pathfinder vs. 4runner
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bulldog-yota
New member
I dont know the new Pathfinder at all. The old ones were not to bad. My past experience with Nissans were that they are pretty solid mechanically (sometimes more so than Toyotas), but their body, interior and electrical stuff are not the same quality. Maybe it is better with the new Pathfinder. I hope it is better than the new Armada and Titan, which have a pretty good drivetrain, but the ride was a bit harsh on the Titan, noisier and the interior felt a bit low rent.
Go check for yourself. See what you like. But pending on your budget get the V8 4Runner. I think the Path finder will have some gremlins as it is completely new design, including the engine. Finally something else than a 3.5 V6
Go check for yourself. See what you like. But pending on your budget get the V8 4Runner. I think the Path finder will have some gremlins as it is completely new design, including the engine. Finally something else than a 3.5 V6
Thai
Elite Member
Check this thread out:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6670
Hope this helps.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6670
Hope this helps.
mpapi said:
i can only tell you about older vehicles, i don't know how well it'll translate to the new models, but here's my few data points.
i can make a direct comparison between my '89 4runner which i bought used with 225k on the clock, my '90 4runner which my dad bought new and then just gave to me this last year, and my '95 nissan hardbody which my dad bought new and then gave to my brother.
all three vehicles are amazing, none has ever give any problems.
the '89 4runner is real beat up, but that's why i bought it, i needed a beater. it's never given me any problems. i've just done normal mainenance and it starts every morning after 20 degree nights with no problem. i've taken it on a number of 400 mile trips to moab and never worried about breaking down on the highway or anything.
the '90 4runner has been babied since new. it only has 130k on it but really there's only 60k on the motor. it was one of the first of the 6cylindars to have the famous head gasket problem. this was before there was even a recall on it. toyota replaced the motor for free (out of warrenty) and since then it's been great. never had any problems and feels really solid - much more solid than my '89.
the '95 nissan is great. although, even though it's 5 years newer than the toyotas, it just doesn't feel like it's screwed together as well as the toyotas. from new there were some wierd rattles and noises that i could never figure out. once my brother got the truck he tore it apart and fixed all the rattles. i drove the truck as a stupid high school student and wrecked it a number of times on wet and icy roads (damn crappy stock tires - once we put bfg's on it, never had any problems). even after i put it ino 3 ditches and got rear ended, my brother wrecked it a couple of times (all minor, no body damage wrecks), it still tracks straight and runs with no problems. it's a great little truck.
my gut feeling is that toyota is a better built vehicle, but nissan really isn't that far behid. both are great companies and all warrenty work we've ever needed was taken care of (but i guess that's more a function of dealer and not company)..
as far as getting a new car, i'd go with the 4runner just because of styling, but if you like both, then i'd say go with what you get the better deal on. both will serve you well.
Thanks for the info guys. I'm leaning towards the 4runner since everyone who I've talked too that has one loves it, plus they seem to be the most reliable. I wish they were a tad bigger but I guess that's what the sequoia is for. A little out of my price range though.
Does anyone think the sport edition is worth the money?
Does anyone think the sport edition is worth the money?
boston_kevin
New member
mpapi - you have to weight the options you want against the price...
comparing a 5 passenger SUV (4Runner SE vs '05 Pathy), the 4Runner SE would win hands down. The XREAS is amazing, the increased front brake diameter allows for additional stopping power, and with the tilt/telescopic wheel, heated outside mirrors you have a really nice truck bordering on luxury (without the leather). This is not even a fair comparison (for the Pathy that is).
If you compare the 7 passenger 4Runner vs the '05 Pathy, you may find you have to step up the price a little bit to match the ammenties that the Pathy offers at this passenger level. Based on my decision, I can honestly say that the 4Runner, even in the 7 passenger mode, is heads and tails above the Pathy (even though it is a little bit smaller). The only vehicles that can fit 7 adults is a suburban or a minivan, but 5 adults and 2 kids is easier. Even the Land Cruiser says that adults will not be comfortable in the 3rd row. My kids love the 3rd row when they ride in the truck.
Of all of the vehicles I have owned, this is the quietest and most reliable vehicle I have had. In addition, it is so much fun to drive, I look for reasons to drive it, just because it is such a fun to drive vehicle. If you want 5 passenger seating, go for the sport edition. 7 passenger, go for the LTD if you have the $$$, otherwise, the SR5 is also a great truck with a few less luxuries.
comparing a 5 passenger SUV (4Runner SE vs '05 Pathy), the 4Runner SE would win hands down. The XREAS is amazing, the increased front brake diameter allows for additional stopping power, and with the tilt/telescopic wheel, heated outside mirrors you have a really nice truck bordering on luxury (without the leather). This is not even a fair comparison (for the Pathy that is).
