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 Honda Odyssey doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.
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 Odyssey doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.
With its standard Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, the Nissan Pathfinder is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Honda Odyssey, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
|
Pathfinder |
Odyssey |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
|
Crossing Child - DAY |
|
12 MPH |
-11 MPH |
-10 MPH |
25 MPH |
AVOIDED |
-21 MPH |
|
Crossing Adult - NIGHT |
|
12 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
12 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
No Slowing |
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
25 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
|
Parallel Adult - NIGHT |
|
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-15 MPH |
25 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
No Slowing |
37 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-28 MPH |
Warning Issued-Brights |
1.7 sec |
1.3 sec |
37 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
No Slowing |
Warning Issued-Low beams |
1.5 sec |
No Warning |
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 Odyssey doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.
The Pathfinder offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Odyssey doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.
The Pathfinder Rock Creek/SL/Platinum has a standard Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Odyssey 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.
Both the Pathfinder and the Odyssey have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, 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 and driver alert monitors.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Pathfinder is much safer than the Odyssey:
|
Pathfinder |
Odyssey |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
POOR |
Structure |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Chest Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Thigh/hip Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Leg/foot Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Rear Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck Rating |
GOOD |
POOR |
Chest Rating |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Thigh Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Pathfinder is safer than the Honda Odyssey:
|
Pathfinder |
Odyssey |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Hip Force |
244 lbs. |
321 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
88 |
125 |
Spine Acceleration |
33 G’s |
70 G’s |
Hip Force |
461 lbs. |
709 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
234 |
369 |
Spine Acceleration |
37 G’s |
41 G’s |
Hip Force |
466 lbs. |
472 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Nissan Pathfinder is safer than the Odyssey:
|
Pathfinder |
Odyssey |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
125 |
127 |
Neck Compression |
22 lbs. |
45 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Shoulder Deflection |
.63 in |
.87 in |
Shoulder Force |
156 lbs. |
223 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
.94 in |
1.26 in |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
65 |
142 |
Neck Tension |
89 lbs. |
112 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Shoulder Deflection |
.55 in |
.98 in |
Shoulder Force |
178 lbs. |
312 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
.75 in |
1.81 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
4 MPH |
11 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
580 lbs. |
915 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
The Nissan Pathfinder has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Odyssey is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.