Compare the2022 Nissan PathfinderVS 2022 Dodge Durango

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

© 1999 - 2025Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2025/11/08

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Pathfinder have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Dodge Durango doesn’t offer pretensioners for the middle seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Pathfinder are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Durango doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Nissan Pathfinder has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Durango doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Pathfinder Platinum has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Durango doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Pathfinder has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Durango doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Pathfinder 4WD’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Durango doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Pathfinder’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Durango and is not available with SXT.

The Pathfinder SL/Platinum has a standard Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Durango only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Pathfinder’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Durango doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Pathfinder and the Durango have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Pathfinder has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Durango.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Nissan Pathfinder is faster than the Dodge Durango V6:

	Pathfinder	Durango
Zero to 60 MPH	6.7 sec	7.8 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	17.7 sec	20.9 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	7.1 sec	8.3 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.5 sec	4.2 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	4.8 sec	5.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.3 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94 MPH	88 MPH
Top Speed	119 MPH	117 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Pathfinder gets better mileage than the Durango:

			MPG
Pathfinder
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	21 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	21 city/27 hwy
		Platinum 3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/25 hwy
Durango
	RWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/22 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/25 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/22 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Pathfinder uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Durango with the 5.7 V8 engine requires mid-grade for maximum efficiency, which can cost 5 to 40 cents more per gallon.

The Pathfinder has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Durango doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Nissan Pathfinder, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Durango.

Tires and Wheels

The Pathfinder has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Durango doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Pathfinder has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Pathfinder flat and controlled during cornering. The Durango’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Pathfinder is 3 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than on the Durango.

The Pathfinder SL handles at .80 G’s, while the Durango GT pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Pathfinder Platinum executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Durango GT 4x4 (28.4 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Pathfinder’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the Durango’s (38 feet vs. 41 feet).

Chassis

The Nissan Pathfinder may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 750 pounds less than the Dodge Durango.

The Pathfinder is 3.1 inches shorter than the Durango, making the Pathfinder easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Nissan Pathfinder amounts to more than styling. The Pathfinder has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .324 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Durango (.36) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Pathfinder get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The Pathfinder has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Durango can only carry 7.

The Pathfinder has 6.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Durango (148 vs. 141.4).

The Pathfinder has 2.4 inches more front headroom, 4 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear hip room, 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room, 4.3 inches more third row hip room and 8 inches more third row shoulder room than the Durango.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pathfinder’s middle and third row seats recline. The Durango’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Pathfinder’s cargo area provides more volume than the Durango.

	Pathfinder	Durango
Third Seat Folded	45 cubic feet	43.3 cubic feet

The Pathfinder has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Durango doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Pathfinder Platinum’s liftgate can be opened just by waving your foot, leaving your hands completely free. The Durango doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The Pathfinder Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and incoming text message readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Durango doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Pathfinder’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Durango’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The Pathfinder’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Durango’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Pathfinder to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Durango doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Nissan Pathfinder (except S/SV) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Durango doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

See Available Inventory