Used 2016 Nissan Pathfinder Consumer Reviews

2016 vs. 2013 - Let's Compare

3 year update: No major issues, small rattle in dash trim but otherwise solid! We have enjoyed owning the 2016 Pathfinder for 3 years now. The original Bridgestone tires recently wore out and we went with Pirelli Scorpion ATRs, highly recommended! We had a small dash rattle at the stereo trim that we will get addressed. No issues with CVT and we maintain a constant 18.5 mpg with 75 percent city driving. It has been a solid choice for our family! Original Review: Having owned identical '13 and '16 PF Platinum 4wd models with every option available I am overall pleased with the quality of this vehicle. I would almost call it "Infiniti like" in its ride/handling and Platinum trim features. The PF uses more interior plastic material when compared to an Infiniti but they do a good job of dressing it up. We constantly receive compliments from friends about how nice the interior of the PF is. I realize every trim does not offer the luxury of the Platinum but if you are able to purchase I think it is a great value when compared to luxury brand vehicles. The 2016 also does an excellent job in refining the little annoyances we had with the 2013. Some of these include: Being able to leave fog lights "on" with headlights in "auto" position without the lights being on all the time; The rear cargo gate does not beep the entire time going up and down, just a few warning beeps; An updated CVT transmission program that is much smoother. Speaking of the CVT, that was my primary concern with the 2013. As you will see in reviews most people have experienced the "judder/shake" of the CVT in their PF. We were no different and the first time I thought the CVT was going to be found laying in the middle of the road, it was disturbing! I played along with Nissan and had every re-program/recall addressed. Things improved but I would still feel a hesitation in the transmission occasionally. The 2016 seems to have addressed this with a new program and simulated shifts. After 1,000 miles on this vehicle, the CVT feels much tighter and refined. Fingers crossed it remains this way. The CVT is likely responsible for one of the best parts of this vehicle.... an observed 19 mpg around town and 24 mpg on the highway. Not bad for a 4wd SUV that can tow 5,000 lbs and comfortably haul 7 passengers. One of the best features of the PF aside from its comfortable ride and road manners have to be the safety features. My wife loves the "all around view" monitor and doesn't see herself ever owning another vehicle without it. It is seriously convenient when parking but also a necessity when you have little ones who may be running around. I cannot believe that every manufacturer hasn't included this technology on their SUV line. We also like the blind spot monitoring and cross traffic alert included on our '16. The seating configuration in the PF is genius. Having the ability to slide the second row seats makes the third row bearable to sit it. Speaking of the third row, it really isn't that bad. It is one of the most comfortable we found in a SUV of this size and it can even be accessed while a child seat is secured in the second. Some shortcomings I've found on the '16 PF include a dated navi system and slow processor when you wish to play music from a plug-in device (phone, USB, etc). I really wish Nissan would have opted for LED headlights or at least LED running lights to keep the PF in line with the Rogue and Murano. The biggest drawback I see to the '16 is Nissan missed the opportunity to update the exterior and prevent a dated look when compared with similar crossovers. With that said, I still believe this is one of the best values available for the money. Having owned a '13 PF for 3 years, the 2016 PF is a nice update that seems to have addressed both the major (CVT) and minor issues found on the '13. When compared to the '16 Explorer Limited we had an opportunity to drive a few weeks, the Nissan still wins. Ford has done an excellent overall job on the Explorer but we find the PF to be more comfortable. For example, I can't rest my arm on the door of the Explorer while driving due to its design and that becomes a major annoyance on a road trip. Also the rear seat design and all-around view monitor (not just front/back) gives the PF the edge. In summary, I highly recommend you give the PF a test drive. Notice the little things that make a huge impact on every day driving and I think you will find the PF to be a worthy choice. Opt for the Platinum trim and you will find very comfortable cabin with all the features you could ever need and an "Infiniti like" level of refinement.

Great Ride! Mileage is sub-par so far....

