Monday, January 12, 2015
Nissan hopes new Titan can crack U.S. pickup market
Paul A. Eisenstein, Special to The Detroit News 12:22 p.m. EST January 12, 2015The 2016
Nissan Titan truck waits under wraps at the North American International Auto Show on Day One of press previews in Detroit on Jan. 12, 2015.
Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan, talks about the company's second-generation Titan pickup.
The new Titan will be in showrooms "later this year," according to Nissan officials.
The pickup also will feature a variety of useful innovations, from its lockable bed storage bins to a rearview monitor with trailer guides. The around-view monitor system will provide a simulated bird's-eye view of the vehicle, while moving object detection can spot other vehicles or even shopping carts when backing out of a parking spot. The second-largest Japanese automaker is betting it can create what it calls a "new class" within the huge pickup segment, targeting those who want "the capability of a heavy-duty hauler with the drivability and affordability of a light-duty. Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan, introduces the Nissan Titan pickup at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center Monday.(Photo: David Coates / The Detroit News)
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Nissan hopes to be hauling some heavy loads with the launch of its second-generation Titan pickup.
The original truck, introduced in 2004, was the first Japanese model to target the full-size segment long dominated by Detroit. After some initial success, however, demand went into a tailspin from which Titan has yet to recover.
But with the all-new model making its debut Monday at the 2015 North American International Auto Show, the second-largest Japanese maker is betting it can create what it calls a "new class" within the huge pickup segment. Nissan is targeting those, it says, who want "the capability of a heavy-duty hauler with the drivability and affordability of a light-duty pickup."
Those visiting the Nissan stand will get a first glimpse of the new 2016 Titan XD Crew Cab, the heavy lifter in the line. But by the time the full Titan family is rolled out, there will be three cab configurations, two frame sizes and five different grade levels.
There also will be three different engines, including a fuel-sipping V-6 and a beefier V-8. But in an unusual move, Nissan is launching the new Titan with a 5.0-liter Cummins diesel, one of only two "oil-burners" available for light-duty pickup buyers.
While rated at 310-horsepower and a hefty 555 pound-feet of torque, Nissan suggests the diesel Titan will deliver some of the truck market's best mileage, though it isn't ready to release numbers. The current half-ton mileage champ is the Ram 1500 Ecodiesel, which delivers 20 mpg city, 28 highway.
With fuel prices at five-year lows, that might not be quite as appealing as when gas was running $4 a gallon, however, so expect Nissan to spotlight the fact that the diesel Titan also will deliver up to 12,000 pounds of towing capacity, and the ability to haul up to 2,000 pounds of cargo.
"This is a true truck-truck," boasted Product Specialist Rich Miller during a preview of the new Titan.
The pickup also will feature a variety of useful innovations, from its lockable bed storage bins to a rearview monitor with trailer guides. The around-view monitor system will provide a simulated bird's-eye view of the vehicle, while moving object detection can spot other vehicles or even shopping carts when backing out of a parking spot.
Whether all that will help Nissan become more than an asterisk on the pickup sales charts remains to be seen. Even while the maker delivered a record December, it saw sales of Titan slip 32.3 percent, to a mere 869. For the year, the truck was down 20.2 percent, to 12,527, about as many Ford F-Series pickups that are sold in a week.
The genesis of the second-generation Nissan Titan has been convoluted. At one point, the maker wanted to partner with Chrysler and take a version of the popular Ram 1500. That was scuttled after the Detroit maker emerged from bankruptcy and was taken over by Italy's Fiat.
Nissan officials will just be glad to finally get the new Titan into showrooms "later this year."
