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The posh Prado and Pathfinder come with all the trimmings their makers could muster for the price. Leather seats and sunrooves are great but it’s the traction control systems we’re after. Let’s see how these fancy family fourbies fared off –road.
Words by Glenn Wright
Photography by Robb Cox
Nissan and Toyota were at each others throats long before the IFS and coil spring revolution gave city slickers the freedom to explore previously unreachable locations with comfort levels and handling traits previously reserved for road cars. For a few grand extra in 1996, the Prado gave buyers an alternative to the Falcon or Commodore wagon. Like the Pajero, it came with seven seats, could carry more shopping and offspring than a family taxi and get you to all those places you read about in travel yarns.
A strong interest in mid-size 4WDs that continues to grow amidst rising fuel prices and ever improving on-road manners, combined with Toyota’s desire to please off the road has seen The Prado become a cash cow for Toyota. Toyota’s attention to detail and hard to fault build quality have earned the Prado a few stripes for reliability as its high sales figures and resale values illustrate. It has hogged the limelight as the benchmark in the mid size sector since it was created (until the arrival of the Territory), while the previous Pathfinder lacked the extra two seats and off-road cred of the Prado and struggled to make friends in a competitive market.
Welcome to the age of electronic aids. The haves and the have nots are now separated by traction control. ABLS, VDC, DAT whatever you call it, is the new black. Nissan have taken the fight to Toyota by bringing traction assistance to the people with the inclusion of electronic aids in all Pathfinder models. You’ve got to dig deeper to get the Prado’s traction aids as it only comes standard with Driver Assist Technology (DAT) in the top spec models, VX and Grande which now include a 5-speed auto. To compare apples with apples lets line up the V6 Grande Prado with its opposite number, the Ti Pathfinder.
Nissan’s new Ti Pathfinder boasts some figures that compare favourably with the Prado Grande’s on paper. Both top of the range mid-size seven-seat wagons use a powerful 4.0L petrol engine and 5-speed auto. Both come with separate chassis, stability and traction control systems, combined with leather seating and sunroofs.
BLACKTOP AND GRAVEL
These two mid-size wagons are right at home on the blacktop. While both use coil sprung, independent front ends and steering racks they display different ride and handling characteristics. If you favour the sharp handling that comes with a sportscar-like ride then the Pathy will suit your needs. It responds rapidly to your commands like a new Army recruit and communicates clearly with the driver. The suspension package is on the stiff side of comfortable which keeps it sitting flat in fast corners but makes for a harsh ride around town. A day in the driver’s seat left me with an intimate knowledge of every bump in the roads I had travelled over which may make long distance touring uncomfortable.
The Prado masks your sense of speed due to better sound insulation and a softer ride. A dial on the console lets you soften or firm up the ride by adjusting the damper settings. Toyota’s TEMS (Electronically Modulated Suspension) system uses sensors to automatically adjust the damper valving to limit body-roll and maximise road holding in conjunction with the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). When set to comfort, small bumps disappear, along with the handling response. The sport setting makes the bumps more prominent (about half as noticeable as in the Pathy) and provides slightly better handling dynamics.
The Prado will allow you to travel long distances in comfort, but push it hard and it protests by understeering, accompanied by a beep from the VSC stability control system. Apart from this audible warning that you have overstepped the mark, (as if the screeching front tyres weren’t warning enough), this system seems to do too little too late in preventing you from spearing off the road. The Pathfinder’s stability control system reacts more quickly when it detects sliding by braking certain wheels and reducing power to keep you pointed in the right direction. When you step on the brake pedal, the Prado’s ample brakes offer plenty of bite in comparison with the Pathy’s. The Nissan’s stop pedal is spongy but its ABS is well calibrated for gravel roads. Don’t leave your braking too late on dirt in the Prado as its ABS doesn’t wash off speed well on loose surfaces.