UPDATE: 2023, still have the pathfinder - it's going the distance! Over 80k miles, no major mechanical issues. Just standard maintenance, keeps going strong. UPDATE: 2021, still liking the 2016 Pathfinder, no mechanical or other issues. Pleasure to drive, comfortable seats, suspension is forgiving, even if a bit of roll. Gas mileage is still at or below the EPA estimate. Nice driving automobile. Has such a beautiful, well apportioned interior -- makes it a pure pleasure to drive. The 360 camera, nice center console, nice sized glove box, easy access to third row from behind passenger seat (magic seat) -- (works even with car seat installed). Impossible to describe all the 'little' conveniences. Can see individual tire pressure, car beeps if you add air when it gets to the right pressure, front camera is AWESOME! Roof rack cross bars, tow hitch, nice nice nice. All in all, pleased with purchase - love the vehicle immensely. Only down point is the mileage.

Quality Materials + Smooth Ride = Great SUV

This is my 3rd Nissan Pathfinder (2002, 2008, 2014) – and this is by far the best of the bunch. Sure it has lost some of its off road mojo, but since off road to me is driving down a dirt path going apple picking or skiing – I am have little to complain about. First off the truck looks great. Beautiful lines, striking paint job that totally pops, beautiful leather seats and dark and useful window tinting – really a great job by the designers at Nissan. The controls are all well placed and very functional (electronics work very well with wifi and Siri on an iphone) – and as with all Nissans, the climate control rocks. Very cold AC, very warm heat and strong defrost. Seating is comfortable, third row is easy to access even with a child seat in the second row, and when the third row is down – I have a ton of cargo space. I am not sure what kind of driving some of these people are doing, but with a good mix of 50/50 highway and city, I am getting 20.5 MPG – which is very respectable for a truck this size. Could not be happier with my Pathfinder.

Fantastic SUV, couldn't be more satisfied..

Not sure who is writing reviews on the Pathfinder --especially at Consumer Reports-- for if I had followed them blindly I wouldn't have made the purchase on this fantastic vehicle. We have owned it for 7 months, have put 15,000 miles on it and have never looked back. No rattles, no annoyances, no strange blind spots for the driver, MPG as advertised or better, nor any other quirks which nag at you making you think -- did I make the right choice? We got the Platinum trim, which essentially is a discounted Infinity QX60. This SUV has serious get up and go, looks sharp, and is a joy to drive. And it is supremely comfortable for long road trips (we did a 1,600 mile round trip visit to CA from our home in SLC area, including a 7 hour traffic jam out of LA to Las Vegas with two kids). Sound system is fantastic (Bose), and driver controls are logically laid out and easy to use (knobs, ergonomically friendly buttons on steering wheel, etc.). You can with between 2WD, all wheel drive or lock in 4WD. We had heavy snowfall this year, and with Bridgestone Blizzaks and the Pathfinder's automated power distribution and 4WD we carved up serious winter driving conditions with ease. If I had to nitpick one area where I think Nissan can invest more -- it's the navigation interface-- which is completely serviceable, by the way. That said, I've rented cars with Apple CarPlay (Audi, Ford) and I'm not experiencing worlds of difference when it comes to navigation. We get 19-20 MPG driving kids around town and getting to ski resorts (and there is a lot of climbing !)...on long road trips, we average 24-26 mpg. We certainly recommend this SUV..btw, we researched the heck out of the Pilot, Kia Sorrento, Ford Explorer, and smaller SUVs as well (and test drove the Pilot and Sorrento).

Very, very Pleased after Purchase!

I read reviews, but evaluated several top 3-row SUV's for "myself". The Pathfinder was exceptional. My wife or I have owned GM, VW, Infiniti, & Mercedes vehicles. So, I have a basis for comparing. The takeoff is not the swiftest, but that's not my num 1 preference. It has strong mid and top end power; great highway performance. "Excellent" comfort that front & rear passengers enjoy. Plus I enjoy the comfort, power, & handling poise cruising around city.

Nissan Value

Fourth Nissan stretched over 20 plus years. Extremely reliable with great resale value. Nissan service departments have always been easy to deal with and I have been comfortable with their recommendations. I went with the Platinum trim to get the 20 inch vs 18 inch wheel, which may explain the slight road noise. It took awhile to learn the controls and instrumentation. I like the auto adjust on the steering wheel and the electric seat adjustment on the passenger side as well. I purchased the cargo protector which unfolds to protect the third row seat also when down; a nice feature. Overall, very satisfied with this purchase and ready to take my first road trip. Update: Took my first road trip and within miles of home picked up a truck tire weight which had worked its way into the center tread on the rear driver's side. The low tire warning worked as expected. Lowering the spare tire was not difficult, but removing and replacing it was very cumbersome, especially working on the side of the road.