"We have a huge hole in our line-up and it's in full-size pickups," said Phil O'Connor, who directs truck operations for Nissan. Simply getting Titan sales back to where they were in 2005, he noted, would boost Nissan's current market share by a full half point, to 8.9 percent.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
The New 2014 Nissan Rogue
A Svelte Redesign for Nissan's Compact Crossover We were positive the snazzy SUV coming up behind us on a rural road outside Nashville was an expensive luxury SUV. The boomerang-shaped LED lights shimmering off the front end looked striking, but it took us a beat to realize what it was. It wasn't some high-dollar sport-ute, but rather the same vehicle we were driving: the redesigned, and now built-in-Tennessee, 2014 Nissan Rogue. More than just a new face, this new compact crossover has been upgraded from top to bottom. With an all-new body, clever interior packaging and some pretty superb fuel mileage claims, the new Rogue will offer an honest challenge to the segment-leading Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The fact that the Rogue looks so good on the outside is just another reason to take a second look. A French and Japanese Collaboration Although this second-gen Rogue is all-new, dimensionally it's very similar to the old version. The 106.5-inch wheelbase is only 0.6 inch longer than the outgoing model, while overall length is actually 1 inch shorter. Width is up by 1.5 inches while height has increased slightly, too. While the original Rogue was based on a platform shared with Nissan's Sentra sedan, the new Rogue uses a structure called the Common Module Family (CMF), an architecture developed with its corporate partner Renault. "We took the best of Nissan and Renault's C segments and melded them together," said Carla Bailo, senior vice president of R&D at Nissan Americas. Besides shared efficiencies at play here, clever interior packaging allowed Nissan to offer a third-row option for the new Rogue, something its archrivals from Honda and Toyota don't have. Taro Ueda, vice president of Nissan Design America, said the key word for the Rogue's new styling was "Biokinetic Synchronicity." That's two words, but who's counting. Strange Japanese-isms aside, Ueda said they needed to bring the Rogue more in line with Nissan's new brand identity, so now it looks like a mini Pathfinder. How It Gets 33 MPG on the Highway But while the 2014 Nissan Rogue has a fancy new Euro-esque architecture and svelte body, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood produces the same 170 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque as the previous version. It still isn't direct-injected and it's still mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Sounds familiar, but there is some new stuff going on under the hood. The compression ratio was raised from 9.6:1 to 10.0, while the engine now features both intake and exhaust variable valve timing. The new-generation Xtronic CVT, just as with the new Altima, was made considerably more efficient. Nissan engineers also incorporated "direct-step" logic to simulate shifts at higher rpm, per customer feedback. Put it all together and Nissan says the Rogue's fuel economy has been raised by 18 percent despite its larger size and extra 100 pounds of weight. Official estimates for the front-drive Rogue are 28 combined/26 city/33 highway, while the all-wheel-drive version should deliver 25 city/32 highway. This puts the new Rogue at the same level as the class-leading 2014 Mazda CX-5. Does It Drive as Well As It Looks? Driving around the not-so-mean streets of Nashville, the Rogue's MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension provided a quiet and comfortable ride. Good sound-deadening and hum-free all-season tires on 17-inch alloy wheels kept road noise to perfectly acceptable levels while smoothing bumps nicely (slightly less so with the standard 18s on the top-level SL). Point the heftily weighted electric steering toward the open road, peg the right pedal and you're suddenly reminded it has a CVT. At half throttle and above the transmission winds the four-cylinder out incessantly, which only serves