2026 Nissan Pathfinder: What's in stock, trim-level comparison, FAQ's.
car
Updated 2026-05-27·/
Quick Answer
The Nissan Pathfinder is Nissan's three-row midsize SUV. Refreshed for the 2025 model year, it uses a 3.5-liter V6 making about 284 horsepower and 259 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard with available 4WD. Properly equipped, the Pathfinder tows up to about 6,000 pounds — competitive in the three-row segment. Five trims (S, SV, SL, Platinum, Rock Creek) cover everything from value family hauler to off-pavement weekender, with available ProPILOT Assist 2.0 on the loaded Platinum.
Nissan Pathfinder Gallery5 photos
Rock CreekBaltic Teal/Super Black
Rock CreekEverest White Pearl Tricoat
SLDeep Ocean Blue Pearl
PlatinumBoulder Gray Pearl
PlatinumGun Metallic
Highlights of the 2026 Nissan Pathfinder
7 highlights
Three-row midsize SUV with seating for 7 or 8 depending on second-row configuration.
3.5L V6 making about 284 hp and 259 lb-ft, paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission.
Front-wheel drive standard, with available 4WD and selectable drive modes.
Towing up to about 6,000 lb when properly equipped — competitive for a midsize three-row SUV.
Five trims — S, SV, SL, Platinum, Rock Creek — including the off-pavement Rock Creek edition.
ProPILOT Assist standard on most trims; ProPILOT Assist 2.0 available on Platinum for hands-off highway driving on mapped roads.
Standard Nissan warranty: 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage.
Trim-Level Breakdown and Availability at Swope Nissan
Compare available trim levels to find the right Nissan Pathfinder for you. Pricing reflects current in-stock inventory.
Compare trimsTrim3 trims · 12 in stock
Rock Creek3 in stock
SL1 in stock
Platinum8 in stock
Pricing
Starting price
$41,942
$44,365
$48,022
Top price
$43,712
$44,365
$48,938
Powertrain
Drivetrain
AWD
AWD
AWD
Fuel options
Gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline
Engine
V6, 3.5L
V6, 3.5L
V6, 3.5L
MPG (city / hwy)
20 / 23
21 / 27
20 / 25
Standard equipment — safety & driver assistance
Auto high-beam headlights
Intelligent Around View Monitor
Pedestrian & cyclist detection
ProPILOT Assist
Standard equipment — technology & infotainment
Color head-up display
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—
In-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot
Push-button start with proximity key
Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
Wireless Qi phone charger
—
Standard equipment — comfort & convenience
Dual-zone climate control
Hands-free smart power liftgate
Heated 2nd-row seats
—
Heated front seats
Heated steering wheel
—
Memory driver seat & mirrors
—
—
Remote engine start
Ventilated front seats
—
—
Standard equipment — interior & exterior
Leather seating
—
—
Panoramic sunroof
—
Tow hitch / trailer package
—
—
Inside the Nissan Pathfinder
What the Pathfinder is
The Pathfinder is Nissan's three-row midsize SUV — a direct competitor to the Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, and Volkswagen Atlas. It was refreshed for the 2025 model year (not a full ground-up redesign) and the 2026 carries that refresh forward. Power comes from a 3.5-liter V6 making about 284 horsepower and 259 lb-ft of torque, paired with a conventional 9-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive is standard and 4WD is available. Properly equipped, the Pathfinder tows up to about 6,000 pounds — meaningful for a midsize three-row, enough for a typical bass boat, small camper, or utility trailer. Seating runs 7 or 8 depending on whether the second row is captain's chairs or a bench.
Trim ladder + Rock Creek pick
The 2026 Pathfinder lineup is S, SV, SL, Platinum, and Rock Creek. S is the value entry — the V6, the 9-speed, Safety Shield 360 standard, and a sensible feature set without trying to be a luxury vehicle. SV adds the comfort content most family buyers actually use. SL adds leather and a longer equipment list. Platinum is the loaded pick: ProPILOT Assist 2.0 (hands-off highway driving on mapped roads), wireless Apple CarPlay, premium audio, head-up display, and quilted leather. Rock Creek is the off-pavement edition, with unique grille and exterior trim, all-terrain-style tires on dark wheels, exclusive interior trim, and a setup tuned for gravel-county-road and trail use rather than pure tarmac.
