The new 2022 Nissan Pathfinder was released today alongside the and honestly, I’m digging the new design. While the new SUV doesn’t have what I’d think of as particularly memorable looks, I think it’s way better than the blob the previous one was. Check it out.

The new Pathfinder comes paired to a 284-horsepower 3.5-liter, direct-injection V6 with 259 lb-ft of torque. It’s a decent amount of power and it gets transmitted through a new 9-speed automatic transmission. Nissan believes the nearly Fast And Furious number of gears will ensure that the Pathfinder has plenty of acceleration for passing and to minimize variations in engine speeds on grades.

Nissan’s release shows the new Pathfinder getting dirty off-road and in the snow, though the vast majority of Pathfinders will be finding their paths through grocery store parking lots rather than out in the wild.

Pathfinder four-wheel-drive models come equipped with a new intelligent 4WD system featuring seven drive and terrain modes. The off-road driving modes are Snow, Sand and Mud/Rut. Nissan that its Intelligent 4WD system works by automatically adjusting power between the front and rear wheels. The system can be locked into 4WD mode should the situation call for it. So it’s not going to conquer Moab, but you should still be able to have some good fun in a Pathfinder.

Also included in the drive modes is a tow mode for the Pathfinder’s nice 6,000-pound towing capacity. That’s more than plenty to haul a camper or some snowmobiles anywhere.

The Pathfinder comes with quite a bit of tech, too.

Audio is handled by NissanConnect that comes with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard on all Pathfinders. Options include neat stuff like a WiFi hot spot, a phone charging pad and a 13-speaker Bose system.

SL and SV trim levels now get Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist, which combines cruise control with steering assist. Upgrade to the Platnum trim level and the ProPILOT can use GPS data to slow down for curves ahead of time.

Nissan hasn’t revealed any pricing or fuel economy for the new Pathfinder. However, we’ll know closer to the vehicle’s summer release date.

I cannot remember when was the last time I’ve seen a Pathfinder on the road. They kind of just blend into the landscape. Even though I like the design of this one much more than the last, I doubt that will change. When I first saw this press release my first thought was it looked like another crossover.