Used 2012 Nissan Pathfinder LE for sale 

The 2012 Nissan Pathfinder range is divided into five trim levels - S, SV, Silver, LE V6, and LE V8, and there is the option between various drivetrains layouts i.e., RWD and AWD. One gets to choose between a 4.0L V-6 engine and a 5.7L V-8 engine producing 266 hp and 310 hp, respectively. And finally, you have a wide range of optional packages that you can choose from. 

We Recommend

We recommend buying the SV trim of the Pathfinder as it is not only the most popular but also the one that is the most value for money. However, if you look at the optional package list, it is quite short and only includes a sunroof and a rear seat media entertainment system. However, these are both nice updates and recommended as well.

Buyers opting for the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder can choose between two very capable engines. The base engine is a 4.0L V-6 engine producing 266 hp @ 5,600 rpm and a torque of 288 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm. The high-end model, the LE V8 comes with the 5.6L V-8 engine that produces 310 hp @ 5,200 rpm and 388 lb-ft @ 3,400 rpm. Both these engines are mated to the same 5-speed automatic gearbox.

By default, the Pathfinder comes with a rear-wheel-drive drivetrain, which can be upgraded to an all-wheel-drive with a V6 engine setup, whereas the V8 engine comes with an all-wheel-drive option only. The 2012 Pathfinder RWD itself is quite quick and does the 0-60 MPH run in just 7.8 seconds and goes on to cover the quarter-mile in 16.9 seconds, which makes it pretty quick by any standard.

Although the Nissan Pathfinder is more powerful than anything in its class, this remains only on paper. Its rivals have better performance when you check real-world performance for the 0- 60 mph timing. The Honda Pilot is the fastest as it completes the 0-60 mph sprint in 6.2 seconds while completing the quarter-mile in 14.5 seconds. 

One would expect the V-8 engine to offer bad fuel efficiency but there are some expectations from V6 to go easy on fuel. However, this is not the case as the V6 only returns 14 MPG within city limits, 20 MPG on the highways, which results in a combined mileage of 17 MPG. Opt for the V8, and things get further worse as these numbers fall to 13 MPG in the city and 18 MPG on the highway. The Pathfinder has a fuel capacity of 21.1 gallons and hence has a decent range of 316 miles in the city and 464 miles on the highway.

The Toyota Highlander returns the best fuel efficiency figures, finally making us understand why the downsized four-cylinder engine was their weapon of choice. The Honda Pilot on the other hand is a great example of how to balance performance and fuel efficiency. Needless to say, the Nissan Pathfinder has pretty much the worst fuel mileage and cannot even be compared with its competition.

The Nissan Pathfinder’s interiors have been excellent throughout its production run, and the 2012 model is no different. The seats are big and supportive and can be comfortable on long journeys as well. Material quality is also top-notch throughout.

The ergonomic design is great, the dials are readable, and the controls are easy to use. The SUV can accommodate 7 passengers with ease, and the cargo space is excellent at 79.2 ft.³.

In comparison, the Toyota Highlander manages to offer the best headroom in both the first and second row. When comparing the legroom, the space on all three SUVs is similar in the first row, but Nissan fails to compete with the rivals in the second row. The Nissan Pathfinder offers excellent cargo capacity but somehow its modern rivals offer more. The main interior features of the 2012 Pathfinder include:

• Available cloth or leather seating surfaces
• Dual automatic climate control
• Heated front seats
• Optional Bose audio system
• DVD entertainment system with the 7-inch color monitor
• Optional navigation system
• Optional heated steering wheel

How intuitive is the infotainment system in the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder?

The Nissan Pathfinder has infotainment features that have newly become standard. It has a 7-inch touchscreen display along with very basic features. If you look at the options list, you can get the 10-speaker Bose audio system, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, and Bluetooth. The rear-seat entertainment system is also a great option to pick. Few key infotainment features include-

• Six-speaker stereo with CD player
• 7-inch Color multi-information display
• Auxiliary audio jack
• 6-CD Changer
• AM/FM Stereo
• Rearview camera
• Satellite radio

The exterior styling of the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder has been the same for as far as we can remember now and is quickly getting outdated next to much more modern rivals.

The car remains true to its design language that emphasizes functionality, but as we have mentioned before, it finds it hard to fit in a modern landscape. The SUV weighs 4,563 lbs and stands 8.6 inches above the ground.

The Pathfinder is a huge and heavy car when you compare it to its rivals. It is bigger than its rivals in all aspects except width, where the Honda Pilot is wider by 6 inches. The Pathfinder is the heaviest car among its rivals due to its truck chassis, which really starts making its presence when you drive the SUV. The Toyota Highlander is lighter by almost 700 lbs, which is why we believe it has much higher fuel efficiency. Few standout exterior highlights of the SUV are-

• 16, 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels
• Standard power mirrors
• Optional running boards
• Optional automatic headlamps
• Optional heated mirrors
• Optional sunroof

Although based on a truck, the Nissan Pathfinder is quite safe. It has scored four stars out of five in the NHTSA crash tests. IIHS has given a rating of ‘Good’ in the frontal-offset and side crash test, while it scores a second-lowest score of ‘Marginal’ in the roof-strength test. It has basic safety features but pretty good and solid build quality. Few salient safety features available with the SUV are-

• Front seat active head restraints
• Standard side-impact and full-length side curtain airbags
• Standard antilock braking system with electronic brake-force distribution
• Standard electronic stability and traction control
• Optional rearview camera

The 2012 Nissan Pathfinder is an excellent SUV that comes with two very powerful engines, has a thoughtfully designed interior, easy-to-use infotainment, and is very rugged and functional. However, it has very low fuel efficiency, is cramped for the rear passengers, is very heavy, and has begun to feel outdated in a crowd of crossover SUVs. Even though the SUV still has more than enough practicality to offer, the design, modern tech, and overall aesthetics put it behind the rivals, thus it would be a good idea to give this SUV a pass.