to highlight that the engine can get slightly thrashy at high revs. Of course, the benefit to this high-rpm running is that the Rogue is no slouch in acceleration. For now all Nissan would tell us is that they expect it to be "a tick quicker than the previous Rogue." We hit 60 mph in 8.6 seconds with the last Rogue we tested. But the CVT's preferred modus operandi is to bring the revs as low as possible for fuel economy purposes. It lugs the engine so much at lower speeds that some bad vibrations make their way into the cabin. Pressing the Sport button raises the revs slightly, but you'll forsake the mileage benefits. New for 2014, all Rogues come with what Nissan calls Active Trace Control and Active Ride Control. The trace control (which can be turned off) automatically applies brakes to various wheels in an effort to keep the Rogue on the intended line you're taking. Basically the system attempts to curb understeer both on corner entry and exit, which is especially helpful in wet conditions. We fiddled with it on a wet skid pad and while it's not dramatic, you notice the difference when it's not on. The purpose of the ride control system is to reduce the Rogue's body motions. It adds throttle and/or brakes depending on the situation to minimize bobbing over big bumps. It only comes into play at speeds above 25 mph and, as with the trace control, most owners will never know it's there. The Upgraded Interior Won't Go Unnoticed It's hard not to be impressed with the 2014 Nissan Rogue's fabulous new interior. With a high degree of soft-touch materials, it has a notably upmarket look and feel. We particularly appreciated the well-padded door and center armrests, although the center console cupholders allow water bottles to just flop around. There are large, easy-to-read analog gauges, straightforward climate controls and even the base S front-drive model ($23,350 with $860 destination, $24,340 for the S AWD) comes with a 5-inch display screen, a back-up camera and Bluetooth. In the case of the Premium package-equipped SV AWD we spent most of our time driving ($27,860), it had a 7-inch touchscreen with navigation, power tailgate, blind spot and lane departure warning, moving object detection and Nissan's Around View Monitor. The NASA-inspired "zero gravity" front seats are superb and the 40/20/40-split rear seats have padding in all the right places. Even the middle seat is livable. Other improvements include a folding center armrest, 9 inches of fore/aft seat travel plus reclining seatbacks, though the behind-the-shoulder lever position is awkward to reach when sitting. The rear doors now open a whopping 77 degrees, which makes hopping in and out a breeze. Is the Third Row Worth It? Only the S and SV models have the option of a third row. It's called the Family package ($1,190 S, $940 SV) and it also adds run-flat tires since there's less room for a spare. Why no third row for the top-level SL? Nissan says it already has a $30,000-plus three-row crossover, called the Pathfinder. Nissan openly admits the cramped third row is just an "occasional seat" best suited for children, but this describes most third-row accommodations in vehicles of this size. Of course, cargo room suffers with that third row in place as there's only 9.4 cubic feet available. Fold both rows down and the Rogue opens up to offer 70 cubic feet of total space. Stick with the two-row Rogue and you get the benefit of Nissan's new Divide-N-Hide cargo system. This rather ingenious two-piece cargo compartmentalization offers 18 configurations. It allows you to separate out wet and dirty boots and clothes, hold groceries in place and even offers a three-tiered shelving system, if you include the underfloor storage. The Bottom Line If you like the idea of a sporty compact SUV, the 2014 Nissan Rogue isn't for you. Try the 2014 Ford Escape instead. The Rogue is all about no-fuss transportation from A to B, and it delivers on that promise as well as anything in the class. In the process it offers flawless usability, competitive mileage numbers and a first-rate interior. In other words, it does all the things a compact crossover should. Oh, and it doesn't look half-bad either.