If you compare the 7 passenger 4Runner vs the '05 Pathy, you may find you have to step up the price a little bit to match the ammenties that the Pathy offers at this passenger level. Based on my decision, I can honestly say that the 4Runner, even in the 7 passenger mode, is heads and tails above the Pathy (even though it is a little bit smaller). The only vehicles that can fit 7 adults is a suburban or a minivan, but 5 adults and 2 kids is easier. Even the Land Cruiser says that adults will not be comfortable in the 3rd row. My kids love the 3rd row when they ride in the truck.
Of all of the vehicles I have owned, this is the quietest and most reliable vehicle I have had. In addition, it is so much fun to drive, I look for reasons to drive it, just because it is such a fun to drive vehicle. If you want 5 passenger seating, go for the sport edition. 7 passenger, go for the LTD if you have the $$$, otherwise, the SR5 is also a great truck with a few less luxuries.
I can't stress this enough. *DO NOT* buy a first model year Nissan. I bought my 03' 350z when they first came out and there is a huge laundry list of problems with the 2003 and even 2004 z's. Transmission problems, tire feathering problems, grease streaks on the windows, tons of rattles, rear axle noise 'ticking' noise, premature seat wear, power windows that just suddenly stop working.... I had almost all of the afformentioned problems; some of which have yet to be resolved.
Go with the runner. You'll be much happier.
Go with the runner. You'll be much happier.
Loki said:
I agree with Loki, don't buy first model year. But I will say my 2003 350Z (late model year build) has not had these problems, other than the tire feathering because of a toe problem and under inflated tires. The (free) replacement tires that Nissan put on my Z at 5K miles have been fine so far for the past 7K miles (I expect I will get two new fronts before the extended warranty Nissan provided on the front tires is up). Nissan does seem to stand behind their vehicles, but I would only get the Pathfinder if they put the 5.6 V8 in them. Why would you get a Pathfinder when Toyota offers the same size vehicle with the 4.7 V8 ???
Hank
New member
Hi everyone, I'm new on the forum, but I guess I'll put in my 2 cents. I got my '04 V6 Ltd 4x4 5 months ago & I've been loving my 4R ever since. Just out of curiosity ( & some spare time in b/t appointments) I decided to test drive the '05 Pathfinder. The following are my impression of the Pathfinder and my opinions:
PERFORMANCE:
The one I test drove was the SE 4x4 (in 2wd mode). In comparison to my 4R, the Pathfinder's V6 does seem to have a bit more oomph (obviously, 245hp vs. 270hp) and has a stiffer ride. In this month's issue of Motor Trend, the Pathfinder did 0-60mph in 7.3 sec., of course any performance figures vary based on track & weather conditions. So far, I haven't found any publication on the 0-60 times for the '03-'04 V6 4R, just the V8 (7.8secs). I would guessimate my '04 V6 0-60 might be around 8 secs, but keep in mind that the '05 V6 4Rs now come w/a 5spd auto, so 0-60 should be improved (as with the new VVT-i V8s too, which trumps the Nissan's V6 as there's no V8).
RIDE:
The Path SE's ride was a tad stiffer than my Ltd 4R (w/o X-Reas) & did have a bit less body roll during cornering. The Path's XE, SE & LE all have the same suspension setup except for the SE OFFROAD trim which comes w/Rancho shocks and upsized tires. It surprised me that Nissan withheld DAC & HAC from all the other trims and had it only on the SE OFFROAD trim. I would assume that ppl who plan on going off road would buy the SE OFFROAD instead of the other trims. Another big issue is that the Path doesn't have any locking diffs (center), as Motor Trend discovered it had trouble going up a particular hill climb. Anyhow, I wonder how the 4R w/X-REAS ride in comparision to the Path's SE OFFROAD. BTW, does anyone know if X-REAS can be retrofitted on 4Rs that doesn't have it (I might want to add it to my Ltd to improve the handling).
EXTERIOR:
The Path wasn't really all that big (at least visually) as I was expecting it to be. The fact that it is based off of the Armada/Titan and that it looks almost like the Armada misled me to think that it had proportions similar to the Armada. In other words, it is kinda like the Lincoln Aviator vs Navigator size difference. The Path's runningboard seems to be even lower to the ground than the 4R which most ppl think is low already. Both the 4R & the Path has similar ground clearance, but it looks like the Path's body sits/integrated better (lower) onto the frame than the 4R (not really a plus, imo for the addition of sliders). The Path's front end has a shorter overhang vs the 4R & had a front lip spoiler too, (imo, has to go).
