Compare the2024 BMW X7VS 2024 Nissan Pathfinder

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The X7’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the middle seat shoulder belts of the BMW X7 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Nissan Pathfinder doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

The X7 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The X7 has standard Post-Crash Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the X7. But it costs extra on the Pathfinder.

Both the X7 and Pathfinder have rear cross-traffic warning, but the X7 has Cross Traffic Warning with braking function (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Pathfinder’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the X7 and the Pathfinder have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The BMW X7 weighs 792 to 1669 pounds more than the Nissan Pathfinder. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

The X7 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Pathfinder’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The X7’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Pathfinder’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X7 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Pathfinder.

Reliability

The battery on the X7 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the X7’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Pathfinder’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the X7’s reliability 15 points higher than the Pathfinder.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Nissan is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 8 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

Engine

The X7 has more powerful engines than the Pathfinder:

	Horsepower	Torque
X7 xDrive40i 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid	375 HP	398 lbs.-ft.
X7 M60i 4.4 turbo V8 hybrid	523 HP	553 lbs.-ft.
Alpina XB7 4.4 turbo V8	631 HP	590 lbs.-ft.
Pathfinder 3.5 DOHC V6	284 HP	259 lbs.-ft.
Pathfinder Rock Creek 3.5 DOHC V6	295 HP	270 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the X7 xDrive40i 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Nissan Pathfinder (base engine):

	X7	Pathfinder
Zero to 60 MPH	4.8 sec	7.1 sec
Quarter Mile	13.5 sec	15.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	101.6 MPH	92.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the X7 gets better mileage than the Pathfinder:

			MPG
X7
	AWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	21 city/25 hwy
Pathfinder
	AWD	Platinum 3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/25 hwy
		3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/23 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the X7’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The X7 has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Pathfinder (21.9 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The X7 has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Pathfinder. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

The X7’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the X7 M Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Pathfinder:

	X7 M Sport	Pathfinder
Front Rotors	15.6 inches	13.8 inches
Rear Rotors	14.6 inches	13 inches

The X7 stops much shorter than the Pathfinder:

	X7	Pathfinder
60 to 0 MPH	105 feet	130 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the X7 has larger standard tires than the Pathfinder (F:275/40R22 & R:315/35R22 vs. 255/60R18). The X7’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Pathfinder (285/45R21 vs. 255/60R18).

The X7’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Pathfinder’s standard 60 series tires. The X7’s optional 275/35R23 front and 315/30R23 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the Pathfinder’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X7 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Pathfinder. The X7’s optional 23-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Pathfinder.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the X7 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The X7 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the X7 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Pathfinder, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The X7 has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Pathfinder’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The X7 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The X7’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the X7’s wheelbase is 8 inches longer than on the Pathfinder (122.2 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The X7’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (48.3% to 51.7%) than the Pathfinder’s (55% to 45%). This gives the X7 more stable handling and braking.

The X7 xDrive40i handles at .88 G’s, while the Pathfinder Platinum pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The X7 xDrive40i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.3 seconds quicker than the Pathfinder Platinum (26.1 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the X7 has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Pathfinder (8.7 vs. 7.1 inches), allowing the X7 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The X7’s minimum ground clearance is 1 inch higher than on the Pathfinder Rock Creek (8.7 vs. 7.7 inches).

Chassis

The design of the BMW X7 amounts to more than styling. The X7 offers aerodynamic coefficients of drag from .32 to .34 Cd (depending on bodystyle and options). That is lower than the Pathfinder (.34 to .355) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the X7 get better fuel mileage.

The front grille of the X7 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The X7 has .3 inches more rear headroom, 2.1 inches more rear legroom and 5.3 inches more third row legroom than the Pathfinder.

Cargo Capacity

The X7’s cargo area provides more volume than the Pathfinder.

	X7	Pathfinder
Third Seat Folded	48.6 cubic feet	45 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	90.4 cubic feet	80.5 cubic feet

Pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the X7’s second and third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The X7’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Pathfinder’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Towing

The X7’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Pathfinder’s (5950 vs. 3500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Nissan Pathfinder is only 6000 pounds. The X7 offers up to a 7500 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The X7 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Pathfinder uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the X7 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Pathfinder. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Nissan. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 17% lower rating, Nissan is ranked 18th.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Pathfinder Platinum, the X7 has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The X7’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Pathfinder does not have an oil pressure gauge.

If the windows are left open on the X7 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Pathfinder can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The X7’s standard Comfort Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Intelligent Key standard on the Pathfinder doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door. Intelligent Key is not available on the Pathfinder SL/Platinum.

The X7’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Pathfinder’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the X7 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer cornering lights. The X7 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The X7’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Pathfinder SV/Rock Creek/SL/Platinum.

The X7’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Pathfinder offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The X7 has standard heated front and optional heated second and third row seats, which keep the driver and passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Nissan doesn’t offer heated seats in the third row of the Pathfinder.

The X7 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Pathfinder SL/Platinum.

The X7 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Pathfinder.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW X7 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Pathfinder SL/Platinum offers wireless charging.

The X7’s Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Control will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW X7, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Nissan Pathfinder isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the X7 second among large premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Pathfinder isn’t in the top three.