How it stacks up vs the 3-row midsize segment
Against Highlander, Pilot, Telluride, Palisade, and Atlas, the Pathfinder differentiates on three things. First, real tow capability — about 6,000 lb properly equipped is competitive and beats some hybrid-only rivals. Second, the V6 + 9-speed conventional automatic is a more traditional powertrain than Toyota's hybrid-only Highlander setup, which is what some buyers explicitly want. Third, ProPILOT Assist 2.0 on Platinum is one of the more capable hands-off highway systems in the segment. Where the Pathfinder gives up ground is on hybrid efficiency (Highlander Hybrid wins on mpg) and on third-row roominess versus the larger Telluride and Palisade. The Pathfinder's pitch is balanced family hauler with usable tow and a real off-pavement variant.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Real V6 power — about 284 hp / 259 lb-ft with a conventional 9-speed automatic, not a CVT.
Tow rating up to about 6,000 lb when properly equipped — enough for a typical boat, small camper, or utility trailer.
Available 4WD with selectable drive modes for central-Kentucky weather and rural-county roads.
Safety Shield 360 standard across the lineup, with ProPILOT Assist available widely and ProPILOT Assist 2.0 on Platinum.
Five distinct trims, including the off-pavement Rock Creek edition that is genuinely different from the on-road trims.
Three-row seating with 7 or 8 passengers depending on configuration.
Standard Nissan 3-year/36,000-mile and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranties.
Cons
Gas-only — no hybrid option to chase a Highlander Hybrid or Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid on mpg.
Third row is functional but tighter than the segment-leading Telluride or Palisade.
Top-trim Platinum stacks features quickly — equipment-vs-price comparison with Telluride and Palisade is tight.
ProPILOT Assist 2.0 is concentrated on Platinum; lower trims get the standard ProPILOT Assist instead.
V6 fuel economy trails the hybrid alternatives in this segment — the trade-off for the V6 character and the tow rating.
Who is the 2026 Nissan Pathfinder best for?
Three-row family hauler — SV or SL
If the Pathfinder's job is moving the family — kids in car seats, gear in the back, occasional bench seat in the way-back for a friend — SV or SL is the sweet spot. You get the 284-hp V6 with the 9-speed automatic, Safety Shield 360 standard, ProPILOT Assist for the I-65 commute, and the choice of seating for 7 (captain's chairs) or 8 (bench).
Towing family — boat or camper to Nolin Lake
Properly equipped, the Pathfinder tows up to about 6,000 pounds — enough for a typical bass boat, small travel trailer, or utility trailer. For Hardin and Bullitt County families heading to Nolin River Lake, Rough River, or Green River for the weekend, that's a real capability number, not a marketing footnote. Confirm the tow setup on the unit you're looking at.
Rock Creek off-pavement weekender
Rock Creek is the Pathfinder's off-pavement edition — unique grille and exterior trim, all-terrain-style tires on dark wheels, and exclusive interior content. For owners who use the SUV to reach a hunting lease, a state-park trailhead, or rural cabin properties off the asphalt around Meade and Hardin counties, Rock Creek is the trim built for that use without giving up the V6 powertrain or the towing capability.
Platinum is the loaded Pathfinder. It pairs ProPILOT Assist 2.0 — Nissan's hands-off highway driving system on mapped roads — with quilted leather, head-up display, premium audio, wireless Apple CarPlay, and the rest of the top-trim equipment list. If you spend a lot of time on I-65 between Elizabethtown and Louisville, ProPILOT Assist 2.0 is a meaningful comfort upgrade over the standard system on lower trims.
