How Much Can The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder Tow? We Compare It To The Competition

Launched as an all-new, fifth-generation 2022 model in the summer of 2021, the Nissan Pathfinder is more rugged, more comfortable, more luxurious, and more spacious than ever before.

But we know that the primary driver of almost every purchase of an 8-seat SUV – yes, the Pathfinder now comes as an 8-seater for the first time ever – is capability. We want our SUVs to do stuff, we want to go places we couldn't go before, we want to accomplish more jobs, and we don't want to be hampered by silly compromises.

Take towing, for example. The last thing anybody wants is to buy or lease a new three-row SUV in order to take the family and the RV only to discover you want a larger SUV and your SUV can't tow it. And no, that's not some pie-in-the-sky scenario – it happens all the time. 

You can tell by looking at the chart below that that there's a common standard for towing in the Pathfinder's segment. The slightly smaller GMC Acadia, not surprisingly, falls slightly below that standard. But manufacturers have, by and large, equipped their three-row SUVs to tow around 5,000 pounds. There are exceptions – if you equip it in a specific way, the Ford Explorer can tow up to 5,600 pounds. But that requires optioning up to a different engine.

For the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder, there's no need to compromise. The Pathfinder SV, Pathfinder SL, Pathfinder SL Premium, and Pathfinder Platinum all hit the market with a tow rating of 6,000 pounds, or 2,722 kilograms. 

For that, you can thank the stout 284-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine, a brilliant new 9-speed automatic, an intelligent multi-mode 4x4 system, and a structure that's 50% stiffer than before.