Monday, April 29, 2013
NIssan Pathfinder Hybrid
The Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid had its world debut at the 2013 NY auto show and it will soon go on sale. The Pathfinder Hybrid is the most fuel efficient version of the SUV and it's available in two versions: with front-wheel-drive and with an all-wheel-drive system. The Hybrid version of the Pathfinder is powered by a 2.5-liter supercharged petrol engine, which works together with a 15 kW electric motor. The hybrid Pathfinder is rated with a total output of 250 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque. This is 10 hp less and 3 lb-ft more than the 3.5-liter V6 versions of the Nissan Pathfinder. Thanks to this powertrain, the | |
Pathfinder Hybrid is able to two as much as 3,500 pounds of weight. The hybrid Pathfinder is equipped with the Nissan Intelligent Dual Clutch System (one motor / two clutch parallel system) and a new generation Xtronic CVT transmission. The SUV is equipped with a regenerative braking system too. Nissan rates the Pathfinder Hybrid with a 26 mpg combined fuel economy, which is 24% better in comparison to the regular version of the SUV. The Pathfinder Hybrid's fuel consumption in the city is rated at 25 mpg and on the highway at 27 mpg. With a 19.5-gallon fuel tank it has a maximum range of 526 miles. Apart from the new powertrain, the vehicle comes with several other novelties. For instance, the Hybrid Pathfinder is equipped with the EZ Flex Seating System with LATCH AND GLIDE technology and LED taillights. | |
Some of the distinctive design features of the Pathfinder Hybrid include new bumpers, a wide chrome grille, recessed windshield wipers, and chrome door handles. The Hybrid can be optionally equipped with a Dual Panorama Moonroof. At the interior, the Pathfinder Hybrid comes with three rows of leather seats, Intelligent Key with Push Button Start, and a Bose sound system. The seats can be moved and split anyway you want to make your access into the vehicle as easy as possible. They also fold down to make room for more luggage. Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid equipment list: - Advanced Drive-Assist Display - customizable 4.2-inch color monitor - Nissan Navigation System with NavTraffic, NavWeather, Zagat Survey - Bluetooth connectivity - RearView Monitor - Around View Monitor - Tri-Zone Automatic Climate Control - tri-zone entertainment system with 2nd row head restraint-mounted DVD display screens - Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) - Hill Start Assist. Nissan equips the Pathfinder Hybrid with an independent strut front/multi-link rear suspension, hydraulic electric power-assisted steering and 20-inch alloys. The all-wheel-drive hybrid Pathfinder comes with the ALL-MODE 4x4-i system that has three operating modes: 2WD, Auto and 4WD Lock. The Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid's price has not been disclosed yet, but the carmaker says it will go on sale this summer. |
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Cars to Drive Themselves
Driverless Cars Coming To Showrooms By 2020, Says Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn
Kidding aside, “there is a lot of marketing interest in it,” Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn told reporters today at the Detroit Auto Show. The change won’t be driven by Silicon Valley tech types looking for the next cool thing, though. An aging population with serious purchasing power and a hunger to retain their mobility as they get older will likely be the reason why driverless, or less-driven cars are adopted into the mainstream according to Ghosn.
Already Google has operated autonomous vehicles on California’s highways for years as part of a long-term experiment with the technology. Many other car companies, from Audi to Nissan to Honda are working on the case as well, with big trial run by the U.S. government currently underway. Improved mapping software, drive-by-wire systems, like those now in use on some of Nissan’s Infiniti cars, are all part of the path.
“Without a doubt we are working on it,” Ghosn said.
That’s not surprising. Ghosn has been one of the most-forward thinking executives in the auto industry of the past decade.
But while his enthusiasm for developing new automotive technology is undisputed, the results are another story. The main topic of today’s news conference was Nissan’s announcement that it was cutting the price of the 2013 all-electric Nissan Leaf by more than $6,000, or 18% from its predecessor model. The car, championed by Ghosn, has struggled to find a market for a host of reasons, all well known. Not enough charging stations (when will the government build them?) reliability (that will improve as the technology matures, right?) and price (don’t worry, it drops to $19,000 or so when you factor in all the juicy state and federal incentives) were all roadblocks to Leaf sales that precipitated the repricing and redesign.
But the most worrysome part of Leaf’s business plan, at least in my mind, can’t be fixed by engineers or marketers. The problem remains its deep reliance on government subsidies and infrastructure investment in an age where austerity, not moonshots, are in vogue.
The Leaf has already proved a pricey distraction for a company that saw its 2012 market share dip to 7.9% in the US from 8.2% the year before, all while promoting a goal of 10% market share by 2016. Overall, the company is targeting 8% operating profits on 8% of the world market. Currently it is at 6% and 6%, leaving a long way to go. A reviving US market and new low-cost offerings in India, Russia and Indonesia under the Datsun nameplate will help reach that goal, he said, as will a weakening yen, which should help exports.