INTERIOR:
The Path's interior for some reason doesn't seem very large to me. The floor is lower than the 4R, but the seats are situated much higher off the ground. It doesn't appear to have much knee room either in the 2nd & 3rd rows (especially 2nd). IMO, the bad thing is, is that the Path only comes w/3 rows for 7pass & you can't get it w/just the 2nd row seats (correct me if I'm wrong). At least in the 4R, if you want the extra cargo space, you can fore go the 3 row seating option (optional). Basically, I would be prefer to seat 5 comfortably instead of 7 in a more cramped space, but the Path doesn't give you that option. The seats in the Path is alot flatter & less supportive, imo, than the 4R, although it has perforated leather. It also lack a power lumbar adjustment (manual). I also noticed that the Path has a more traditional shifter w/an overdrive on/off button (I prefer the 4R's setup). Props for the Path are the following: nicer sounding Bose audio system (9 speakers: no center) vs JBL Synthesis (10 speakers) & power adjustable pedals. One last thing, it has a smaller sunroof than the 4R.
PRICING:
Overall pricing for the Path seems to be about $2k-$3k less than the counterpart trims for the 4R, but then again, the 4R has items (i.e- DAC, HAC) standard on all trims. So basically, you get what you pay for on both vehicles except the Path has more trim configurations than the 4R so that you can buy the trim that best suit your need. In comparison, for the amount of $$ I paid for my V6 LTD 4x4, I could've (but wouldn't) purchased a Path LE 4x4, but w/DVD entertainment system & NAV included in the price.
SUMMARY: (NOT TO BE TAKEN TOO SERIOUSLY, JUST MY PERSONAL SUBJECTIVE OPINION. HOPEFULLY I DIDN'T OFFEND ANYONE OR DISCOURAGED ANYONE FROM PURCHASING A PATHFINDER DUE TO ANY OF MY OPINION)
IMO, I am really glad that I bought my 4R, it rocks! No regrets whatsoever even after the intro of the Pathfinder (just wished Toyota made the '03-'04 V6 w/5spd auto in the first place). I love my 4R even more now after test driving & checking out the '05 Pathfinder. I might've liked and bought the Pathfinder had I not experienced the 4R (going back in time). All of the preceding comments are based on my personal opinion. For anyone who is shopping for a mid-sized SUV and are considering the 4R & PATHFINDER, I urge you to go check out both vehicles for yourself. Test drive each one in different trim levels and drivetrain configurations. Check out the specs for each vehicle and don't rely too much on 3rd party companies who post specs on the internet as many are inaccurate as I discovered recently. Make sure you choose the right vehicle for yourself and don't let other influence your decision (e.g- my girlfriend & my dad really wanted me to get the Lexus RX330 and I even briefly considered buying it, but ultimately, I just didn't like it at all. GX470 would've been nice, but I noticed more females driving them than males. Besides, the 4R has more rugged looks). Be patient if you want yours in a particular trim/config & don't let the stealerships try to sell you just any model they have on the lot. Believe me, it took me awhile to find just the exact one I wanted: '04 Black V6 LTD 4x4 w/sunroof, no 3rd row, no NAV. Because of this the stealership got me for a couple hundred $$$ over what edmunds.com was listing it for, but I didn't care because I finally found the right one & I was tired of haggling $ w/the salesmen and paid it (should've proceeded to walk out of the showroom to have the sales guy drop the price by $100 or at the very least throw in the all season mats). Anyways, lol to those shopping for a new vehicle & I hope I didn't bored anyone reading this long message!
PERFORMANCE:
The one I test drove was the SE 4x4 (in 2wd mode). In comparison to my 4R, the Pathfinder's V6 does seem to have a bit more oomph (obviously, 245hp vs. 270hp) and has a stiffer ride. In this month's issue of Motor Trend, the Pathfinder did 0-60mph in 7.3 sec., of course any performance figures vary based on track & weather conditions. So far, I haven't found any publication on the 0-60 times for the '03-'04 V6 4R, just the V8 (7.8secs). I would guessimate my '04 V6 0-60 might be around 8 secs, but keep in mind that the '05 V6 4Rs now come w/a 5spd auto, so 0-60 should be improved (as with the new VVT-i V8s too, which trumps the Nissan's V6 as there's no V8).
RIDE:
The Path SE's ride was a tad stiffer than my Ltd 4R (w/o X-Reas) & did have a bit less body roll during cornering. The Path's XE, SE & LE all have the same suspension setup except for the SE OFFROAD trim which comes w/Rancho shocks and upsized tires. It surprised me that Nissan withheld DAC & HAC from all the other trims and had it only on the SE OFFROAD trim. I would assume that ppl who plan on going off road would buy the SE OFFROAD instead of the other trims. Another big issue is that the Path doesn't have any locking diffs (center), as Motor Trend discovered it had trouble going up a particular hill climb. Anyhow, I wonder how the 4R w/X-REAS ride in comparision to the Path's SE OFFROAD. BTW, does anyone know if X-REAS can be retrofitted on 4Rs that doesn't have it (I might want to add it to my Ltd to improve the handling).
