Bearshrimp
New member
I am planning on posting this on the Pathfinder forum as well so I can try and balance out the opinions. You can probably guess what I am going to say, basically that I am looking at buying a new (2011) 4Runner or a new (2011) Pathfinder and I am trying to figure out which one would be best.
This is going to be the family trickster replacing our Honda Odyssey (I know…what was I thinking?) and my wife is going to be the primary driver, but is leaving the final decision up to me. I have a quote of about $34K for a 4Runner SR5 with the 3rd row, premium pkg, conv. Pkg and nifty things like the rear view mirror camera and the Bluetooth connectivity.
For the same $34K the Nissan folks are pitching a Pathfinder Silver Edition with leather, Bose, the works and are willing to give me an extra $1500 in trade on the van so that the Pathfinder is a little bit less expensive than the 4Runner. But the difference in price is not that significant so long as I get the right vehicle for the next 3-5 years.
I have been running the numbers and, from a total cost of ownership perspective, the 4Runner would edge ahead due to its better mileage and ability to run on regular 87 octane (Nissan recommends 91 octane for the Pathfinder).
So, money isn’t going to be the deciding factor.
The way I see it each vehicle has some undisputable wins.
For the Pathfinder the “wins” are easy to see like:
Much more space & with and without the 3rd row seat
Gauge layout (Voltmeter, oil pressure, tach & speedo get equal treatment)
The Bose stereo is much better than the SR5 premium audio
Dash LCD display w/o navigation
No sunroof (I am 6’6”)
The 4Runner’s wins are more subjective:
Much better build quality
Much better driving position (I am 6’6”)
Much better build quality
Better Climate controls
Much better build quality
Better range
Much better build quality
Higher ground clearance
And… Much better build quality
My subjective impressions from driving the two are that the 4Runner is solid but slow and ponderous (way over-boosted steering) and that the Pathfinder is less solid, but much quicker. I was kind of surprised by that because the 4Runner has a better power to weight ratio than the Pathfinder so I tested a second 4 Runner and found the same thing. With the traction control off it was hard to get any wheel spin in the 4Runner even in the wet, while the Pathfinder was all over the place.
Being a car guy, the Pathfinder just seemed much more “fun to drive”.
On the other hand I know the 4Runner is the best at what it does, i.e. going off road. I suspect the lethargic throttle response is to its easier to modulate power delivery off road. Then we have the quality, both the 4Runners I drove felt like Mercedes Benzes in terms of quality, and not Daimler Chrysler Mercedes, but 80’s SELs. Everything was solid and well put together, I didn’t see, or feel, one molding seam in any of the plastic parts. I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that 4Runners are still built in Japan.
As for the Pathfinder, it was less than perfect. I could see molding seams all over the place, the gauge binnacle did not really align with the center stack, and the plasti-metal looked like plastic. The steering wheel felt like the leather would fall off and the leather had a plastic feel to it. I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that Pathfinders are made in the US?
So, there I am, overall my wife like the pathfinder for its space and spirited performance. My vote would be for the 4Runner due to the quality if it weren’t so sluggish. Does anyone know if the 4Runner quickens with age?
We do need an (occasional) 3rd row and 80% of our driving is on pavement. I understand that everyone in the 4x4 community love solid axels and loathes independent suspension, is that just for rock crawling (articulation)? We do go “off road” often enough to justify a 4x4 with a real 2 speed transfer case, but its all snow, sand or logging roads. In those environments is the 4Runners solid rear axle any better than the Pathfinders IRS?
Basically, I want the 4Runner, but I need some ammunition as to why it’s better than a Pathfinder with more gingerbread.
This is going to be the family trickster replacing our Honda Odyssey (I know…what was I thinking?) and my wife is going to be the primary driver, but is leaving the final decision up to me. I have a quote of about $34K for a 4Runner SR5 with the 3rd row, premium pkg, conv. Pkg and nifty things like the rear view mirror camera and the Bluetooth connectivity.
For the same $34K the Nissan folks are pitching a Pathfinder Silver Edition with leather, Bose, the works and are willing to give me an extra $1500 in trade on the van so that the Pathfinder is a little bit less expensive than the 4Runner. But the difference in price is not that significant so long as I get the right vehicle for the next 3-5 years.
I have been running the numbers and, from a total cost of ownership perspective, the 4Runner would edge ahead due to its better mileage and ability to run on regular 87 octane (Nissan recommends 91 octane for the Pathfinder).
So, money isn’t going to be the deciding factor.
The way I see it each vehicle has some undisputable wins.
For the Pathfinder the “wins” are easy to see like:
Much more space & with and without the 3rd row seat
Gauge layout (Voltmeter, oil pressure, tach & speedo get equal treatment)
The Bose stereo is much better than the SR5 premium audio
Dash LCD display w/o navigation
No sunroof (I am 6’6”)
The 4Runner’s wins are more subjective:
Much better build quality
Much better driving position (I am 6’6”)
Much better build quality
Better Climate controls
Much better build quality
Better range
Much better build quality
Higher ground clearance
And… Much better build quality
My subjective impressions from driving the two are that the 4Runner is solid but slow and ponderous (way over-boosted steering) and that the Pathfinder is less solid, but much quicker. I was kind of surprised by that because the 4Runner has a better power to weight ratio than the Pathfinder so I tested a second 4 Runner and found the same thing. With the traction control off it was hard to get any wheel spin in the 4Runner even in the wet, while the Pathfinder was all over the place.
Being a car guy, the Pathfinder just seemed much more “fun to drive”.
On the other hand I know the 4Runner is the best at what it does, i.e. going off road. I suspect the lethargic throttle response is to its easier to modulate power delivery off road. Then we have the quality, both the 4Runners I drove felt like Mercedes Benzes in terms of quality, and not Daimler Chrysler Mercedes, but 80’s SELs. Everything was solid and well put together, I didn’t see, or feel, one molding seam in any of the plastic parts. I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that 4Runners are still built in Japan.
As for the Pathfinder, it was less than perfect. I could see molding seams all over the place, the gauge binnacle did not really align with the center stack, and the plasti-metal looked like plastic. The steering wheel felt like the leather would fall off and the leather had a plastic feel to it. I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that Pathfinders are made in the US?
So, there I am, overall my wife like the pathfinder for its space and spirited performance. My vote would be for the 4Runner due to the quality if it weren’t so sluggish. Does anyone know if the 4Runner quickens with age?
We do need an (occasional) 3rd row and 80% of our driving is on pavement. I understand that everyone in the 4x4 community love solid axels and loathes independent suspension, is that just for rock crawling (articulation)? We do go “off road” often enough to justify a 4x4 with a real 2 speed transfer case, but its all snow, sand or logging roads. In those environments is the 4Runners solid rear axle any better than the Pathfinders IRS?
Basically, I want the 4Runner, but I need some ammunition as to why it’s better than a Pathfinder with more gingerbread.