Still, “I don’t consider 2012 a great year for Nissan,” he said. But he won’t measure the business based on one off year. “I’d worry if it was two years in a row.”
As for the Leaf, he remains bullish. “Zero emissions are here to stay,” he said. “I fundamentally believe it is the technology of the future.” That, and driverless cars.
Monday, October 22, 2012
2013 Nissan Pathfinder
Vital Stats
- Engine:
- 3.5L V6
- Power:
- 260 HP / 240 LB-FT
- Transmission:
- CVT
- Drivetrain:
- All-Wheel Drive
- Curb Weight:
- 4,471 LBS
- Towing:
- 5,000 LBS
- Seating:
- 2+3+2
- Cargo:
- 79.8 CU-FT (max)
- MPG:
- 19 City / 25 HWY
- MSRP:
- $44,295
- Despite the fact that the term "crossover" has proliferated throughout the automotive market, there still isn't a clear definition of what, exactly, makes such a vehicle. And perhaps that's by the very definition of the word itself – a crossover can refer to anything that blends various elements of well-established genres. In the automotive market, crossovers carry traits of not only sport utility vehicles, but family sedans and minivans, as well.
Case in point: We'd never call the truck-based body-on-frame Cadillac Escalade anything but an SUV, but does the unibody Jeep Grand Cherokee, which offers better off-road capability, really count as a crossover? Most would say no. The line between these two classes is blurred and Nissan can be held partly to blame for the confusion, having switched its Pathfinder "SUV" back and forth between body-on-frame and unibody platforms twice now. The completely redesigned 2013 Nissan Pathfinder finds itself back on a unibody platform, sharing that distinction with the second generation that was sold from 1996-2004.
It's with this in mind that we can't wholeheartedly agree with Nissan's branding of the new Pathfinder as a "next-gen SUV." Oh sure, it's a more modern offering packed with features never before found in the rugged vehicle that Nissan has offered since the mid-1980s, but is it truly an SUV? Moreover, do buyers even care about such classifications these days?
Oh, heck. The SUV is dead. Long live the SUV!
We've used this phrase dozens of times before, but you have to trust us here yet again: It looks better in person. Two-dimensional photography doesn't quite do the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder justice, though we'll admit, it's still no beauty queen. The all-new model doesn't have the same ruggedly handsome charm as the outgoing Pathfinder, but this new styling direction should indeed be more attractive to the eyes of folks who prefer softer crossovers to more traditional, boxy SUVs.
Overall height has dropped by a full three inches, two of which are accounted for in the reduced 6.5-inch ground clearance.The 2013 Pathfinder is more stylized than before, incorporating a stronger character line along the side of the body that flows from the headlights down the hood, underneath the beltline and into the taillamps. The front fascia looks like something that could have come from a Saab design house, and the rear looks a bit lumpy, especially dead-on. All trims except the high-end Platinum you see here ride on 18-inch wheels that frankly look a bit small in the Pathfinder's large wheel wells, but customers who shell out the $39,170 asking price for this top trim will be rewarded with attractive 20-inch alloys wrapped in P235/55R20 Bridgestone Dueler tires.
Nissan's 2013 Pathfinder rides on the same platform as the recently launched Infiniti JX, and despite being swoopier and more civilized than the outgoing model, this new generation is marginally larger in all dimensions. The 114.2-inch wheelbase is two inches longer than the old Pathfinder (the body itself is nearly five inches longer overall), and the 2013 adds 4.4 inches of width, as well. In a telltale sign that this new generation is more of a crossover than an off-road bruiser, overall height has dropped by a full three inches, two of which are accounted for in the reduced 6.5-inch ground clearance that allows for better ingress and egress.
