Nissan Pathfinder
Every model year 2016–2026: recalls, owner complaints, NHTSA crash ratings and EPA efficiency side by side, each value traced to the file it came from.
Every Nissan Pathfinder model year
Source: NHTSA · EPA · one row per year| Year | Powertrains | Safety | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | Best efficiency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Gas | A | 0 | 15 | ★★★★★ | 23 mpg | |
| 2025 | Gas | A | 1 | 55 | ★★★★★ | 23 mpg | |
| 2024 | Gas | B | 2 | 86 | ★★★★★ | 23 mpg | |
| 2023 | Gas | A | 1 | 107 | ★★★★★ | 23 mpg | |
| 2022 | Gas | C | 5 | 136 | ★★★★★ | 23 mpg | |
| 2020 | Gas | A | 0 | 48 | ★★★★★ | 23 mpg | |
| 2019 | Gas | B | 2 | 76 | ★★★★★ | 23 mpg | Park outside |
| 2018 | Gas | C | 3 | 78 | ★★★★★ | 23 mpg | Park outside |
| 2017 | Gas | C | 2 | 187 | ★★★★★ | 23 mpg | Park outside |
| 2016 | Gas | C | 2 | 107 | ★★★★★ | 23 mpg |
Which model year the record favours
Source: recalls and complaints per year on the roadOn the filed record so far, the 2020 is the cleanest Pathfinder year we hold, and the 2018 the one to check hardest. The 2018 carries a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory, which outranks every other number on this page.
Both figures are divided by the number of years the car has been on sale, because otherwise the oldest year on the page loses every time simply for having been around longer. The current model year and any year under three on the road are left out: their records are not finished.
What owners filed about the Nissan Pathfinder, by system
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsEvery system, every year →The systems the federal record is deep on for this nameplate: the complaints per model year, the mileage owners reported them at, and every recall, investigation and manufacturer bulletin filed under the heading — each one linked, none a failure rate.
What changed year to year
Source: computed from the filed record- 2023: 3 → 4 EPA configurations
| Head-to-head | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Pathfinder vs Toyota Highlander · Large SUV | Highlander +5.7 | |
| 2026 Pathfinder vs Honda Pilot · Large SUV | Pilot +5.7 | |
| 2026 Pathfinder vs Jeep Grand Cherokee · Large SUV | Pathfinder +36.7 | |
| 2026 Pathfinder vs Hyundai Palisade · Large SUV | Palisade +8.4 | |
| 2026 Pathfinder vs Ford Explorer · Large SUV | Pathfinder +6 | |
| 2025 Pathfinder vs Kia Telluride · Large SUV | Telluride +8 |
In the studies
Source: computed from the same record, method on each pageCommon questions about the Nissan Pathfinder
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich Nissan Pathfinder year is the best used buy?
On the recall record, the 2020 Pathfinder comes out top of the years before the current one: Safety Signal grade A (100/100), 0 recalls and 48 owner complaints on file. That ranks paperwork, not condition — a specific car's history and service record still decide it.
What Nissan Pathfinder years should I avoid?
2017, 2018, 2019 have the weakest recall records in this range — one carries an active park-outside or do-not-drive advisory. The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists yet. Every Pathfinder model year ranked, with the reasons.
How many recalls does the Nissan Pathfinder have?
Across model years 2016–2026, NHTSA has posted 18 recall campaigns for the Nissan Pathfinder. They are counted per model year in the table above, because a campaign almost never covers the whole run — it covers a build range.