The Titan, of course, has a pickup truck's cargo bed. It is meant to do battle with the biggest, toughest full-size pickups available -- Ford Motor Co.'s F-150, General Motor Corp.'s Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Motor Corp.'s earth-pounding Tundra.
The Nissan Armada SUV is all about muscle-flexing attitude. Although Nissan has tried to pass it off as "family friendly," it is a thing of mean, aggressive demeanor and pugnacious dimensions seemingly more suited for duty in Iraq than for trips along the interstates and back roads of the good ol' U.S.A.
2005 Nissan Pathfinder SE
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Nuts & Bolts
Downside: In bringing the Pathfinder back to its truck roots, Nissan could wind up shooing away buyers who want something that looks like an SUV but drives like a wagon or sedan. The new Pathfinder has acceptable on-road manners. But make no mistake about this one: After miles on the highway, you will know that it's a truck.
Ride, acceleration and handling: On-road ride and handling are good, acceptable. Off-road behavior is excellent, rivaling that of more expensive SUVs. On-road acceleration is excellent. (Only drivers in goofy TV commercials, or professional off-road racers, or people who don't know what they are doing, try to speed off-road.)
Head-turning quotient: Family-friendly, neighborhood-acceptable.
Body style/layout: The new Nissan Pathfinder is a front-engine, four-door, truck-based SUV with a rear hatch and available four-wheel drive (including a four-wheel low gear) and automatically locking hubs. There is an optional "All-Mode" automatic drive system that can be switched to two-wheel drive.
Engine/transmission: The new Pathfinder comes with a standard 4-liter, 24-valve V-6 engine that develops 270 horsepower at 5,600 revolutions per minute and 291 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 rpm. The engine is linked to a standard, electronically controlled five-speed automatic transmission.
Cargo and fuel capacities: The new Pathfinder has seating for seven people. Maximum cargo space is 79.2 cubic feet. It can carry an onboard weight of 1,308 pounds and tow a trailer weighing up to 6,000 pounds. Gasoline-tank capacity is 21.1 gallons. Regular unleaded is recommended.
Mileage: I averaged 17 miles per gallon in combined off-road/on-road driving.
Safety: Side air bags and head/curtain bags with rollover sensors are optional. Buy them. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes and traction and stability control are standard.
Price: Base price on the tested 2005 Nissan Pathfinder SE is $27,850. The dealer's invoice price on that model is $25,756. Price as tested is $31,780, including $3,370 in options and a $560 destination charge. (The side and curtain bags are part of a $1,700 premium options package.) The dealer's price with options and destination charges is $29,225, according to information from Nissan, Edmunds.com, Kbb.com and Cars.com. The last is an affiliate of The Washington Post.
Purse-strings note: Compare with Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Dodge Durango, Toyota 4Runner, Honda Pilot and Mercedes-Benz M-Class.
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The new Pathfinder has all of the capability of the Armada and all of the ruggedness of the Titan. But it has a substantially more benign exterior than either of those two trucks. It looks smaller, more streamlined and much more friendly. It does not seem out of place in the parking lot of a church or elementary school.
Yet, in recent off-road treks in the state of Washington, the new Pathfinder performed admirably -- nimbly stepping over rocks and fallen logs, confidently moving through mud pits and easily fording streams.
It was a hoot and a holler and all of that, an absolutely fun way to spend a day or two. But let's face it: Few of us are likely to travel those kinds of tortuous routes on a regular basis.
So, what's it all about, Nissan? Never mind. I'll answer.
It's about winter, the primal fear of being stuck in some odd, out-of-the-way place in a storm, of not being able to make it back to safety, shelter, loved ones. Doubters have only to look at the wintry TV commercials now featuring SUVs mastering the elements, going one-on-one with Mother Nature.
If you know that the new Pathfinder can climb rocks, clamber over logs and mush through mud, you should have every reason to believe that it can pull you through the deepest of winter snows. It's a simple matter of having more than you'll ever need -- just in case you need it.