But the big gain for the new Pathfinder is all about what it didn't gain: weight. In fact, Nissan has managed to remove as much as 500 pounds from the vehicle's overall heft (depending on trim), and with a base curb weight of 4,149 pounds, the Pathfinder is lighter than most of the other three-row vehicles in its class. Our fully loaded, all-wheel-drive-equipped Platinum tester tipped the scales at 4,471 pounds – compare that to 4,935 pounds for a top-spec 2012 model and 4,731 pounds for a 2013 Ford Explorer 4x4.
Nissan has managed to remove as much as 500 pounds from the vehicle's overall heft.That huge reduction in mass is mostly thanks to the new model's lighter-weight unibody construction, and thus, Nissan hasn't had to skimp out on interior amenities (or overall size) in order to trim things down. Overall EPA interior volume swells by a healthy 57.2 cubic feet to 157.8 total, and the end result is a cabin that feels airy, spacious and is decidedly well-appointed.
From a design standpoint, the interior has indeed made the transition from traditional SUV to more refined crossover. The outgoing cabin was awash in cold colors and sharp angles, giving it a work-before-play feel. On the other hand, this 2013 Pathfinder offers an inviting interior, especially when outfitted with the nicer leather upholstery available on the SL and Platinum trims. The sharp edges of the old dashboard have been smoothed out, hands find soft-touch materials on nearly every surface, and thoughtful touches like padded leather on the doors go the extra step to make this Pathfinder seem more like a tall luxury sedan than a rugged all-rounder.
Giving credit where credit's due, we cannot thank Nissan enough for bringing its Around View Monitor technology over to the Pathfinder. It's honestly one of the best gadgets currently offered across the entire automotive market, and once you've used it in a tight parking situation, you'll wish every large vehicle had this composite overhead view as standard equipment. Speaking of tech, there's a host of other excellent amenities in the Pathfinder, including a full navigation/infotainment system, good-sounding Bose premium audio system (available on SL and Platinum trims only), a tri-zone DVD entertainment system, every conceivable alphanumeric safety system and Nissan's new Easy-Fill tire inflation system that honks the horn when tires are inflated to their optimum spec. That last feature is stupidly easy to use and falls under the "Why didn't we think of this before?" category; look for it to spread across nearly the entire Nissan line in the coming years, and don't be surprised if Federal authorities put the tech on their wish lists, too.
Want a more upscale six-passenger seating configuration with captain's chairs in the middle row? You'll have to look elsewhere.Equally nifty and family-friendly is a second row that allows you to slide the outboard passenger seat forward without needing to remove a child seat. (No, this isn't a minivan.) We climbed into the third row seats this way without issue, though adults will certainly feel more comfortable in the second row where there's a newfound heaping of leg- and headroom, along with no-brainer conveniences like cupholders in the door armrests and levers to slide and recline. Want a more upscale six-passenger seating configuration with captain's chairs in the middle row? You'll have to look elsewhere. But when it comes time to haul, all seats behind the first row fold flat to allow for 79.8 cubic feet of cargo space.
All of this will surely impress while sitting in a parking lot, but there's a pretty rewarding experience to be had out on the road, too. Nissan let us loose on the roads around Napa Valley and had us blast down gorgeous stretches of asphalt ribbon that line the California coast, and while we definitely won't call the 2013 Pathfinder a hoot to drive – it isn't meant to be, after all – there's still a good deal to like about what's offered.
Truth be told, we didn't exactly have high hopes for the Pathfinder's on-road performance going in to our test. After all, on paper, the powertrain data doesn't seem all that impressive, and when West Coast Editor Michael Harley drove the Pathfinder's upscale Infiniti JX twin earlier this year, he walked away from his test stating that "as a driving machine, it completely failed to raise our pulse." Yikes. But a milquetoast Infiniti does not a bad Nissan make.
