2023 Nissan Pathfinder
Gas Compact SUV
The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Pathfinder 2WD, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 103 complaints, most often about unknown or other. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathfinder 2WD | Gas | FWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 20 | 27 | 23 | $2,700 |
| Pathfinder 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 21 | 27 | 23 | $2,700 |
| Pathfinder 4WD SL/Platinum | Gas | 4WD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 20 | 25 | 22 | $2,850 |
| Pathfinder 4WD Rock Creek | Gas | 4WD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 20 | 23 | 21 | $3,700 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (1)
Seats
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2023 Rogue, Pathfinder, and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The driver's powered seat may not be fully secured to the seat frame, causing the seat frame welds to detach from the rear inboard seat bracket.
Risk: An unsecured seat with broken welds may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the driver's seat rail clearance, and if necessary, replace the driver's seat cushion frame, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 10, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC966, PC967.
Owner complaints
103 complaints filed
4 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 1 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2022: 2 · 2023: 29 · 2024: 26 · 2025: 26 · 2026: 20
Most-cited components
- Unknown Or Other — 28
- Electrical System — 23
- Fuel/Propulsion System — 21
- Service Brakes — 20
- Engine — 15
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 16% |
| SUV FWD | not rated | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | not rated | — |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Other Pathfinder model years
2026 Pathfinder
0 recalls · 9 complaints
A2025 Pathfinder
1 recalls · 49 complaints
B2024 Pathfinder
2 recalls · 75 complaints
D2022 Pathfinder
5 recalls · 135 complaints
A2020 Pathfinder
0 recalls · 47 complaints
B2019 Pathfinder
2 recalls · 75 complaints
D2018 Pathfinder
3 recalls · 77 complaints
C2017 Pathfinder
2 recalls · 186 complaints
B2016 Pathfinder
2 recalls · 107 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 45882, 45887, 45888, 45833). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.