Compromise rarely satisfies. Until the debuts of the Murano and Xterra SUVs early in the 21st century, Nissan’s Pathfinder mid-size SUV was responsible for covering a broad swath of an ever-expanding marketplace, intended to appeal equally to young active-lifestyle types and upwardly-mobile suburbanites. Expected by this clientele to excel both on pavement and off, Nissan deftly managed to blend true 4WD capability with one of the smoothest ride qualities in the class, making the Pathfinder a popular choice for many years. But as newcomers arrived and the SUV segment split into on-roaders and off-roaders, it was clear that the Pathfinder needed to find a different path.

With the introduction of the redesigned 2005 Pathfinder, it’s clear that Nissan has decided to take this SUV back to its old-school, pickup truck roots. Like the all-new Xterra, the Pathfinder is built atop the F-Alpha frame used by the full-sized Titan and mid-sized Frontier pick-‘em-ups. The Pathfinder also shares its design flavor and some interior parts with the rough-and-tumble Xterra, but adds a third-row seat for seven-passenger capacity and a whole bunch of extra cubes for cargo. Obviously, the Murano will serve the touchy-feely crowd that demands the utility of an SUV but wants a vehicle that drives like a car. The new Pathfinder is meant for rough-housing, not running errands.

After hundreds of miles driving a well-equipped 2005 Nissan Pathfinder SE Off-Road with 4WD, we discovered that it is competent at work or play. From the rain-ravaged desert trails in Riverside County, to the crumbling city streets of Los Angeles, to the smooth freeways laced across southern California, the Pathfinder proved it is no longer a compromise. Rather, it is an exceptionally comfortable, multi-talented vehicle that is quite pleasing to live with – if you don’t mind averaging 15.4 mpg with its powerful V6 engine.