Nissan designed the Pathfinder to look less like a truck than the first generation. Rounded corners and passenger-car proportions serve the Pathfinder well, as do curved roof pillars and horizontal body creases that emphasize length. The
rear door handles are camouflaged in the C-pillars. And all elements of the Pathfinder's exterior design are clean,
efficient and attractive.
Three trim levels comprise the Pathfinder line-up: base XE, SE and LE. The SE and LE carry more bright trim than most
passenger cars; grilles, bumper tops and running boards are plated or polished. Equivalent pieces on XE models are black,
creating an immediately apparent distinction between the models. Up-level versions ride on alloy wheels, while the XE's
steel rims are chrome-plated.
Pathfinder XE and LE trim levels are offered as rear- or four-wheel-drive models. All SE trim levels come four-wheel
drive.
Nissan's four-wheel-drive system is a part-time unit--the driver shifts between two- and four-wheel drive.
Shift-on-the-fly capability allows the driver to do this while the Pathfinder is in motion. A low-range transfer case is