Nissan Pathfinder sales are tanking in Australia and there’s no sign of a recovery in the short-term.
Just 14 examples of the large family SUV were sold in January, down 79 per cent on the same month last year, while annual sales (523) were down 63 per cent in 2024.
Back in 2023, multiple lower-spec Pathfinder variants were removed from price lists due to supply constraints. Normality returned last year with the arrival of a new front-wheel drive ST-L, and the return of the ST-L AWD and Ti FWD.
However, the Pathfinder continues to slide from a sales perspective, and Nissan Oceania managing director Andrew Humberstone forecasts further future roadblocks for the US-built seven-seat SUV.
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Pathfinder ST-L
“Foreign exchange rate. And now let’s see what happens with tariffs and stuff,” said Mr Humberstone when asked why Nissan was struggling to shift the Pathfinder Down Under.
“Great car, love it. It’s challenging at the moment because of the foreign exchange rate, but may be short-lived.”
The Pathfinder was Nissan’s third worst sales performer in Australia last year, ahead of the Leaf electric hatch (357 sales) and the Z sports coupe (320).
Pricing starts from $59,670 before on-road costs for the two-wheel drive Pathfinder ST-L, and extends up to $82,490 plus on-roads for the all-wheel drive Ti-L flagship.
Pathfinder ST-L
That makes the Pathfinder more expensive than top-selling large SUVs like the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X off-roaders, and the Toyota Kluger crossovers.
Unlike the hybrid-powered Kluger, the Pathfinder is solely available with a 3.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol V6, producing 202kW of power and 340Nm of torque. Power is sent to either the front or all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.
The fifth-generation Pathfinder was unveiled in February 2021, although it didn’t reach Australia until the end of 2022. Other key rivals here include the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Palisade, which are also significantly more popular.
A new Chinese-market Pathfinder was revealed in 2023 with distinctive styling and a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 185kW of power. The Australian-market Pathfinder is sourced from North America, and it remains unclear whether the US-built Pathfinder will move to a turbo four.
