Nissan Pathfinder 2.5D Aventura - Now us Brits are becoming quite adventurous when choosing holiday destinations. Foregoing the crowded beaches of Benidorm, the average Brit is venturing more into Europe with their car.
It’s not just France, but Germany, Switzerland, even as far as Italy, families are opting to drive to rather than fly. Who can blame them with the airport delays, or hanging around two hours before the flight is due, when they could be halfway to France in that time? So choosing the correct family car is very important if it is to rise to the challenge of holidaying abroad as it needs to be endurable, practical and spacious.
a very rugged looking car with 17 inch alloy wheels under the huge wheel arches giving a hint that it will conquer all terrain being a 4x4
So, bring on the Nissan Pathfinder that combines both MPV and 4X4 characteristics with superb road handling, safety equipment and that all-important ingredient - street cred.
Three trims are on offer, TREK, SPORT and AVENTURA, in either a six-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission mated to just one engine. This powerful Euro 4-compliant 2.5 litres diesel engine is turbocharged so makes a great noise when starting up. With a top speed of 108 mph and 0-62 in a modest 11.8 seconds on my automatic version I had for the week, the Pathfinder is no slouch, yet retains a reasonable 27.7-mpg on a combined cycle for fuel consumption. But do not forget diesel is so, so much cheaper on the continent than here in the UK. My test car came with the easy automatic gearbox that really takes the strain out of long journeys but has the manual sequential shift function in case you feel like doing some work.
The Pathfinder AVENTURA is a very rugged looking car with 17 inch alloy wheels under the huge wheel arches giving a hint that it will conquer all terrain being a 4x4. The large snout like bonnet sees a masculine grille falling into the colour coded bumpers with integrated fog lights. Privacy glass stops other drivers from being distracted if your children start to misbehave, while the roof bars show the practical nature.
Hoisting up into the Pathfinder AVENTURA with the help of a grab handle, the interior is so spacious and, even with all seven seats in place, there is still enough room in the luggage area to take on the weekly shop. All the toys are on board to help the driver, from electrically adjustable heated front seats (with the driver’s having a memory function that includes the heated and electrically powered door mirrors), to the adjustable leather steering wheel with remotes for 6 CD interchanger plus MP3 and cruise control. There are separate controls for the driver, passenger and rear passengers to activate the dual-zone climate control, as well as an auto dimming mirror, auto headlamps, auto rain sensing wipers, Bluetooth phone integration, a Birdview DVD satellite navigation with a 7' full colour screen and a colour rear view camera that was greatly appreciated when parking.
Now, the downside of travelling abroad with the car is that we invariably take everything including the kitchen sink with us - just in case! So our holiday car has to be flexible. Well, with the Pathfinder AVENTURA having 64 seat configurations, it is more flexible than my credit card. What is more, the seats are very simple to operate using just one hand so you can hang onto the trolley or baby at the same time. A family car also needs lots of storage solutions and the Pathfinder has plenty of theses. As well as door pockets with bottle holders or rubbish containers, there are underfloor storage bins in the second row, plus cubby-holes beside the third row of seats. For the front passengers are a sunglasses holder, a large split-level glove box and a double deck centre console to put the chosen CDs into.
Driving abroad obviously means clocking up hundreds of miles, so another important ingredient in a family car is the ease of drivability. Well, driving the Pathfinder AVENTURA is blissfully easy thanks to the ALL MODE 4x4 system that literally does everything for you and accentuates the Pathfinder’s car-like handling as well as showing its ability on any off-road terrain. The system incorporates ESP and traction control along with ABS + EBD, plus Nissan Brake Assist. Keep the mode to AUTO and simply let the Pathfinder very cleverly work it out for you. But if the going gets too tough, then select 4WD (Hi) or for those seriously deep mud ruts, try 4WD(Lo). Whatever the weather, uphill or downhill slopes, smooth tarmac or rugged rocks, the Pathfinder will get you there safely.
But, just in case, the Pathfinder AVENTURA comes with driver, passenger and front side airbags, active front seat head restraints plus ISOFIX mountings. Securing the Pathfinder is remote central locking, smart entry, and engine immobiliser with alarm.
So that’s the family car sorted except one tiny detail. How much will this cost? Well my test car comes on a £30,295 price tag, but had two optional extras pushing it up to £31,028. That all-important tow bar, plus metallic paint. So it may take a few lost flights to get your money back, but worth every penny.
FemaleFirst - Jackie Violet