Compared to the last-generation Pathfinder, these are decreases of six horses and 48 lb-ft.Under the hood is the Japanese automaker's familiar 3.5-liter VQ35DE V6, delivering 260 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 240 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. Compared to the last-generation Pathfinder, these are decreases of six horses and 48 lb-ft, and the old model could even be fitted with a more powerful (and thirsty) 5.6-liter V8 with 310 hp and 388 lb-ft. What's more, the old Pathfinder's conventional automatic transmission (a five-speed) has been swapped out in favor of Nissan's revamped Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission. And before you roll your eyes and groan, hear us out – it isn't bad.
The problem we have with CVTs isn't necessarily their operation, it's the God-awful noise that usually comes with them – there's nothing worse than listening to an uninspiring-sounding engine spin endlessly at a high rpm under acceleration. This sort of phenomenon definitely still exists in less-than-stellar cars like the Versa, but here in the Pathfinder, the CVT is a well-behaved companion. We wouldn't call it a joy to have the continuously variable unit on board, but really, it could be worse. Thankfully, the 3.5-liter VQ V6 makes a fairly pleasant sound, and with so much sound-deadening material, it won't disrupt the conversation or music playing in the cabin.
Nissan has essentially used the same formula that worked on the 2013 Altima sedan to improve fuel economy here in the Pathfinder, with the CVT really doing much of the legwork. The V6 itself has essentially been left alone from its various other applications over the past few years, but the transmission's 40-percent reduction in internal friction and use of a drive chain specifically designed for the Pathfinder helps it stay competitive in terms of overall performance. Long story short: Nissan can claim best-in-class six-cylinder fuel economy numbers for the 2013 Pathfinder, which in front-wheel-drive trim will achieve 26 miles per gallon on the highway (20 city). Adding all-wheel drive reduces those numbers to 19 city and 25 highway, but that's bad either, especially considering these numbers represent improvements of 5/5 mpg city/highway versus the old 4.0-liter four-wheel drive model. And from what we saw in the onboard readout during our drive through California, we don't doubt those numbers will absolutely be achievable in the real world. CVT or not, there's something to be said for a transmission that spins the engine at only 1,800 rpm while doing 70 miles per hour.
Nissan can claim best-in-class six-cylinder fuel economy numbers for the 2013 Pathfinder.We drove both front- and all-wheel-drive Pathfinders during our time on the west coast, one riding on the smaller 18-inch wheels and the other – painted in Arctic Blue Metallic – on the 20s. Both offered a solid, stable, smooth ride, and this large crossover honestly didn't hate being pointed down more engaging roads, though again, this is not an enthusiast's machine.
The car-based platform means the Pathfinder no longer has that trucky feeling that traditional SUV drivers are used to. Instead, things are refined, with key elements of the driving experience all dialed in nicely for a 4,000-pound machine. The steering is a bit light and numb for our tastes – Ford does a better job in the Explorer – but the brakes, throttle response and handling are easily better than what the Blue Oval delivers. Most importantly, the Pathfinder just plain feels lighter and more nimble than its competitors, so you don't ever get the impression that you're driving a giant barge down the road. It's in no way fatiguing to drive for long distances.
Available on all models is Nissan's All-Mode 4x4-i system that allows you to switch between front- and all-wheel drive on the fly, as well as giving drivers a fully automatic mode. Left to its own devices, the auto mode will split the torque between the front and rear axles as much as it sees fit based on amounts of wheel spin, though it's important to note that the system does have a front bias and will never send a full 100 percent of its power to the rear wheels. Click the center console-mounted knob all the way to the right and you'll be in full 4WD Lock, using a 50/50 torque split at all times.
We don't expect any Pathfinder owners to take them mudding through the woods or down rocky trails, and neither does Nissan.Nissan let us loose on a small off-road course to demonstrate the system's capability, and it coped well with modest tests like steep grades any hilly pastures. We don't expect any Pathfinder owners to take them mudding through the woods or down rocky trails, and neither does Nissan. It's a fine system, but if off-road prowess is your thing, the Ford Explorer will do you one better with its Terrain Management system.