On the freeway, both engines spin at 2100rpm at 110km/h in fifth gear. At this speed the Prado’s cabin blocks out more road and engine noise than the Pathfinder’s which makes the wind noise generated around the Toyota’s A pillars more obvious. At higher revs the VQ40 Pathy donk sounds harsher than the Prado’s . The Nissan’s 198kW makes for good acceleration and with 385Nm of torque would make a good tow vehicle but the Prado makes better use of its lesser 179kW and 376Nm with better gear ratios and a flatter torque curve. This only saw the Pathfinder pull ahead by one car length in a drag race from 0 to 100km/h on a private road. Both vehicles have large external mirrors which would lend themselves well to supervising a trailer but the Nissan can legally pull 3000kg (braked) in reponse to the Prado’s limit of 2500kg. These numbers look good on paper but the Prado’s height adjusting rear air suspension lets you carry more weight without dragging its arse on the ground whereas the Pathy tends to sag more in the bum when laden.
Touring range is lacking in the Pathfinder. Based on its fuel economy including demanding off-road and freeway work of 19.24L/100km, its measly 80L tank would mean 416km between fuel stops and even more frequently if you were crossing the Simpson or towing. Touring range is the Prado’s strong point. With 180L on board its 15.54L/100km on our test would mean you could drive past servos for 1158km.
DESIGN AND BUILD
A quick look under the vehicles shows that both are built on a separate ladder frame chassis. Both use independent front suspension but the Prado relies on a live rear axle to drive the rear wheels while the Nissan uses independent rear suspension. The live rear axle with cross-linked air suspension, allows better off-road articulation but the IRS boosts on-road dynamics.
Nissan and Toyota are known for building practical off-road vehicles and their mid-size offerings are designed for easy servicing in the bush. Both vehicles’ airfilters are a snack to inspect and the Prado’s oil filter allows easy removal. The Pathfinder’s alternator sits very low, wheras the Prado’s is mounted slightly higher up making it a little harder for mud to interfere with its operation. Toyota designed the Prado with the off-roader in mind. Its underbody components such as the sump and fuel tanks are well protected from the ground borne nasties by steel guards in contrast to the flimsy plastic sumpguard on the Pathy that ripped off at the first sight of sand. Further evidence of the Toyota’s policy of catering for the off-roader is the underbonnet space allocated for a second battery system whereas the Pathy’s engine bay is overpopulated with hardware that leaves little room for aftermarket additions.
As far as mid size 4WDs go both vehicles had reasonable ground clearance. Our tape measure showed 225mm between the Prado’s rear diff and the ground, while up front the lowest point of the sumpguard was 210mm above terra firma. The Pathy displayed good ground clearance of 250mm under both the front and rear diffs and the lowest part of its rear crossmember was 230mm clear of the road.
Another useful inclusion in the Prado was the self-levelling air bag rear suspension. At the push of a button it lifts the rear end 35mm from standard. This is great for maintaining ground clearance when towing or carrying big loads off-road.
It’s the little things you don’t always notice that set two 4WDs apart. The Prado benefits from better fit and finish than the Pathfinder in every way. Its paintwork is better, as is the soundness with which its doors shut. While both chassis are neatly manufactured, the Prado’s interior is well finished off unlike the Pathy’s that showed the odd gap or two between trim components. This doesn’t mean much in the short term but gives you the impression that the Toyota will hold together for longer than the Pathy.
OFF-ROAD
Both vehicles offer full-time 4WD. The Prado separate gear lever accesses low and high range with a lockable centre diff. The Pathy’s more sophisticated system derived from the “Godzilla” Skyline GTR uses a dial on the dash to access rear wheel drive or operate an electromagnetic clutch pack between the front and rear diffs, which in auto mode, allows full time 4WD by directing torque from rear to front when needed. Turning the dial clockwise activates high and low-range 4WD, both with locked front to rear torque split.
