Ford Everest vs Nissan Pathfinder

What's the difference?

I enjoyed my time with the Ford Everest Sport 4WD. It’s a great-looking vehicle with the engine specs to support families who like to adventure. It’s also big enough to haul a large family and those added child seat top-tethers in the third row offer flexibility, too.

The ride is a bit rough at times and it's thirsty in the city but it has enough to charm my family of three.

My seven-year old and my husband loved our blue truck and my son doesn’t want to see it go!

It looks good, offers benchmark safety and combines strong engine performance with sure-footed traction, particularly on low-grip surfaces. There’s also a spacious, comfortable and practical cabin that can seat up to eight and it can tow up to 2.7 tonnes. Apart from its V6 thirst, based on our at-pump figures, there’s little we can criticise about the latest Pathfinder in Ti 4WD specification, which is certainly worthy of consideration for large SUV buyers.  

The Everest Sport means business. It’s big and brutish-looking with its squared-off shape and a bunch of black accents across the handles, badging, 20-inch wheels and massive grille.

These accents up the beasty factor and I love the look of this SUV. Especially in our test model's 'Blue Lightning' paintwork, which is exclusive to the Sport variant. 

The cabin continues the exterior's robust look, especially in the dashboard and vertical 12-inch touchscreen multimedia set-up.

The massive honeycomb-like air vents look cool but there’s still something of a workhorse vibe inside thanks to the styling and feel of the black leather-accented upholstery and trims. 

Everything gives off a strong ‘vinyl’ feel and the soft touchpoints look hard thanks to their plastic-looking grain. But it’s a pleasant cabin to be in and the overall finish still looks high-quality.

The latest Pathfinder rides on a 2900mm wheelbase with an 11.8-metre turning circle. Although it's shorter in overall length with less frontal overhang than its predecessor, it has a wider stance (aka track width) for improved handling plus a height increase for more headroom. There’s also more leg and hip-room.

The sumptuous interior is a tasteful mix of leather accents, piano black and satin chrome with classy exposed stitching along numerous seams including the leather-wrapped steering wheel. It exudes a high-quality look and feel.

The 2/3/3 seating layout can theoretically cater for up to eight occupants, starting with seating for the driver and front passenger which is spacious and comfortable with ample adjustment.

For those in the grandstand-style second row, it also feels spacious thanks not only to the wide-opening doors and increased head and legroom, but also the flat floor with no transmission hump to restrict foot placement for those in the middle. The recline of the 60/40-split backrests can be adjusted for added comfort.

Second-row passengers also have access to their own control panel on the rear of the centre console that allows individual adjustment of seat-heating and temperature/fan speed for vents located under the front seats and in the roof.

The second row tilts and slides forward to provide access to the third row. This is designed to carry up to three occupants, but by our measure only small kids could manage that.

For adults, it’s really a two-seater and that’s only for short trips and only with the second row slid forward at least 100mm to provide adequate knee room.

Even so, the third row offers adequate headroom (even for tall people) and with large glass areas and overhead cooling vents does its best to minimise a claustrophobic feel.

So, we see it as either a seven- or eight-seater, depending on the kid-to-adult mix.

The biggest issue I have with the cabin’s practicality is getting in and out, which comes down to the 226mm ground clearance. But that is 100 per cent a user issue!

The side-steps and grab handles are a must have and my seven-year old needed them, too. No doubt, you'll be helping younger kids into their seats.

Besides the tall trucky-ness, the cabin in the first two rows feels roomy with ample leg- and headroom for my 168cm height. It's only when you venture into the third row that legroom is compromised for an adult, although access to this row is still very good.

All seats are rather firm and there's not stacks of under-thigh support in any row but the front seats are powered with additional lumbar support as well as heat and ventilation functions which adds dramatically to comfort on a long trip.

Amenities and storage are pretty good in all three rows. The front has two glove boxes, a shallow-ish middle console, phone holder, big storage bins and drink bottle holders in each door, two permanent cupholders and, my personal faves, a pair of retractable cupholders in the dashboard and a sunglasses holder.

In the middle row there are map pockets, drink bottle holders in each door and two retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest. There aren't any luxury features but the roof-mounted directional air vents and fan control is appreciated by my kid.

The third row gets two shallow and skinny cupholders and the left-hand side also features a long but thin nook, which may be for a tech device. There are also roof-mounted directional air vents and reading lights.

