Research›Vehicle Guides›Nissan›Pathfinder

Nissan Pathfinder Reliability by Year

Every Pathfinder model year from 2004 to 2025, scored on reported failures weighted against how many were sold — and ranked against every other Mid-Size SUV of the same year.

The short answer

Best model year
2021
#6 of 53 that year
Year to avoid
2005
#26 of 27 that year
Latest scored
2025
#33 of 66

Across 22 scored model years the Pathfinder needs fixing less often than its class, and repairs cost about what you would expect. The spread between years is what matters: 2021 is its strongest, 2005 its weakest.

Every model year, scored

Longer bar is better. Rank is against every Mid-Size SUV sold that same model year.

YearRelative standingClass rankPctl
2004#3 /2692th
2005#26 /274thAvoid
2006#26 /287th
2007#29 /3620th
2008#32 /3816th
2009#17 /3958th
2010#11 /4074th
2011#13 /3968th
2012#5 /3989th
2013#33 /3711th
2014#29 /3722th
2015#32 /4021th
2016#9 /3878th
2017#25 /3733th
2018#16 /4263th
2019#13 /4573th
2020#19 /4963th
2021#6 /5390thBest year
2022#43 /5928th
2023#44 /6735th
2024#41 /7244th
2025#33 /6651th

The line has moved around across 22 model years, with its weakest stretch in 2005–2008. The recent trend is upward. This 2025 car falls in a middling stretch.

What tends to break

All 12 systems, measured against the class average for each model year.

Every Pathfinder model year is scored across 12 separate systems — engine, transmission, brakes, electrical, steering and suspension, structure, interior, and five more. Each system is compared against how often that same system fails on the average Mid-Size SUV of the same year, so a common failure is judged against how common it is everywhere else.

Across the last three model years (2023–2025), the trouble concentrates in one place: engine. That system draws issue reports more often than the same system on the average Mid-Size SUV of its year — which changes what you should be inspecting before you buy.

Full Dashboard Preview

Real charts, sample vehicle. Open the lookup to see these for your Pathfinder.

Reliability Matrix Sample Chart

2018 Mid-Size SUVs

Your Pathfinder is plotted against 66 rivals from 2025.

Look up your Pathfinder →
better than classtypicalworsebubble = units sold

System Breakdown Sample Chart

2018 Mitsubishi Outlander

Your Pathfinder is scored the same way, for every model year.

Look up your Pathfinder →
below class averageabove class average

Common questions

What is the best year for a used Nissan Pathfinder?

2021 is the strongest Pathfinder model year on record, ranking #6 of 53 Mid-Size SUVs that year.

Which Nissan Pathfinder years should I avoid?

2005 is the weakest year in the model's history, ranking #26 of 27.

Is the latest Pathfinder reliable?

The 2025 Pathfinder ranks #33 of 66 Mid-Size SUVs — the upper half of its class.

Where does this data come from?

Failure reports filed with NHTSA — submitted by vehicle owners and repair shops alike — weighted against US sales volumes so a high-volume model is not penalised for selling well, then benchmarked within segment and model year.

See the full picture for your Pathfinder

All 12 systems scored, the whole class plotted, and a downloadable Full Model Report for any year — 6,000+ vehicles in the dashboard.

Start 7-Day Free Trial
How this was built. Scores derive from failure reports filed with NHTSA — submitted by vehicle owners and repair shops alike — weighted against US sales volumes and benchmarked within segment and model year. We measure two separate things: Fix Frequency — how often a vehicle needs fixing — and Fix Severity — how costly those fixes are. These figures describe a model line, not the specific vehicle in front of you; trim, mileage and service history still decide an individual car.