The Pathfinder’s traction control is too slow to react to wheelspin. When the Pathy lifted one front and one rear wheel off the ground it behaved like a 4WD with two open diffs momentarily. During this time all momentum was lost and it sat there spinning the unladen wheels. Only after getting heavy with the throttle did the Pathy’s ABS pump kick in to intermittently brake the spinning wheels and give drive to the wheels that had traction. This is not ideal because when a tyre does get traction while you’re pressing on the Nissan’s sensitive go pedal, you lurch over nasty obstacles too quickly.
The Prado walked up the hill hardly spinning a wheel. Its traction system intervened rapidly and quietly to keep the Toyota moving forwards as if on smooth ground. Credit also goes to the live rear axle’s superior rear wheel travel.
The Prado’s Downhill Assist Control clicked on and off applying the brakes to prevent the auto running off down the hill. When a wheel lifted off the ground however, the electronic assistance stopped working momentarily, sending you quickly downhill. Don’t expect the Pathy to wipe your bum for you on the way downhill. With no downhill assistance control available and the torque converter putting the low-range reduction off-limits, you have to fend off the effects of gravity with the brake pedal.
With plenty of power and torque available via quick shifting auto boxes, both vehicles ploughed through the soft sand easily. The Nissan’s stability control system kept horseplay to a minimum on sand and mud as it cut engine power and applied the brakes the instant it detected sliding. Even when you manually turned the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) off it still interferes.
The Prado’s stability control is much less intrusive, which helps you get moving in the soft sand and doesn’t stop you throwing the Toyota sideways or cutting the odd hoop in the sand or muddy quagmire.
After a short dousing in mud, the Pathfinder’s stability control stopped working which allowed for some dirty fun but caused concern as to the reliability of the system. Both 4WDs allowed no water into either the air intakes or cabin in deep river crossings but after a comprehensive washing back home, the Pathy’s engine management system went into limp mode after water upset the fly-by-wire throttle system limiting revs to 2000rpm.
COME INSIDE
Leather trim (read leather seats surrounded by plastic trim) comes standard in both top-spec wagons. But it takes more than leather seats to make a luxury wagon. The Pathfinder’s lavishness is skin deep and ends with the seats. The rest of the interior consists of oodles of plastic which isn’t as well joined together as the Prado’s, interrupted by splashes of blatently fake wood-grain panelling. The rear seat DVD player is a nice touch, as are the electrically adjustable, heated front seats and rear parking alert. The Prado’s trim also contains its fair share of plastic but does a much better job of disguising it. Toyota’s Grande comes standard with Satnav in place of a DVD and the centre console incorporates a handy fridge.
For the price the Prado lacks little things like radio controls on the steering wheel and electric light sensing rear view mirror that are standard in the Pathy. Its one piece swinging rear tailgate is awkward compared to the Pathy’s which includes a separate rear window opening. Nissan’s dash layout is bland in comparison with the Toyota’s but the lack of dials and buttons made them easier to operate.
The Ti Pathy gives you the feeling that a DVD player and leather seats have been added to a base model, whereas the Prado Grande feels much more like a luxury 4WD. While the front driving position is good in both vehicles, you hop out feeling much fresher after a long stint in the Prado partly due to extra headroom. The second seat legroom is 270mm in both vehicles but the Pathy’s rear seating is not as comfortable as its rival’s.
The third row seating is fine for kids in both vehicles. Adults can squeeze in if need be but don’t expect to enjoy the ride. The Prado offers an advantage in that it can accommodate three kids in the third row.
Because of the many ways in which the Pathy’s seats can be configured its interior is more versatile than the Prado’s. All but the front seats fold down flat forming a large useful load space. To simulate a load, both vehicles carried two 37in MTR tyres in their rear cargo spaces tied down using the specified tie down points in the floor. The Pathfinder’s hooks snapped off without much effort while the Toyota’s were designed to restrain heavy cargo.