EXTERIOR:
The Path wasn't really all that big (at least visually) as I was expecting it to be. The fact that it is based off of the Armada/Titan and that it looks almost like the Armada misled me to think that it had proportions similar to the Armada. In other words, it is kinda like the Lincoln Aviator vs Navigator size difference. The Path's runningboard seems to be even lower to the ground than the 4R which most ppl think is low already. Both the 4R & the Path has similar ground clearance, but it looks like the Path's body sits/integrated better (lower) onto the frame than the 4R (not really a plus, imo for the addition of sliders). The Path's front end has a shorter overhang vs the 4R & had a front lip spoiler too, (imo, has to go).
INTERIOR:
The Path's interior for some reason doesn't seem very large to me. The floor is lower than the 4R, but the seats are situated much higher off the ground. It doesn't appear to have much knee room either in the 2nd & 3rd rows (especially 2nd). IMO, the bad thing is, is that the Path only comes w/3 rows for 7pass & you can't get it w/just the 2nd row seats (correct me if I'm wrong). At least in the 4R, if you want the extra cargo space, you can fore go the 3 row seating option (optional). Basically, I would be prefer to seat 5 comfortably instead of 7 in a more cramped space, but the Path doesn't give you that option. The seats in the Path is alot flatter & less supportive, imo, than the 4R, although it has perforated leather. It also lack a power lumbar adjustment (manual). I also noticed that the Path has a more traditional shifter w/an overdrive on/off button (I prefer the 4R's setup). Props for the Path are the following: nicer sounding Bose audio system (9 speakers: no center) vs JBL Synthesis (10 speakers) & power adjustable pedals. One last thing, it has a smaller sunroof than the 4R.
PRICING:
Overall pricing for the Path seems to be about $2k-$3k less than the counterpart trims for the 4R, but then again, the 4R has items (i.e- DAC, HAC) standard on all trims. So basically, you get what you pay for on both vehicles except the Path has more trim configurations than the 4R so that you can buy the trim that best suit your need. In comparison, for the amount of $$ I paid for my V6 LTD 4x4, I could've (but wouldn't) purchased a Path LE 4x4, but w/DVD entertainment system & NAV included in the price.
SUMMARY: (NOT TO BE TAKEN TOO SERIOUSLY, JUST MY PERSONAL SUBJECTIVE OPINION. HOPEFULLY I DIDN'T OFFEND ANYONE OR DISCOURAGED ANYONE FROM PURCHASING A PATHFINDER DUE TO ANY OF MY OPINION)
IMO, I am really glad that I bought my 4R, it rocks! No regrets whatsoever even after the intro of the Pathfinder (just wished Toyota made the '03-'04 V6 w/5spd auto in the first place). I love my 4R even more now after test driving & checking out the '05 Pathfinder. I might've liked and bought the Pathfinder had I not experienced the 4R (going back in time). All of the preceding comments are based on my personal opinion. For anyone who is shopping for a mid-sized SUV and are considering the 4R & PATHFINDER, I urge you to go check out both vehicles for yourself. Test drive each one in different trim levels and drivetrain configurations. Check out the specs for each vehicle and don't rely too much on 3rd party companies who post specs on the internet as many are inaccurate as I discovered recently. Make sure you choose the right vehicle for yourself and don't let other influence your decision (e.g- my girlfriend & my dad really wanted me to get the Lexus RX330 and I even briefly considered buying it, but ultimately, I just didn't like it at all. GX470 would've been nice, but I noticed more females driving them than males. Besides, the 4R has more rugged looks). Be patient if you want yours in a particular trim/config & don't let the stealerships try to sell you just any model they have on the lot. Believe me, it took me awhile to find just the exact one I wanted: '04 Black V6 LTD 4x4 w/sunroof, no 3rd row, no NAV. Because of this the stealership got me for a couple hundred $$$ over what edmunds.com was listing it for, but I didn't care because I finally found the right one & I was tired of haggling $ w/the salesmen and paid it (should've proceeded to walk out of the showroom to have the sales guy drop the price by $100 or at the very least throw in the all season mats). Anyways, lol to those shopping for a new vehicle & I hope I didn't bored anyone reading this long message!
I see there's a few of us with similar mindframes here.
I also own a G35 Coupe and a 4runner.
I have to say though, that I've had no problems with either car. Both have been fantastic to me. However, if Toyota offered a comparable (performance&luxury&4 seats) vehicle to the G35 coupe, I would have bought it instead. Just because I trust Toyota products more.
I also own a G35 Coupe and a 4runner.
I have to say though, that I've had no problems with either car. Both have been fantastic to me. However, if Toyota offered a comparable (performance&luxury&4 seats) vehicle to the G35 coupe, I would have bought it instead. Just because I trust Toyota products more.