 kW N/A
Combined 188 kW at 5600 rpm 330 Nm at 3500 rpm

AWD system

The Nissan R52 Pathfinder Hybrid was available with Nissan’s ‘All Mode 4×4-i’ system which utilised an electronically-controlled coupling. The system has three drive modes which can be selected via a rotary knob on the centre console:

  • 2WD: front-wheel drive only;
  • AUTO: predominantly front-wheel drive but with a predictive mode which can anticipate the risk of wheel spin based on throttle position and engine torque. As such, up to 50 per cent of the engine’s torque can be redirected to the rear axle if required; and,
  • LOCK: permanent four-wheel drive with a 50:50 front:rear torque split for speeds of up 40 km/h.

Dimensions and suspension

Like the Nissan R52 Pathfinder on which it was based, the R52 Pathfinder Hybrid will be 5008 mm long, 1960 mm wide, 1768 mm tall and have a 2900 mm long wheelbase; its drag coefficient is 0.34 Cd. Braked towing capacity was 1650 kg.

The R52 Pathfinder Hybrid had MacPherson strut front suspension and independent, multi-link rear suspension.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the Nissan R52 Pathfinder Hybrid included dual front airbags, front side airbags, full-length curtain airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control and front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters. 

ANCAP crash testing

In ANCAP crash testing , the non-hybrid R52 Pathfinder received a five star adult occupant protection rating with a score of 35.73 out of 37. In the offset crash test, occupant protection was generally rated as good, though protection of the driver’s thighs and lower right leg were rated as acceptable (i.e. a slight risk of serious injury). Maximum points, however, were awarded in the side impact and pole tests.

Features: Pathfinder Hybrid ST, ST-L and Ti

Standard features for the Pathfinder Hybrid were the same as its non-hybrid counterpart. As such, standard features for the Pathfinder Hybrid ST included 18-inch alloy wheels with 235/65 R18 tyres, a six speaker sound system with a CD/DVD player, MP3-compatibility, auxiliary inputs (3.5mm/USB/iPod/RCA) 2GB hard drive and a seven-inch colour display, three-zone climate control air conditioning, an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls, a rear view camera with path prediction, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity, a leather-accented steering wheel and gearshift knob, push-button start, 60/40 split, folding and sliding second row seats, 50/50 split and flat folding third row seats, remote central locking with proximity key, power windows and mirrors, a tilt adjustable steering column, four 12 volt power outlets, tyre pressure monitoring, rear privacy glass, roof rails, a trip computer and an immobiliser.

The Pathfinder Hybrid ST-L was further equipped with heated front seats, leather accented seat and door trim, power lumbar adjustment for the driver’s seat, a power adjustable front passenger seat, heated door mirrors, front fog lights, a power adjustable steering column (tilt only), an electrochromatic rear view mirror, front sunroof with manual sunshade and a panoramic glass roof with power sunshade.

The Pathfinder Hybrid Ti was distinguished by its 20-inch alloy wheels with 235/55 R20 tyres, a thirteen speaker Bose sound system with a 9GB hard drive, satellite navigation with an eight-inch display, heated and cooled front seats, Nissan’s ‘Around View Monitor’, dual second row seven-inch DVD monitors, third row auxiliary A/V inputs, driver memory settings (for the driver’s seat, steering column and mirrors) and power-operated tailgate.

Related links

Review: Nissan R52.II Pathfinder Hybrid (2016-20)

Overview

Commencing production in late 2016 and officially released in Australia in March 2017, the Nissan R52 Series II (R52.II) Pathfinder Hybrid introduced active safety technologies for the ST-L and Ti variants, and revised suspension. Visually, the R52.II Pathfinder Hybrid could be identified by its ‘V-Motion’ grille, headlights with boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights, more aggressive bonnet, new front bumper and fog lights, door mirrors with integrated indicator lights, and new tail-lights.

Nissan R52 Pathfinder Hybrid specifications
Variant Drive Motor Trans. Peak power Peak torque
ST FWD 2.5-litre supercharged petrol I4
(QR25DER)
CVT 172 kW at 5600 rpm 329 Nm at 5600 rpm
Electric motor 15 kW N/A
Combined 188 kW at 5600 rpm 330 Nm at 3500 rpm
ST-L,
Ti
AWD 2.5-litre supercharged petrol I4
(QR25DER)
CVT 172 kW at 5600 rpm 329 Nm at 5600 rpm
Electric motor 15 kW N/A
Combined 188 kW at 5600 rpm 330 Nm at 3500 rpm

Suspension and steering

Suspension changes for the Nissan R52.II Pathfinder Hybrid included stiffer front and rear shock absorbers (by 11 and 7 per cent, respectively), the introduction of rebound springs for the front struts, and a 25 per cent higher spring rate for the rear rebound springs. According to Nissan, these changes provided better body control. Furthermore, a revised valve design contributed to an 11 per cent faster steering ratio, while Nissan also claimed improved cornering feel.

