While its formal reveal won’t come until the end of the week, images of the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder have now been released on the automaker’s Facebook page. Not surprisingly, the 7-passenger compact SUV is a virtual dead ringer for the Nissan Pathfinder Concept revealed at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show in January.
On sale this fall, the new Pathfinder will mark a major change from its predecessors as the result of transitioning from a body-on-frame to a fully unitized structure that it will share with the new Infiniti JX35 crossover. In addition to boasting more aerodynamic bodywork, a lower curb weight, improved ride and handling, plus significantly enhanced cabin appointments, the 2013 Pathfinder will be powered by an advanced V6 engine linked to Nissan‘s latest CVT automatic transmission — a motivational duo also expected to be borrowed from the Infiniti JX. The automaker says that combo should to deliver a 25-percent improvement in combined city/highway EPA figures over the V6 in the current Pathfinder, while ensuring that it retains class-comparable performance and towing capability. The 2013 Pathfinder will also be available with a new “intuitive” 4-wheel-drive system, which sets our imaginations reeling.
