2020 Nissan Pathfinder Interior and Cargo

This SUV was always destined for a hard life; picking up kids from school, hauling stuff during a move, and carrying dirty mountain bikes is par for the course, and this is why the Pathfinder employs a good amount of hard-wearing plastics and cloth that will stand up to a life of abuse. Base models get cloth seats while SL models and up get the leather treatment. Top-spec Platinum models get perforated seats and leather door trim. You'll also find leather on the steering wheel and shift knob when you get inside the SV, SL or Platinum. SL cars get metallic interior trim, while Platinum cars show off with wood-tone inserts. The Pathfinder's interior feels solid and rattle-free and should stand up to a full-frontal attack by a large family and everything it brings with it, but if you want an SUV with a more premium feel, look elsewhere.

Trunk and overall cargo capacity must be one of the most important factors when it comes to this class of car, and many will base their purchasing decision solely on the amount of trunk space offered by the car in question. The 2020 Nissan Pathfinder offers a class-competitive amount of space, from the third row, all the way up to the first, marginally missing out on the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. Behind the third row, you'll get a useful 16.2 cubic feet; about as much as a Honda Accord has to offer. Fold-down the third row, and that space opens up to 47.4 cubic feet. With all seats folded flat, the Pathfinder offers 79.5 cubic feet of space, over four less than the Pilot. The available hands-free liftgate makes loading and unloading a bearable task. Small items can be stored in the front seatback pockets, overhead sunglasses storage compartment, glovebox, small dash storage nook, and center console storage bin. There are eight cupholders and six-bottle holders on offer, too.

Nissan has packed a whole lot of value into its 2020 Pathfinder, and buyers will appreciate the fact that the base model shares a number of significant features with its more expensive counterparts. The exterior of the 2020 Pathfinder gets LED daytime running lights, roof rails, a body-colored rear spoiler and power side mirrors as standard, and higher-spec models get intelligent auto headlights, fog lights, heated side mirrors, and a motion-activated liftgate. Inside the cabin, you can expect to find a push-button start and keyless entry system, tri-zone automatic climate control, and two 12-volt power outlets. Higher up in the range power-adjustable seats, rain-sensing window wipers, and auto-dimming rearview mirror and a power-adjustable steering column come into play. Standard driver assistance tech includes automatic forward braking, but you'll have to go for the SV or higher trims if you want features such as adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert.

The role of the infotainment system has grown exponentially in the last five years and has become one of the focal points of any new car. Providing modern services, apps, and other software applications is critical to the overall attractiveness of a car, and unfortunately, Nissan has pretty much chosen to ignore this category completely. All models are fitted with an eight-inch touchscreen display that delivers the type of icon menu and general interface you'd expect to see from an ATM in the year 2009, but menus are logically structured and easy enough to use. The disappointment continues one you look into the system's capabilities: you won't find any Apple CarPlay or Android Auto integration, a major sore point, but at least you get SiriusXM Travel Link, Bluetooth streaming and a six-speaker sound system. Integrated navigation becomes available on SL models and above, as does SiriusXM Traffic. The Platinum model also offers a Bose premium sound system with 13 speakers. All models get an aux input jack, six USB ports, and speed-sensitive volume control. The available tri-zone entertainment system adds dual eight-inch displays behind the first row and includes wireless headphone streaming and HDMI inputs. We also like the old-school inclusion of six radio preset buttons that can be easily accessed.