2014 Nissan Pathfinder
Independent review & score by Carivo
Independent review & score by Carivo
| Seating Capacity | 7 passengers |
|---|---|
| Body Style | SUV |
| Base Price | $21,700–$27,071 |
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov & manufacturer data. Figures reflect base trim; actual specs vary by trim level.
The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder is a suv that earns a Carivo score of 6.6/10 — rated Good. Its strongest dimension is Safety at 7.8/10, while Technology at 6.2/10 is where it trails the competition most noticeably. It's a capable but unexceptional suv — stronger alternatives exist if you're willing to shop the segment carefully.
Reliability and safety are the two dimensions that matter most for long-term ownership costs. At 6.2/10 for reliability, this suv trails its segment. That doesn't rule it out, but go in with eyes open on running costs. Safety lands at 7.8/10 — solid, though some rivals offer more advanced driver-assist features as standard. Confirm official results for your trim at nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Performance at 6.4/10 is a genuine liability and a score that should factor heavily into any buying decision. The powertrain and chassis dynamics trail class rivals by a meaningful margin — don't overlook it. Technology scores 6.2/10 — the infotainment and driver-assist features feel dated against current-generation rivals. This is worth weighing if you prioritize connected features or modern safety tech.
Priced from $21,700–$27,071, 12 MPG, seating 7, the Nissan Pathfinder sits in the budget-friendly tier of the suv market. The value score of 6.6/10 is a red flag — comparable alternatives offer meaningfully more for the same outlay. Shop the segment before deciding. At 12 years old, resale value, parts availability, and whether a successor model has improved on its weak points are all worth investigating before committing.
Verdict: The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder sits in the middle of the field. Until its value and performance and reliability and technology scores improve, stronger options exist at this price. Worth a look if it fits a specific need; otherwise use our compare tool against the segment leaders first.
Carivo scores are our own editorial assessment, informed by NHTSA safety and recall records, EPA fuel-economy figures, and manufacturer-published specifications. Scores are reviewed periodically and updated when new data becomes available. See our full methodology →
The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder ranks #2331 of 2454 suvs in the Carivo database — better than 5% of the segment. Its 6.6/10 overall score is 0.8 points below the segment average of 7.4/10. Its $21,700 starting price undercuts the segment's median of $36,079 by about 40%.
Rankings are recalculated as new vehicles and scores are added. See the full SUV ranking → · Best SUVs under $25k →
| Fuel (75,000 miles) | ~$21,875 ($4,375/year at $3.50/gal) |
|---|---|
| Recall repairs | $0 — 11 campaigns on record; recall work is always free at franchised dealers |
| Insurance | Varies widely by driver and state — always quote the exact trim before buying |
We only print costs we can compute from sourced data (EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls). We don't estimate maintenance or depreciation — anyone who gives you one number for those is guessing.
Across the Pathfinder model years we've scored, the 2014 holds its position — we didn't find an older year that delivers similar scores for meaningfully less money.
| Year | Score | Starting price (MSRP when new) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7.6/10 | $37,533 | Read review → |
| 2025 | 7.6/10 | $37,533 | Read review → |
| 2024 | 7.4/10 | $36,440 | Read review → |
| 2023 | 7.4/10 | $35,346 | Read review → |
| 2022 | 7.3/10 | $34,253 | Read review → |
| 2021 | 7.3/10 | $33,160 | Read review → |
| 2020 | 7.2/10 | $32,067 | Read review → |
| 2019 | 7.2/10 | $30,974 | Read review → |
| 2018 | 7.2/10 | $29,880 | Read review → |
| 2017 | 7.1/10 | $28,787 | Read review → |
| 2016 | 7.0/10 | $27,694 | Read review → |
| 2015 | 7.0/10 | $26,601 | Read review → |
The following recall campaigns have been filed with NHTSA for this model and year. Recall repairs are performed free of charge by franchised dealers; check your specific vehicle with our free VIN recall checker.
| Air bags / Sensor / Occupant classification 26/04/2016 · 16V244000 | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and… |
|---|---|
| Electrical system / Software 25/03/2014 · 14V138000 | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the… |
| Exterior lighting / Brake lights / Switch 31/05/2016 · 16V380000 | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Pathfinder vehicles manufactured June 20, 2012, to June 13, 2013. The brake light switch may have been installed incorrectly causing the relay to make intermittent contact and… |
| Wheels / Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs 02/05/2014 · 14V229000 | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014 Pathfinder and Rogue vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The right side wheels of the affected vehicles may have one lug nut each that was not properly tightened. |
| Air bags / Frontal 20/10/2015 · 15V681000 | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The… |
Showing 5 of 11 campaigns — see the full list on NHTSA's site.
Own a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder that's been repaired repeatedly for the same problem? It may qualify under your state's lemon law — run the free lemon law check →
We rate the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder's reliability 6.2/10 — below the segment average, so budget for higher maintenance. It has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns on record for this model year (details in the recalls section above — repairs are free at dealers).
11 NHTSA recall campaigns matched this model and year as of our latest check. Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
It scores 6.6/10 overall, ranking #2331 of 2454 suvs in our database (better than 5% of the segment). Stronger-scoring alternatives exist at similar prices — use our compare tool before committing.
The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder starts at $21,700 and ranges up to $27,071 across trims (MSRP when new). At 12 MPG, expect roughly $4,375/year in fuel at 15,000 miles/year.
Based on our year-by-year scoring, the weakest Pathfinder years we've rated are 2016 (7.0/10), 2015 (7.0/10), 2017 (7.1/10) — each at least half a point below the nameplate's best (7.6/10). See the full year table above before deciding.
The documented issues for the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder are its NHTSA recall campaigns, which involve: Air bags, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Wheels (details in the recalls section above; repairs are free at dealers). For wear-and-tear patterns beyond recalls, owner forums are the best source — we only report what federal data documents.
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