Piece of ---t Car

Transmission had to be replaced at 65,000 miles. Total transmission failure. Diagnosed by a Nissan dealer and confirmed by an independent transmission shop. The failure was sudden and without warning. Dealer wanted $4,500 to replace it, found independent transmission shop who replaced same trans for $3,500. Nissan corporate said you are on your own. The vehicle is 5,000 miles over the warranty period. After checking, I found this transmission has been a problem for Nissan in earlier model years, (last I checked was 2015) not only for the Pathfinder, but most with this new CVT transmission. So bad , they were sued in a Class action in which they lost. Do your homework. I wish I had done my due diligence and investigated it before hand. But, hindsight is always 20/20. This is my 1st Nissan and my last. Do yourself a favor, don't take my word for it, Google it. If you still decide on a Nissan product, GOOD LUCK. It does have a good air conditioner, but the road noise is awful. I will never buy another vehicle based on a perceived reputation.

A great way to get into a roomy suv

First I tried out other suvs and decided that for the price the room and the mileage the S model with 4 wheel drive was what I wanted to buy . I formally had a 2010 chevy impala but we live in the country and our road doesn't get plowed well and I wanted a 4 wheel drive and I play music and I wanted it to be able to hall some equipment too. Note it isn't filled with options the ones I miss are a power drivers seat, auto lights, towing package, and a backup camera. I put a after market hitch and a wiring harness on it for about 160 dollars( it comes with a tranny cooler from the factory) and a aftermarket back up camera for 100. It drives nice is comfortable and im getting 25.4 miles to the gallon combine driving. I have 7700 miles on it and have had no problems with it and I got it for 28000 out the door and it still can tow 5000 lbs

Always drove a Nissian but not as happy this time

I have driven the same model of car for decades and I guess I expected to much from my new pathfinder. I was not shown basic operating techniques by the dealership as a first step in the wrong direction then I found the front seats did not have near the comfort as my past vechicles. But most of all I am very distressed by the 13.5 city milage😝. Hopefully things will work out. I really like the way my SUV looks and my pearl paint job and nav system are great!

Coolant fan again!!!!

51,000 miles. 2016. Loud rattle noise near radiator. Suspected coolant fan after reading about 100 bad reviews on it. Only happend after long ride or if ac fan was on. I was correct. Big problem w Nissan and of course Not covered under warranty. Not even the cpo extended warranty. Cost at dealer: 850. Local shop: 700. At that point I went with the dealer since there and there is a pandemic right now so didn’t feel like driving all over. I also have a honda pilot with 160k on it. Never had to replace the coolant fan. What a piece of crap these nissans are. I fear its just the beginning of major issues. Nissan is aware and wont honor it. Never again.

Love the vehicle, not impressed with the heat

I absolutely love driving my Pathfinder! Love the heated seats and steering wheel, love the way it handles and it's nice an quiet (not loud on the highway like another review said), I love the navigation and bluetooth. I literally love everything about it so far EXCEPT the heat and the remote start. The heat is great while driving but if sitting still it does not stay warm inside the vehicle. Also, the remote start only goes for about 8 to 10 minutes and most of the time will not re-start via remote. Sometimes it will but the defrost and heat doesn't get warm enough while it's sitting still to clear the windows. So that part is frustrating but I'm sure I'll figure out the best way to work around this small but irritating issue. I traded in a Kia Soul for this Pathfinder in December of 2022. It's a 2016 but drives like it's brand new. The acceleration is great, very responsive steering and a smooth ride! Gas mileage for an SUV is really good as well.

Cool blue Pathfinder

Solid car. Better mileage than our Honda Pilot but still good towing capacity and cargo space. Luxurious ride.

1 month. So far so good

We needed a SUV to tow a boat and a 3rd row seat for our family. The Pathfinder provided all of these things. We got a great deal on a 2015 with Platinum trim. After a month of driving we are still enjoying all the features. I realy like the back up camera and 360 degree view it offers. Towing has been fine.