Safety equipment

For the Nissan R52.II Pathfinder Hybrid ST-L and Ti, standard safety equipment was extended to include the following –

  • Forward Collision Warning (FCW): uses a radar sensor to monitor traffic in front of the Pathfinder Hybrid. If the distance to the vehicle ahead decreased such that there was a risk of collision, an audible warning would be emitted and a visual signal would appear on the instrument panel;
  • Intelligent Emergency Braking: if the driver did not respond to the Forward Collision Warning System, the brakes would be applied automatically to reduce vehicle speed so that the collision could be avoided or its severity reduced. It is understood that Intelligent Emergency Braking operated at speeds between 10 km/h and 80 km/h;
  • Blind Spot Warning: if a vehicle was detected in the driver’s blind spot, an indicator in the front door pillar on the same side as the vehicle would illuminate to warn the driver. If the driver activated the indicator to change lanes, a warning chime would sound as an additional warning;
  • Rear Cross Traffic Alert: when reversing out of a parking space, Rear Cross Traffic Alert could detect approaching vehicles that could cross the Pathfinder Hybrid’s intended path and provide an audible alert;
  • Intelligent Cruise Control: when cruise control was active, Intelligent Cruise Control could adjust vehicle speed to maintain a specified distance from the vehicle ahead and accelerate up to the cruising speed once the path was clear; and,
  • Moving Object Detection: an extension of the Around View Monitor (AVM) system which used four cameras, Moving Object Detection could detect moving objects around the Pathfinder Hybrid when it was in park or moving slowly. If detected, the driver would receive visual and audible warnings.

From April 2019, the Nissan R52.II Pathfinder Hybrid was equipped – as standard – with Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Intelligent Cruise Control. These items had previously been omitted from the Pathfinder Hybrid ST.

Features: Pathfinder Hybrid ST, ST-L and Ti

Compared to the R52.I Pathfinder Hybrid ST, standard features for the Nissan R52.II Pathfinder Hybrid ST were extended to include 18-inch alloy wheels, eight-inch colour touch screen, Bluetooth audio streaming and voice recognition, and LED daytime running lights. The R52.II Pathfinder Hybrid also featured Nissan’s ‘Advanced Drive-Assist Display’ (ADAD); positioned between the tachometer and speedometer, the ADAD provided additional infotainment and driver assistance information.

From April 2019, the Nissan R52.II Pathfinder Hybrid was equipped with a Type C USB port for the second row seats.

Relative to the R52.I Pathfinder Hybrid ST-L, the Nissan R52.II Pathfinder Hybrid ST-L gained a Bose audio system with thirteen speakers, satellite navigation with traffic monitoring and Nissan’s ‘Intelligent Around View Monitor’. Additional features over the Pathfinder Hybrid ST included an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, a four-way power adjustable front passenger seat, heated front seats, leather-accented seat trim (in black or ivory), front fog lamps, heated door mirrors, stainless steel front kickplates and an electrochromatic rear view mirror.

Compared to the R52.I Pathfinder Hybrid Ti, the Nissan R52.II Pathfinder Hybrid Ti gained 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, an upgraded second row entertainment system (with dual screens, wireless headphones, a remote control and HDMI/USB ports) and a motion-activated tailgate that could be opened by a wave of the owner’s foot under the centre of the tailgate. Relative to the Pathfinder Hybrid ST-L, the Pathfinder Hybrid Ti was further equipped with ventilated front seats, a driver’s seat memory function, remote engine start and automatic downward tilting of the door mirrors when reversing.

April 2019 update

From April 2019, the Pathfinder Hybrid ST-L was equipped with adaptive LED headlights as standard. Furthermore, the Pathfinder Hybrid Ti was equipped with heated rear seats and Nissan’s ‘Rear Door Alert’. Rear Door Alert would notify the driver if children were left unattended in the vehicle by sounding the horn three times if the driver walked away or locked the vehicle without opening a rear door.

Specifications

Related links

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