Nissan Pathfinder safety is good. In official Euro NCAP crash tests the Pathfinder was awarded four stars out of five for adult occupant protection. This is average for a large 4x4 and on par with cars such as the Mitsubishi Outlander and Land Rover Discovery. All models get driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags along with ESP+ (a combination of ABS, an electronic stability programme and traction control) plus all seats have three-point seatbelts.

From late 2006 the Pathfinder also comes with hill descent control which helps it crawl down steep hills at a snail’s pace.

All but the base S models come with seven seats as standard (from mid-2006 the S was replaced by Trek). These can be split/folded and transformed into a totally flat loadspace for larger or more awkward loads up to 2.8 metres long: Nissan claims there are 64 seat/load-space combinations. There are also loads of cubby spaces to make life on board easier including a double-deck glovebox, underfloor storage and storage bins in the back.

The tailgate is also split, so just the glass opens, which means you can quickly drop bags into the load area – useful in multi-storey car parks.