Overall great, with some caveats

I have the SL, which is one step below the Platinum. Bought the car used from Carvana in July 2019 so I've had it for over two years. Overall, I love this SUV. I'm 6'4", 215 lbs, so test drives are really important for me - most cars just aren't all that comfortable for me in one way or another, especially on long rides. I also test-drove the Pilot, CX-9, Explorer, Highlander, and Acadia. All had their pros and cons, but the Pathfinder was by far the most comfortable for me - the seat fits me perfectly, my lanky arms and legs have natural places to rest as I drive, the steering wheel is in a perfect position, and I have good visibility all around. The leather seats are really comfortable and easy to clean, which is a major plus with young kids. This might be a con for some people, but for the most part I love the old-school entertainment system controls. Actual buttons!!! I hate dealing with touchscreens when I'm driving. Now for my complaints and quibbles... - The rear left door no longer opens from the inside. - The tailgate sometimes won't open and just beeps at you sadly. - Maybe this is true of all CVT transmissions (?), but there's a slight delay between hitting the accelerator and the car realizing that you want more power. I don't even notice it anymore, but it bugged me when I first got the car. - No streaming Bluetooth audio, and there's not even a traditional AUX input; you have to get an RCA-to-headphone adapter in order to listen to audio from your phone. Those are all relatively minor issues, with the exception of the first one, which admittedly is pretty frustrating. All things considered, though, this has been a great car for me and my family so far.

Nissan Pathfinder Platinum

Know what price you want to pay and get your discounts before going into the finance office!!!!

Love love this car!

No complain. Very nice vehicle. Smooth riding, strong motor v6. Bose system is awesome. Love all the additional features.

Transmission

After 3 years I need to change motor for 7 thousands I change it now facing transmission problem it need to replace as well worst car ever buy not recommend to any one no help you get from Nissan dealer

Awesome

What you would want in it. I have heated cloth seats heated mirrors and steering wheel. I also have tow hitch.

Good buy

It’s a smooth ride, lots of room. It’s my wife’s primary but I like it better than my explorer.

Not what i expected!!!!

Update: I am ready to trade in!, this vehicle is not worth it at all....the more I have it the more I hate it. The performance is poor.....is a V6!, this should have more power when riding on the highway. The seats are uncomfortable. not enough specs for the price. Rogue should be a better option. I do not recommend this vehicle. Please read my old notes before reading the update. thanks the first thing that you have to know is that the bluetooth technology that is in the car is the worst! unless you want to spend an extra 10,000 dollars to get the fully loaded version, but then that would put you on high priced vehicle, and with that might price you might be able to get some thing with more luxury. The bluetooth capabilities are just to hear a phone call come in....that is it! You may ask.....what about audio streaming? NOPE, not available. you would have to buy a dongle/adapter for it or some audio cables that are going to be hanging out of your middle console, and look crappy. (yes im picky like that) i just feel that it is not worth the price. my 20,0000 nissan rougue had audio streaming; i paid twice as much for this one. I do not get navigation, so i have 6 BUTTONS from my stearing wheel to the control panel that do the same thing!....... and that is to change my radio station one up......really? I know that my review is mostly on the sound system ...and it is, but i like to go down to the details like these. When i purchased the car i asked if bluetooth was included and they said yes, but i never thought that it would be just for calls. when i told my dealer about the complaint, the sales guy said "yeah sometimes the cheaper cars have better feautures"....(wow) Also, nissan stated that they spent 6000 just on the entertaining system; mmmm i don't know, you would think that 6000 dollars can get you a higher quality screen for your dash board. there are also two "back" buttons, 2 "settings" buttons, 2 "info" buttons that alone is just 6 buttons wasted. i hope that this review makes sense to you, i do think that the car is a good reliable car, but after driving it for several months, i feel like it is not worth the money that i am paying on it.

Love and miss

Had the 2016 Nissan Platinum and traded for a Mini Van...I don't know what I was thinking. And I'll be back Nissan..don't change anything!!!! I can't even express how much I loved the 360 cam, Bose, heated second seats and a/c front seats, controls on the steering wheel for everything!!! I could go on with so many more features!!! Movable second row with car seats in!! Never was a Nissan fan, but owned it and now miss it!!! It has even more stuff and comfort..dare I say it...then the MDX. Listen, go test drive this first and then test drive your other options and you'll go back to this! We have owned Acura, Honda, GMC, Subaru, Infiniti, Jeep, you name it we have owned it and other then the Subaru having minimal space...I would actually return to this vehicle in a second! Pathfinder was a great vehicle in 2000/2002 but it got cheap in the later 2009/2010 and now it's back it's roots. Nice job Niss, I'll be back!

