Nissan North America has recently announced that their Hybrid Pathfinder is going to halt in production. The Hybrid Pathfinder had a supercharged 2.5 liter four cylinder and a 20-hp electric motor which eventually did not fit the purpose of an economy friendly SUV since it didn’t offer a huge increase in fuel economy compared to the standard 3.5 liter V-6 versions. The front-wheel-drive hybrid had an EPA combined rating of 26 mpg, 3 mpg better than the nonhybrid, while the all-wheel-drive hybrid, also at 26 mpg combined, beat the standard AWD model by 4 mpg.
Speaking with Automotive News, Nissan USA spokesperson Dan Bedore said that the hybrid model’s absence will not have a significant impact on the Pathfinder range in the US. “The hybrid was never a big part of Pathfinder sales,” Bedore said. “Our emphasis has been on the traditionally-powered Pathfinder, which is really the heart of the market for that segment [in the US].” According to Nissan Australia PR boss, Peter Fadeyev, there are no plans to nix the Pathfinder Hybrid from local showrooms, despite all Pathfinders for our market being sourced from the USA. However, production is also expected to continue for other markets where the Pathfinder Hybrid is sold, including New Zealand and Russia.
