The Best Nissan Pathfinder Years Based On Resale Value (And Which To Avoid)

Nissan's Pathfinder has been a fixture in the SUV landscape for nearly 40 years. Starting as a two-door SUV in the late 1980s (and sporting one of Nissan's most underrated engines), the Pathfinder has evolved from a rough-riding but offroad-capable SUV in into a comfortable, well-liked, and family-friendly SUV that, in its latest guise, manages to seat eight passengers.

Unfortunately, while reviewers have broadly liked the Pathfinder, the ownership experience for Nissan's SUV hasn't always been so great. The Pathfinder has developed a reputation as one of the most unreliable Nissan models, partly because of the severe transmission-related issues that plagued two separate generations of the SUV. This makes buying a used Pathfinder just that little bit more complicated, as you'll have to make your way through a minefield of issues to pick out the best model years to go for. Thankfully, that's something we can help with. 

We've gone through customer complaints, professional reviews, and evaluated resale values to identify a handful of safe and good-value Pathfinder years that you should prioritize if you're buying a used model — plus quite a few Pathfinder years you'd do best to avoid. Some of this might not be good news if you're already a Pathfinder owner, but anyone looking to pick up a decent SUV at a reasonable price might find our list interesting.

Nissan's third-generation Pathfinder didn't get off to a good start after its 2004 introduction, with a faulty coolant system causing many transmission woes for owners. Thankfully, Nissan eventually figured the issue out, and the 2009 to 2012 Pathfinders have proven to be solid buys on the used market. Without the troublesome radiator, these model years seem to be broadly trouble-free, with the NHTSA website logging fewer than 50 complaints for each year — the 2012 Pathfinder is the best of the bunch at 21 complaints. While this doesn't guarantee trouble-free running, it's at least a good sign there aren't any widespread issues with the final four years of this Pathfinder generation.

As far as the driving experience goes, this was the last generation of Pathfinders to have the rough, off-road-ready ride the car debuted with. Contemporary reviews and more modern perspectives, while broadly positive, often point out a truck-like feel to the handling and cabin, with a lack of up-to-date creature comforts and sound isolation — even by 2012's standards. However, you get a great four-wheel-drive system, gutsy V6 and V8 engine options, and a 7,000-pound towing capacity — all great if you're interested in utility and off-road prowess over anything else.

You should be able to buy a used 2009 to 2012 Pathfinder for well below $10,000, with Kelley Blue Book suggesting fair purchase prices of $5,000 to $9,000 for the various trim levels across these four years. If you don't need top-notch comfort or a car-like ride from your SUV, these Pathfinders could very well be a steal at those prices.

Nissan's fourth take on the Pathfinder debuted in 2013 with a new focus on comfort and ride quality but had transmission-related teething issues — the infamous Nissan CVT problems — for the first few years. Like before, Nissan would eventually come good, with the 2018 to 2020 Pathfinders offering great options for those seeking a comfortable and easy-to-drive SUV that's far less truck-like than previous years. 

We recommend the 2018 Pathfinder at least, as this year has the more powerful 284-horsepower engine that Nissan introduced in 2017, plus all-new safety features such as rear-door alert and automatic emergency brakes. The Pathfinder remained broadly the same for the next few years after 2018, leading to the 2020 model feeling particularly outdated at release due to missing features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While the years won't have helped there, they have at least brought prices down to the point where those omissions might not rankle as much.

2018 and 2019 Pathfinders should be available for between $14,000 to $20,000, according to Kelley Blue Book, with 2020 Pathfinders a bit pricier at $20,000 to $28,000. They all seem like great deals, although do be aware of the active recall for 2018 and 2019 Pathfinders due to a fire hazard. Thankfully, the issue appears to be with a faulty part and not some fundamental flaw with the car, so it should be safe to buy one, provided you check whether the example you're buying needs to go in for a recall (or whether a previous owner has sent it in).

Nissan skipped the 2021 model year, choosing instead to release the fifth-generation Pathfinder in 2022 with updates such as eight-passenger capacity and a nine-speed automatic transmission. It also boasted edgier styling harkening back to its off-road roots, though reviewers found its off-road credentials lacking. It acquitted itself well on the road, however, fitting in with the family-friendly focus its new eight-seat capacity indicated. We certainly liked this model of Pathfinder in our review.

Owners haven't had too many big issues with the performance of the 2022 Pathfinder, with fewer than 100 complaints on the NHTSA website as of 2024. There don't seem to be any widespread issues with this Pathfinder year.  It's not a perfectly car, but you shouldn't have to worry about some intrinsic problem ruining your ownership experience if you buy a used one.

While reviewers broadly enjoyed the 2022 Pathfinder, one issue that cropped up was the retail price. Outlets such as Car and Driver pointed out that the highest-end 2022 Kia Telluride offered better value, with a better interior and more refined experience for less money. However, that's less of a problem if you're buying used: Kelley Blue Book's fair purchase prices for a 2022 Pathfinder hover between $25,000 (for the Pathfinder S) and $36,000 (Pathfinder Platinum). These are significantly cheaper than the Kia, which starts at $30,000 for the base trim.

You will miss out on niceties like wireless Android Auto — you have to buy a 2024 Nissan Pathfinder for that — but that's easier to swallow at these prices.

Second-generation Pathfinders from 1996 to 2004 are cheap on the used market, with all models available for less than $5,000. Owners generally praise their reliability, but these Pathfinders had a well-publicized issue with corrosion that triggered a 2012 recall. Unless you know what you're doing and can differentiate between surface and structural rust, you're better off avoiding this whole generation. It might be okay if you need a cheap beater, but nothing more than that.

Third-generation Pathfinders from 2005 to 2007 are infamous for the transmission-wrecking radiator issue. They also had a timing chain problem that caused engine issues, which led to a class-action lawsuit in 2016. While both of these issues should have been addressed on any surviving Pathfinders from these particular years, we don't think it's worth the risk other models are very affordable.

The final Nissan Pathfinders to avoid are the ones from the 2013 and 2014 model years, which faced enough issues with Nissan's then-new Xtronic CVT to make it to our list of used Nissan models to avoid. While Nissan eventually issued a recall to address an issue with the CVT's oil cooler hose, more than a few Pathfinder owners claim that transmission issues recurred after repairs — or after entirely new CVTs. They're admittedly quite affordable, with used prices between $6,000 to $8,000, but we're not sure you should be taking the risk. If you're on a tight budget, a late-model third-gen Pathfinder might be the way to go instead.