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Used 2011 Nissan Pathfinder Consumer Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
43 reviews

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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2011 Pathfinder, so we've included reviews for other years of the Pathfinder since its last redesign.

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4.88 out of 5 stars

Snow Digger

BASTION, 08/27/2010
2010 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4dr SUV 4WD (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful

I've purchased new about 2 months ago and have been using it all over. Very Reliable and outstanding build quality.

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3.75 out of 5 stars

Dependable, but not exceptional

bconeseven, 09/09/2012
2010 Nissan Pathfinder LE 4dr SUV 4WD (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
7 of 12 people found this review helpful

I purchased this vehicle new in April of 2010 as a replacement for my 2005 Chevy Trailblazer which was becoming undependable mechanically. It was important to me to get a nice “cockpit fit” with comfort and electronics, and a dependable vehicle. My first observation is that I had to buy a much more pricey vehicle than what I really wanted in order to get just a few options that I found important. That would not be all that bad, if those features worked as promised. The day I drove the vehicle off the lot, it had two deficiencies: The Bluetooth connection for the phone did not sound good and the windshield was improperly installed, causing an awful noise in the wind and at high speeds. After much effort and loss of use (mostly the fault of Faulkner Nissan in Harrisburg, PA and not Nissan itself other than allowing the actual defect to leave the factory), the noise is fixed. The Bluetooth issue appears to be a result of poor design and is not fixable. I’ve owned several vehicles with a built in cell connection of some type and I frequently rent vehicles for work travel so I have a lot of vehicles to compare this one to. The extremes: Talking on my phone in the Trailblazer was like being in a sound booth; simply perfect, connected via OnStar with a Verizon account—I even got better reception than I did with the cell phone itself. The Pathfinder is the absolute worst I have ever experienced. It is almost bearable if the vehicle is not in motion, but it is impossible to carry on a normal phone conversation when at speed. So, if you are looking for only intermittent emergency use of the Bluetooth/cell feature, this might get the job done for you. If you are looking to return calls and conduct business while on the move, I suggest you look elsewhere. I should also note that the Bluetooth in this vehicle is only for the phone. If you want to play music from your iPhone, you’ll need to use an RCA cable (coupled with the fact that you need to charge your phone then from one of the 12V power outlets, you’ll have at least two wires running around your vehicle. Beyond these issues (which are obviously important to me), the vehicle is average. 18.4 MPG, almost no matter what I am doing. It is a good dog transported as I leave the 3rd row set down all the time so the space in back is bigger. My pooch likes the rear A/C. The 2nd row of seating looks big to me and I imagine it is fine for kids, but my workmates tell me there is no leg room when we go to lunch. I get it serviced on time and there have been no significant mechanical issues beyond those I have already mentioned. You could do worse. Just don’t buy from Falkner Nissan in Harrisburg, PA.

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3 out of 5 stars

Factory Paint Flaw

brittadcock, 09/24/2011
2011 Nissan Pathfinder Silver Edition 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
12 of 22 people found this review helpful

I bought my Pathfinder less than 2 months ago. About 3 weeks(or less) into ownership, while hand-washing my vehicle, I noticed 3 different chips in my passenger side doors. No dents. I brushed it off and thought about getting touch-up paint. While bringing the issue to the attention of my dad, a well-known, retired, body man and paint expert, we did a walk-over of the vehicle and noticed there were several chips all over the vehicle, from top to bottom. Though they were microscopic at the time, in the sunlight (this being a silver paint vehicle, they WERE hard to spot if you weren't looking for them), we noticed the spots were bigger than before, and there were bubbles in the paint. My dad labeled it as something called "surface tension", which is somewhat like a pimple. He said it is something that is on the metal before the factory paint was applied and it was simply working its way up through the surface of the paint, ending as a chip. Simply put, in about 3 years, my BRAND NEW Nissan Pathfinder is going to look like a gray vehicle with patches of silver shimmer. The paint will continue to chip. I took it to the dealership, Waco Nissan, which is the same dealership I purchased the vehicle from and showed them what I was concerned about. They told me they would get in touch with the local Nissan Rep. and he would make further decisions about my situation. Later that same week, I came in to meet with the rep and he told me that all they could offer was a repaint". I have done my research and I knew that repainting is almost the same as being in an accident when it comes to resale value'. Repainting my vehicle would end up costing me money when it came to trading it in;. Needless to say, I refused;. The Nissan Dealership then offered to escalate my issue to the actual Nissan company:. I waited three weeks for an answer, playing phone tag with the associate who was responsible for my case?. She would call, leave a message, say I could return her call, never answer, call a few days later, and then finally called to say they had rejected my claim|. The same day they revealed that they had rejected my request for a replacement vehicle, but before the fact, when I had taken it in for the first oil change, I talked to the owner of Waco Nissan, same person who sold me the vehicle, and he said that Nissan had not contacted him for any pictures or sent anyone else to look at the vehicle;. Basically, Nissan made their decision based on hearsay, no evidence. No one gave a crap to look at it and see what was going on with the paint, besides the original rep who came out a month ago. Since then, the chips have become more noticeable and the spots which were once bubbles have become chips. I don't know what to do, at this point, I feel that all Nissan is doing is working to get that signature on the dotted line and doesn't care to take fault for anything that happens in their factory.. I don't feel that it is fair for them to expect me to be okay with paying a new price for a car that needs to be repainted right off the lot. Simply, they don't care. The consultant who delivered the news even went so far as to offer the number for the BBB.

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4.38 out of 5 stars

Good at the price

bluevista, 06/18/2010
2010 Nissan Pathfinder S 4dr SUV 4WD (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
3 of 5 people found this review helpful

Just bought the truck for 3 weeks. Main reason is it is truck-based SUV. My family likes it. It is quit, strong, spacious first row and second row seats. And my daughter likes the DVD system. Currently got fuel efficiency at 17mpg (4 wd/mountain) and 18 mpg (2 wd/local+free way). The vibration (that occurs when the car is in gear but not moving) mentioned by Hman became very smaller after 2 weeks in my car. The car is good at its price.

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3.75 out of 5 stars

Does its job, quality average at best

snowatcher, 11/14/2012
2010 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4dr SUV 4WD (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
3 of 6 people found this review helpful

When we bought it new, it was after a long decision process between Pathfinder and 4Runner. It fits the needs of our family here in Colorado perfectly - it's comfortable around town and on the highway, great for camping trips, and surprisingly good off-road. Really nice interior design and quality. We are happy with it after 3 years of ownership, and hope to keep it long time. My wife absolutely loves it, however, the built quality to me is questionable. When off-roading, the squeaks and rattles are very annoying, it feels like the truck is going to fall apart. Back on the road, it's surprisingly smooth and quiet. If you don't go off-road, there are much better choices out there.

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