Technology is found in each row and looks good while still being useful. The vertical 12-inch touchscreen multimedia system is easy enough to use but it takes a while to get used to its positioning.

It sits lower than I'd like and isn't angled towards the driver which makes accessing controls that have been embedded in the screen, like seat functions and air-flow direction, a bit of a pain while on the go.

The wireless Apple CarPlay is easy to connect to but dropped out twice during our test. There is also Android Auto for those users and built-in satellite navigation.

The charging options are very good throughout the car with the first rows getting a USB-A and USB-C port. The front also gets a wireless charging pad and a 12-volt socket. While the third row and boot feature a 12-volt socket each.

The boot space is mostly user-friendly but because the boot lip sits quite high it can be annoying to load heavier items in or fit a top-tether strap.

Capacity is good and with the third row in use. You get 259L of storage, which is adequate for a smaller grocery run but that capacity jumps up to 898L when the third row is stored.

There is a small space underneath the floor that could house your manual and log book, if you wanted to free up your glove box. This model has a powered tailgate function.

The Ti 4WD’s 2044kg kerb weight (unladen and full of fuel) and 2750kg GVM (how much it can legally weigh when fully loaded) provides a load capacity of 706kg.

That limit could easily be reached or exceeded just by eight adults, before you could think about loading their luggage.

So, be mindful of combined passenger and luggage weight, particularly when planning a trip, to ensure you’re not over the GVM limit.

It’s also rated tow up to 2700kg of braked trailer, which is suitably large to cater for many recreational towing tasks.

However, as there’s no published GCM (or how much the Ti can legally carry and tow at the same time) we don’t know if it can haul its maximum payload while towing its maximum trailer weight.

Even so, it offers 205 litres of internal load volume with the second and third rows upright (ideal space for a supermarket shop), which expands to 554 litres with the third row folded flat and 782 litres with the second and third rows folded.

There are four cargo tie-down points and a surprisingly large bin hidden under the rear floor.

In terms of internal storage there’s a glove box, console box, overhead glasses holder and seat pockets plus a variety of bins, bottle holders and cupholders thoughtfully placed throughout the cabin catering for all three rows.

Nissan claims a total of 16 cupholders, but by our measure there are 18. Either way, there’s more than ample storage for drinks and personal items in this well-designed cabin.

Our test vehicle is the Ti 4WD, which sits one rung below the premium Ti-L 4WD on the local ladder.

Our example (like the Ti-L) is available only with a 3.5-litre petrol V6 and nine-speed automatic transmission for a list price of $71,490, plus on-road costs. Its 'Gun Metallic' premium paint costs extra.

It's generous with luxury appointments starting with unique 18-inch machined-finish alloy wheels and 255/60 tyres (but only a space-saver spare) plus a powered tailgate, roof rails, full LED lighting, heated door mirrors and more.

Inside is a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, heated front and rear seats, leather-accented trim on seats and doors, roll-up sun-shades for the rear passenger door windows, a wireless smartphone charging pad, a USB charging outlet for the third row of seats and a quality 13-speaker Bose audio system.

There are also steering wheel paddle-shifters, a driver’s heads-up display, tri-zone air con, plus five USB ports and two 12-volt outlets to keep a full crew charged and connected.

Central command for the multimedia system is a 9.0-inch touchscreen display including wireless Apple and Android connectivity and digital radio.

The Ford Everest Sport on test is the four-wheel drive variant and has a 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel engine that produces a power output of 184kW and 600Nm of torque.

That hefty power supports the 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity this model has, meaning you can have your weekend adventures and haul the family around, too.

The Pathfinder is powered a lusty direct-injection 3.5-litre petrol V6. It produces 202kW at 6400rpm and 340Nm at 4800rpm.

It’s paired with a nine-speed torque converter automatic transmission which offers the choice of manual sequential-shifting using steering wheel-mounted paddles.

The full-time 4WD transmission offers seven different drive modes via a rotary-dial on the console, which optimises performance in each selected mode. These include 'Standard', 'Sport', 'Eco', 'Snow', 'Sand', 'Mud/Rut' and 'Tow'.

It's big but is it thirsty? The answer is, sometimes.

The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 8.5L/100km. But after a fair bit of travel, consisting of mostly open-road driving, my real-world average came in at 7.6L/100km, which is amazing for such a massive car.

In fact, I had to triple check my figures to make sure I had calculated it correctly!

