While the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder for the US market unveiled about a month ago has a carryover 3.5-liter V6 engine, its Chinese cousin debuts with a completely different powertrain. In fact, the Pathfinder has been redesigned for the 2024 model year to cater to Chinese tastes and is now ready to go on sale in the People’s Republic.
The Dongfeng Nissan joint venture will be responsible for the Chinese production of the new Pathfinder, which looks different compared to the US model. Photos published by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) show a more prominent front fascia with a large grille and sweptback headlights. The exterior styling is very close to the Pathfinder concept unveiled in April this year with the only important changes being the lack of LED strips connecting the headlights and taillights.
Data from MIIT also shows the Chinese Pathfinder is 202 inches long, 78 inches wide, and 69.6 inches tall, making it 4.3 inches longer than the equivalent SUV for the US market. Also, it’s worth noting that the interior has three rows of seats. At this point, it’s not clear whether the Chinese Pathfinder shares its underpinnings with the US model, which sits on the D Platform. According to reports, it is unlikely that the more modern CMF-CD architecture was used.
As mentioned above, one major difference between the US and Chinese models sits under the hood. The model that is going to be produced by the Dongfeng Nissan joint venture has a 2.0-liter turbocharged mill generating 248 horsepower. The four-cylinder engine is mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox, sending power to all four wheels, according to older reports. Why the smaller engine? Because China penalizes larger displacement engines with higher taxes.
As a final note, the Pathfinder for the US market has a starting price of $37,145 for the 2024 model year. It is available only with a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6, offering a peak output of 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet in the standard trim levels. The Rock Creek grade, meanwhile, features an uprated version of that powertrain with 295 hp and 270 lb-ft.
