2026 Nissan Pathfinder

Showing the 2026 Pathfinder S. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
21–23 mpgcombined; city 20–21, highway 23–27; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,120–$19,160U.S. average; Ohio $12,620–$18,060 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
Recall campaigns
0none on file
Owner complaints
11filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2026 Pathfinder. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 11 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Pathfinder. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Unknown or other3000
Electrical system2000
Steering2000
Visibility2000
Back over prevention1000
Forward collision avoidance1100
Lane departure1000
Power train1000
Service brakes1100
Tires1000

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 2006837
  2. 2007561
  3. 2008328
  4. 200937
  5. 201040
  6. 201145
  7. 201223
  8. 2013890
  9. 2014585
  10. 2015321
  11. 2016107
  12. 2017186
  13. 201878
  14. 201976
  15. 202053
  16. 2022136
  17. 2023104
  18. 202485
  19. 202554
  20. 202611

Every Pathfinder year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2026 Pathfinder. NHTSA's recall lookup checks a specific VIN.

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 5 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2026 Pathfinder, the latest on May 1, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: structure (4), wheels (1).

NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2026 Pathfinder.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Used ones for sale

See used 2026 Nissan Pathfinders for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax

These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.

Specs

EPA class: standard sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 4–5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
Pathfinder
Front-Wheel Drive		3.5 L, 6 cylAutomatic (S9)Regular Gasoline21 / 27 / 23
Pathfinder
4-Wheel Drive		3.5 L, 6 cylAutomatic (S9)Regular Gasoline21 / 26 / 23
Pathfinder Platinum
4-Wheel Drive		3.5 L, 6 cylAutomatic (S9)Regular Gasoline20 / 25 / 22
Pathfinder Rock Creek
4-Wheel Drive		3.5 L, 6 cylAutomatic (S9)Premium Gasoline20 / 23 / 21

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data