The Pathfinder may be, in most regards, better to drive than the rest of its competitive set, but much like the JX, it's hardly exhilarating. That may not be what we look for in an Infiniti, but here with a Nissan badge, it's absolutely acceptable and not anything to complain about. With well-sorted steering, braking and handling, three-row CUV shoppers would be smart to shop the Pathfinder, if only because it's simply easier to drive than the others without feeling numb or totally uninspired.
Considering the fact that Nissan managed to move only around 26,000 Pathfinders in 2011, there's vast room for growth here.
So regardless of what you call it – crossover, SUV, whatever – Nissan has a people mover on its hands with the potential to do great things for its maker here in the US, especially in this three-row, family-friendly segment. It may blur the lines of traditional classes even further, but we don't think buyers will be put off. By offering a well-appointed cabin, lots of functionality and decent driving dynamics wrapped in a sleek (well, sleeker) new wrapper, we don't see how this new Pathfinder could be anything less than successful.
By: Steven J Ewing
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The new NYC Taxi
The car maker, which beat out rivals including Ford Motor Co. to build the city’s official cab, said the new model will 200 improve the overall fuel economy of the taxi fleet. The Nissan cabs go into service in October of next year. The NV200 is powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder.
The exclusive agreement between Nissan and New York begins when the taxis hit the street in just over a year and lasts for 10 years.
“Nissan is appreciative of the opportunity to provide the City of New York with the next-generation of its iconic yellow taxi,” said Joe Castelli, Nissan’s vice president of commercial and fleet vehicles in North America. “The Nissan NV200 Taxi will deliver unprecedented innovation and vehicle features to the 13,000-strong taxi fleet.”
Of course, some cabs last so long that there will probably still be non-Nissan models on the road after 10 years.
Friday, August 31, 2012
2013 Nissan Sentra
Nissan Sentra Sheds Power and Weight for 2013
Nissan North America
On Friday evening, against the somewhat incongruous backdrop of Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Nissan will unveil the 2013 Sentra compact sedan. The setting was chosen, Nissan said, to dovetail with the automaker’s status as the presenting sponsor of the Heisman Trophy and Saturday’s prime-time N.C.A.A. football match-up between the Michigan Wolverines and Alabama Crimson Tide.
All but unveiled in April at the Beijing motor show as the Asian-market Sylphy, the Sentra trades the notchy, stunted look of its predecessor for a more sinuous design. It bears a sharp character line just below the windows, stretching from headlight to taillight, much in keeping with its competitors from Korea. Call it the Elantra effect.
Nissan North America
Though wheelbase has grown less than an inch, the 2013 car appears notably longer than its predecessor because overall length has increased by 2.3 inches. Interior volume is virtually unchanged, but Nissan says the cabin is optimized to provide rear passengers with more legroom.The 2-liter engine of its predecessor has been swapped out for a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder unit, which is designed to deliver quicker, more efficient combustion, though it shed 10 horsepower in transition, settling at 130. The sacrificed power may not be missed, however, given the car also lost more than 150 pounds, according to Nissan.
When equipped with a continuously variable transmission, the Sentra returns 39 miles per gallon on the highway and 30 m.p.g. in the city, Nissan claims. Not unlike the Chevy Cruze and Ford Focus, Nissan offers an efficiency trim package, FE+, said to raise the highway figure to a highly marketable 40 m.p.g.
The automaker did not indicate when or whether an SE-R or SE-R Spec V, two sport-tuned, more powerful versions of the Sentra in the mold of the Honda Civic Si, would be available. Initially, the sporting quotient will be limited to appearances, with the SR package offering the typical buffet of revised front and rear fascias, side skirts, fog lamps and larger wheels.
The base Sentra S is equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission. All other trim levels receive the CVT as standard equipment.
Pricing for the 2013 Sentra will be announced closer to its sale date this fall.
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