Compare the2023 Nissan PathfinderVS 2023 GMC Acadia

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row 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 GMC Acadia doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

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 Acadia doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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

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 Acadia doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Pathfinder its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Acadia last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

The Pathfinder’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Acadia’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Pathfinder has a standard 760-amp battery. The Acadia’s 660-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 6 places higher in reliability than GMC.

The Pathfinder’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 56 more horsepower (284 vs. 228) and 1 lbs.-ft. more torque (259 vs. 258) than the Acadia’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

For better stopping power the Pathfinder’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Acadia:

For better traction, the Pathfinder has larger tires than the Acadia (255/60R18 vs. 235/65R18).

The Pathfinder’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Acadia SLE/SLT’s standard 65 series tires. The Pathfinder’s optional tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Acadia’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Pathfinder has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Acadia AT4.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Pathfinder’s wheelbase is 1.7 inches longer than on the Acadia (114.2 inches vs. 112.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Pathfinder is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Acadia.

For greater off-road capability the Pathfinder Rock Creek has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Acadia (7.7 vs. 7.2 inches), allowing the Pathfinder to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Pathfinder has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Acadia can only carry up to 7.

The Pathfinder has 4.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Acadia (148 vs. 143.8).

The Pathfinder has 2.3 inches more front headroom, 3.3 inches more front legroom, 2.6 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, 3 inches more rear hip room, .9 inches more rear shoulder room, .6 inches more third row headroom, 3.8 inches more third row hip room and 4.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Acadia.

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

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

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Pathfinder easier. The Pathfinder’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.5 inches, while the Acadia’s liftover is 32 inches.

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

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Pathfinder. The Acadia doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Pathfinder’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Acadia’s (3500 vs. 1000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the GMC Acadia is only 4000 pounds. The Pathfinder offers up to a 6000 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Pathfinder uses the Vehicle Dynamic Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Acadia doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

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 Acadia’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

On a hot day the Pathfinder’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Acadia can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Pathfinder Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Acadia’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Pathfinder’s headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Acadia’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

The Nissan Pathfinder outsold the GMC Acadia by 9% during 2022.