It’s time to put in the research for your next midsize crossover SUV, and the Nissan Pathfinder has crossed your path. What do you go with? Which packages do you add? Which trim is right for you? Do you add more accessories to further personalize your ride to your needs? Before you commit to any kind of purchase for the three-row midsize SUV, or get too knee-deep in the shopping process for a new Nissan Pathfinder for sale either from a local dealer or shopping online, it’s important to get a good idea of what the 2025 model year has to offer and what you can expect from it if you decide to shop for it. As always, my job is simply to roll out the information for you, but you get to decide what model is right for you. I will cover what’s new, what the performance and trims offer, what safety features come with the vehicle, the tech accouterments you can expect to get, and how comfortable and convenient it is. From there, you can start shopping with a better idea of what you need in your next ride.
What’s New for the 2025 Nissan Pathfinder
Nissan rolled out a few new changes for the Pathfinder to help entice new shoppers. There aren’t many, but they are present, and it’s more than what can be said for some of its nearest competitors like the 2025 Blazer or the Kia Telluride, both of which opted out of any major changes for the model year. That being said, the power liftgate is now standard on the SV and Rock Creek trims, and as a real boon for those buying the new model year, you now get two years or 24,000 miles worth of coverage featuring three complimentary oil changes as part of the Nissan Maintenance Care program, which is standard on every single model now. That’s a nice incentive to buy a new model and a way to save money on regularly scheduled tune-ups.
2025 Nissan Pathfinder Trims & Performance
The Nissan Pathfinder is available in five different trim formats for the model year, all of which are attached to a single 3.5-liter V6 powertrain. However, the performance output depends on the trim, as all of the trims except for the Rock Creek feature 284 hp at 259 lb-ft of torque. For the Rock Creek trim, it scales up the performance to 295 hp at 270 lb-ft of torque. The Pathfinder is available in front-wheel and all-wheel drive, achieving an estimated 20 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway in front-wheel drive, and 21 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway in all-wheel drive. It can also tow up to 6,000 lbs. You can see the trims listed below with their designated MSRPs.
- S – $36,400 [a]
- SV – $39,390 [a]
- SL – $42,090 [a]
- Rock Creek – $44,490 [a]
- Platinum – $48,640 [a]
There are a few things to keep in mind with the trims: not every trim is available in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and not every configuration is available in seven or eight seats. The S, SV, SL, and Platinum are all available in front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The Rock Creek is only available in all-wheel drive. Additionally, the S trim is only available as an eight-seater, meaning two captain chairs up front and two split benches for the second and third row. The Rock Creek, however, is only available as a seven-seat configuration, meaning two captain chairs up front, a second set of captain chairs in the second row, and a split bench in the third row. Behind the third row, you have up to 16.6 cu.ft. of space, while folding down the third row opens up to 45 cu.ft. of cargo capacity, and if you fold down the second row you have up to 80.5 cu.ft. of cargo capacity.
2025 Nissan Pathfinder Comfort & Convenience
Plenty of convenience and comfort features are littered throughout the Pathfinder, including standard cloth seats on the entry-level trims, but you have leatherette for Rock Creek, leather for the SL, and semi-aniline leather for the Platinum. Starting trims have manual seat adjustments, but you have an 8-way power driver seat on every trim above the S, and driver memory settings for the Platinum trim. The SL and Platinum are also available with heated rear seats, while every trim above the S is available with heated front seats. You have tri-zone automatic temperature control throughout the cabin as well, which is perfect for those who need a properly temp-regulated SUV no matter where you’re going.
Every trim above the S features a leather steering wheel, while the SL and Platinum come standard with a heated leather steering wheel. You can easily get into and out of the vehicle with Remote Door Activation and a power tailgate for all the trims above the S. The SL, SV, and Platinum are also available with a moonroof for those who want to add some lavish comfort to the cabin. LED headlights and taillights come standard. All of the trims also come with rear privacy glass, so passengers can see out but onlookers can’t see in, which is perfect for keeping your family private or ride-sharing passengers from having to deal with those attempting to peep into the vehicle.
All trims except for the Platinum come standard with a six-speaker audio system. However, the SL has the option to upgrade its audio system to the Platinum’s Bose Premium sound system featuring 13 speakers throughout the cabin. Every trim above the SV also comes standard with the very useful Intelligent Around View, which is great for having visibility around the vehicle when parking or avoiding potential collisions. The Rock Creek, in particular, has an added off-road mode, which is useful for seeing objects in front of you and navigating uneven terrain.
2025 Nissan Pathfinder Safety & Tech
The Pathfinder comes chock full of driver assist features and alerts, both in terms of active safety and passive safety. This is all thanks to the Nissan Safety Shield 360. You have standard auto high beam headlights, Brake Assist, and Hill Descent Control, along with low tire pressure warnings, blind-spot warnings, and both active lane keep assist and lane centering when using cruise control thanks to the available ProPILOT Assist 1.0.
Thanks to the available traffic sign recognition, you will have active driver alerts in case you miss an important sign. And if a collision seems like it might occur, the collision prevention systems such as Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Detection, and Rear Automatic Emergency Braking are designed to help reduce potential accidents. And as a last measure of safety, the full cabin air bag system including curtain side air bags for all three rows are there to help keep you safe.
Features like the vehicle tracker powered by the NissanConnect also come standard across the trims above the S grade, which is great when it comes to connectivity features for your smartphone. Other available remote features include remote engine start with the MyNISSAN mobile app. You have two standard interactive LCD monitors within the Pathfinder cabin, including an 8-inch touchscreen on the base trims and a 9-inch touchscreen on the upper-end trims. You also have a 7-inch digital driver display cluster on all the trims except for the Platinum, which features a 12.3-inch digital display cluster.
You have standard AM, FM, and SiriusXM Satellite Radio across the entire trim line, along with voice recognition. Smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also a standard feature. The upper-end trims also feature access to the NissanConnect for premium navigation services and Wi-Fi hotspot support, plus wireless charging. However, every trim is capable of having its OS updated with over-the-air updates.
Choosing the Right 2025 Pathfinder Model and Accessories
For the base trims, you get all of the basics with no major downsides. However, if you are willing to scale up your budget a bit, you can opt for the SV or SL. And obviously, if you’re keen on doing a lot of wilderness travel or plenty of off-road adventures, the Rock Creek is the perfect option. For those who value opulence more than ruggedness, the Platinum is the clear choice. No matter which trim you go with, optional packages and accessories like the tow hitch receiver and trailer tow harness are serious considerations, especially if you plan on using your Pathfinder for camping or road trips where cargo hauling is required. Otherwise, the packages are rather slim, and you get most of what you would want from the trim levels. Now you have what you need to help you shop for your ideal 2025 Nissan Pathfinder.