During urban trips the on-board read-out sits closer to 15L/100km, which is something to consider if you're an urban dweller.

Based on the official combined cycle number and large 80-litre fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of 941km, which is good for road tripping families.

Nissan claims combined cycle average consumption of 10.5L/100km and the Ti’s dash display was claiming 12.9 at the completion of our 213km test, which was mostly city and suburban driving with some limited highway running and from one to five occupants on board at different times.

Our own figure, calculated from actual fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, came in higher again at 14.5L/100km which exceeds the usual 2.0-3.0L/100km discrepancy between manufacturer figures and our own.

In other words, it drinks more than a diesel but is about average for a powerful six-cylinder petrol engine of this size under test conditions.

So, based on our ‘real world’ driving and at-pump consumption figure, you could expect a driving range of around 500km from its 71-litre tank. And it requires premium unleaded.

The Everest Sport delivers its power responsively once you’re up to speed. Overtaking or keeping your pace consistent on hills is no issue but this car reminds you of its size when you start moving from a standstill. It’s not quick.

There’s a serious lull between accelerating and actually shooting forward. So, allow more time for roundabouts or crossing traffic.

The steering sits right in the middle – not too firm or loose. Which means it doesn't handle like a truck and has a nice on-road feel.

Coupled with a relatively small 11.8m turning circle it’s quite nimble to manoeuvre and you won’t be daunted by city driving.  

The ride comfort is a little bit rough but not totally unexpected given its relatively high centre of gravity. You get some consistent vibrations through the seats and the suspension feels bouncy when hitting corners. I still feel confident going over bumps but you will feel them.

Cabin noise is low key most of the time but you can get a fair bit of wind noise at higher speeds. Otherwise, it’s easy to hear and chat between all three rows, which is excellent for a large SUV.

Because of the higher seating position and wide windows, visibility is awesome – another big plus for a big, three-row SUV.

Despite almost being five metres in length (with the tow bar), you don’t notice the size when it comes time to park because the turning circle is good and the 360-degree camera system is also nice and clear. You fill out a space but getting into the space isn’t an issue.

A good example of its comfort range is that I’m 186cm tall and my wife is only 165cm, yet we both managed to find comfortable seating positions. However, she said that ideally the range of seat-height adjustment could be a tad higher given her smaller stature.

Even so, she liked the Ti and found it easy to drive, particularly in negotiating busy shopping centre car parks with its various cameras, parking sensors etc.

She also appreciated how easy it is to fold down the trio of headrests on the third row of seats when not in use, to provide a clear view through the rear window.

We encountered heavy rain at times during our test, when the superior traction of its 4WD system was most noticeable and appreciated when cornering.

It also ensured no wheelspin from standing starts, which is reassuring given the V6 engine’s vigorous low-down response. This engine has excellent performance.

We also liked the ride quality, steering feel and braking, along with the nine-speed automatic thanks to its near-seamless shifting and good all-round response. We did try manual-shifting using the paddle-shifters for a more ‘engaging’ driving experience at times.

It also makes a comfortable highway cruiser given its low engine, tyre and wind noise and suitably long gearing, that requires only 1500rpm from the V6 to maintain 110km/h and optimise fuel economy.

The Pathfinder boasts a maximum five-star ANCAP rating (awarded 2022) and is loaded with passive and active safety features, starting with nine airbags including side-curtain airbags covering all three rows and a front-row centre airbag.

There’s also the full 'Nissan Intelligent Mobility' safety suite packed with active safety features including AEB, plus Nissan’s semi-autonomous 'ProPILOT' system for use with the adaptive cruise control.

There’s also 360-degree and reversing cameras, front/rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring and more.

In the second row there are ISOFIX anchorages on the two outer seating positions and top-tethers for all three positions, plus an additional set of ISOFIX and top-tether fixtures in the third row.

The Everest comes with a usual warranty term of five-years/unlimited km and you can pre-purchase servicing for the first four-years or up to 60,000km for $1385 or an average of $347 per service, which is good for the class.

Servicing intervals are at every 12 months or 15,000km, which is also reasonable.

Participating dealers will also provide a complimentary loan car when your vehicle is being serviced.

Roadside assistance is included for the first 12 months, extending up to seven years if you have your car regularly serviced at an authorised Ford dealer.

Nissan covers the Pathfinder with a five-year/unlimited km warranty including five years roadside assist.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first.

Capped-price servicing for the first five scheduled services is $2581 or an average of $516 per service.