wosrt suv ever owned

Update: the lift gate will make a sound on warm days and automatically close on you . So please be extra careful. My car is under warranty so Nissan is fixing it for free but won’t fix it once out of warranty. If you don't care about fuel economy and power then this will be the best suv for you. Bluetooth pairing is very bad i like ford sync better. Max MPG i may get is when i put the car in 2WD mode. NISSAN says that AUTO mode does change the drive mode to 2WD for higher MPG but this is not true. I hope nissan gets away from CVT transmission some day. The latest i heard is nissan dealers are trying to get ride of this vehicle from their lots by reducing the prices eg a sales rep went from 40K to 32K in less than 5 min for a platinum 4WD. So, I would ask buyers to spend extra money on MDX or MAZDA CX9

My path led to The Pathfinder

So far, I really love the vehicle. Lots of room and storage. Drives well, great Boise sound system, climate controls are great. Liked it better than the Honda Pilot and KIA Sorento. My 1st preference was an ML350 but overpriced and The Pathfinder is a great alternative. Hope I continue to like it ! So far, so good!!!

I was shocked

After reading so many disparaging reviews I left the Nissan Pathfinder for my last test drive. Earlier the same day I drove the top rated Kia Sorento and the Honda Pilot. I can say that they are all nice in their own way and all noisy when the engine is pushed. If you want a tight feature packed precision machine with a ton of value go with the Kia Sorento. If you love the smoothness of a Lincoln but want a more versatile vehicle go for the Honda Pilot: it feels superb cruising on the highway. HOWEVER if you want that illusive "farfegnugen" the youthful joys of driving a car that literally MOVES with your own body and sense of gravity... Be sure to drive the Nissan Pathfinder before you make up your mind.

Love this SUV

We purchase our Pathfinder several months ago for our family of four (plus friends and gear) based upon it spaciousness and fuel economy. We absolutely love it! This car is a joy to drive every day and the third row entry is Great for the kids. Plenty of power and amazing fuel economy, would highly recommend!

A Real Lemon / Not Worth the Money

This vehicle is not worth the money. Lots of issues since I pull off the lot. Can not get the dealership to work on them. Their response - Works as designed. If I was to put all the issues I am having with this vehicle I would be writing a book. Since I have been trapped in this vehicle, it has not aged well. It spends most of the time in the shop and has become very undependable. The transmission was replaced around 20,000 miles and the gas millage is around 12 mpg. Among the other issues that I continue to have, Nissan still says that it works as designed. Don't buy a Nissan.

Nissan Pathfinder rocks!

Extremely rust prone

I bought my Pathfinder in 2016 Sep. Ran only 46000km. Washed the car every week and kept in garage. But seen it leaking transmission fluid last week and the technician happily gave me the estimate of $1100. Completely insane. I won't recommend anyone to but Nissan. May be, you will save few thousands in purchase, but you will spend much more in repairs

Love this SUV!

I bought this vehicle 3 years ago and have not regretted it at all. It had 73000 kms on it when I got it. We have put 22000 kms on it and have had no major issues. We did have a coolant leak and took it in right away. Mechanic fixed the problem and told us the transmission looks brand new. We use it to pull our trailer in the summer. Have gone away on 5-6 hour trips with friends. It def takes more gas with a trailer, but with no trailer, this thing is amazing on gas. It feels really solid and drives beautifully. The seats are soooo comfortable and have a heating and cooling setting on them. I took a drive in my daughters car. She just purchased a 2017 Mazda cx-5. It is a beautiful car, but I can tell it is not solid like my Pathfinder. I love this vehicle. Still trying to figure out all the technology, but will never get rid of it.

Nice if reliable

Reliability and size of fuel tank make this a non-starter! Planning to sell ours prior to the warranty expiration. Have had 2 separate issues that result in the rear lift gate not opening in auto or manual; both covered under warranty but happened 6 months apart, so who knows what else will go on that system ($500 per repair). Now we are having our 2nd AC compressor replaced, also under warranty but in the $1200-$1500 range each time. And then the fuel range with the real world mpg is ridiculously low. Our CVT also has been looked at with a few minor repairs but still just "doesn't feel right". Very comfortable ride though!

Da bomb

Fantastic leather seats. Roomy. Drives smooth