Why this matters around Elizabethtown
Swope Nissan in Elizabethtown, Kentucky stocks the 2026 Nissan Pathfinder for shoppers across Elizabethtown, Radcliff, Louisville, and Bardstown. With the 3.5L V6 and 9-speed automatic, available 4WD, and an honest tow rating of about 6,000 lb when properly equipped, the Pathfinder is well-suited to central-Kentucky family duty — three-row hauling, weekend trips to Nolin River Lake or Rough River with a boat or camper in tow, and rural-county roads in Hardin and Meade counties.
New 2026 Nissan Pathfinder Inventory at Swope NissanLive
Current in-stock units at Swope Nissan in Elizabethtown, KY with full specifications, pricing, and direct links to each vehicle's detail page.
Premium Paint and 2-Tone RoofRock Creek All-Season Floor Liners and All-Season Cargo Area Protector4-Piece Black Splash GuardsNissanConnect featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smart device wireless mirroring
Frequently Asked Questions about the 2026 Nissan Pathfinder
Every 2026 Pathfinder uses a 3.5-liter V6 engine making about 284 horsepower and 259 lb-ft of torque, paired with a conventional 9-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, with 4WD available across the lineup.
Properly equipped, the Pathfinder tows up to about 6,000 pounds. That's enough for a typical bass boat, small travel trailer, utility trailer, or pop-up camper. Always confirm tow capacity for your specific configuration in the owner's manual before towing.
No. The Pathfinder is gas-only in the US lineup. Shoppers who want a three-row hybrid SUV should compare the Toyota Highlander Hybrid or Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid.
The 2025 Pathfinder was a mid-cycle refresh — not a full redesign. It carried over the 3.5L V6 and 9-speed automatic and updated styling and content. The 2026 carries that refresh forward.
Both, depending on configuration. With second-row captain's chairs the Pathfinder seats 7. With a second-row bench it seats 8. Check the trim-level page for the unit you're looking at to confirm second-row layout.
The 2026 Pathfinder lineup is S, SV, SL, Platinum, and Rock Creek. S is the value entry, SV and SL add comfort content, Platinum is the loaded trim with ProPILOT Assist 2.0, and Rock Creek is the off-pavement edition with unique exterior and interior trim.
Rock Creek is the Pathfinder's off-pavement trim. It pairs the standard V6 powertrain with a unique grille and exterior trim, all-terrain-style tires on dark wheels, and exclusive interior trim. It's tuned for gravel-county-road and trail use rather than pure on-road duty.
ProPILOT Assist 2.0 is Nissan's hands-off highway driving system, available on the Platinum trim. On mapped highways it can manage steering, braking, and lane changes with the driver's hands off the wheel while the driver remains attentive. Lower trims get the standard ProPILOT Assist instead.
Yes. Safety Shield 360 is standard across the Pathfinder lineup. It bundles automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, rear automatic braking, and high-beam assist.
Nissan's New Vehicle Limited Warranty covers the 2026 Pathfinder for 3 years or 36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, with 5 years or 60,000 miles of powertrain coverage, whichever comes first.
The live inventory section on this page reflects the current 2026 Pathfinder stock at Swope Nissan in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. The list updates as new units arrive and as vehicles are sold.
Pricing depends on trim, drivetrain, and packaging. The live inventory table on this page shows the current asking price for each in-stock 2026 Pathfinder at Swope Nissan; pricing reflects the units actually on the lot today.
Swope Nissan is located in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, in Hardin County. The dealership serves customers across Elizabethtown, Radcliff, Louisville, Bardstown, and the surrounding central-Kentucky region.
Yes. Use the contact form on this page or reach out through the Swope Nissan dealership website to schedule a test drive of any in-stock 2026 Pathfinder. The team will confirm the specific trim and configuration you're interested in.
Yes. Swope Nissan's service department employs factory-trained Nissan technicians and uses Nissan OEM parts. The 2026 Pathfinder is covered by Nissan's 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranties, and the service team follows Nissan's published maintenance intervals.