CONCLUSION
While the new Pathfinder is a more worthy opponent than its predecessor, it is wet behind the ears and less refined than its nemesis. It is unfair of Nissan to advertise the Pathy as a true off-road vehicle as it shares very little of the tough, no-nonsense engineering that has made its big brother Patrol such a formidable off-road opponent to the LandCruiser. Were it marketed in the fashion in which it was designed, as a powerful, nimble, on-road family wagon, very capable of playing in the sand and mud on weekends, I would sing its praises accordingly.
Nissan’s answer to the Prado boasts some impressive specs on paper, but a lack of attention to detail elsewhere, for example its overly sensitive throttle mechanism and small fuel tank, prevents the driving experience from reflecting this. The jury’s still out on the reliability of its electronics package but it will outhandle most 4WDs on smooth and gravel roads. Nissan have had to cut corners to undercut the Prado pricewise but the components they left out, and the extra development costs they saved on, hurt the finished product. The Prado is still the well equipped, engineering benchmark of the class but the extra $14000 doesn’t grow on trees. Quality comes at a price.
Let’s take a look at the spec sheets side-by-side.
SPECS
MODEL: 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER Ti 2005 TOYOTA PRADO GRANDE
MADE: SPAIN JAPAN
BODY: 5-DOOR 7-SEAT WAGON 5-DOOR 8-SEAT WAGON
CHASSIS: SEPARATE LADDER FRAME SEPARATE LADDER FRAME
ENGINE: VQ40 1GR-FE with VVTi
TYPE: 4.0L PETROL V6 DOHC 4.0L PETROL V6 DOHC
DISPLACEMENT: 3954cc 3956cc
BORE/STROKE: 95.5X92 94X95
COMPRESSION RATIO: 9.7:1 10.0:1
MAX POWER: 198kW@5600 179kW@5200rpm
MAX TORQUE: 385Nm@4000 376Nm@3800rpm
GEARBOX: 5-Speed auto (+/-) 5-Speed auto
RATIOS: 3.842 3.520
2.353 2.042
1.529 1.400
1.000 1.000
0.839 0.716
Rev 2.765 3.224
FINAL DRIVE: 3.357 3.727
LOW RANGE: 2.596:1 2.566
TOTAL LOW RANGE
GEARING: 33.48:1 33.66:1
4WD SYSTEM: ALL MODE 4X4 FULL-TIME 4WD
FULL AND PART
TIME 4WD
TRACTION AIDS: VDC, ABLS DAT(A-TRC, VSC, TEMS,DAC, HAC,ABLS)
SUSPENSION:Front- IFS, double wishbones, IFS, double wishbones,
Coil over dampers, coil-over dampers,
anti-roll bar anti-roll bar
Rear- Independent, multi-link Live axle, 5-link,
Coil spring , dampers, air bags, dampers,
anti-roll bar anti-roll bar
SAFETY: 2xfront airbags 2xfront airbags
Front and rear curtain airbags Front and rear curtain airbags
BRAKES: Front-296mm discs, sliding calipers 338mm discs,4-pot callipers
With ABS with ABS
Rear-308mm discs, ABS 312mm discs, ABS
WHEELS: Alloy 17x7in Alloy 17x7.5in
TYRES: Goodyear Wrangler Dunlop Grandtrek
255/65R17 265/65R17
OFF-ROAD STATS:
App/Ramp-over/Dep angles: 33/-/26 32/20/27
ACTUAL KERB WEIGHT: 2200kg 2150kg
On weighbridge with 20L fuel
TOWING CAPACITY: 3000kg braked 2500kg braked
750kg unbraked 750kg unbraked
PRICE (RRP): $59,990 $73,510
WARRANTY: 3yr/100,000km 3yr/100,000
FUEL COSTS/KM: 28.8c 23.3c
@$1.50/L
There’s a difference between marketing mumbo jumbo, or a spec sheet, which is just a pile of numbers, and the impression you get after a few days in the driver’s seat. |
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