So I've went from loving my Pathfinder to questioning it.. In looking for something with more space/ a more comfortable ride. The new Ford Explorer looks like a good option.

I'm getting sick of the rough ride and cramped back seat. Don't get me wrong I love the Pathy in terms of how it can tackle anything and looks.. but realistically i need something comfortable for long road trips we often take.

Recently we took 2 long road trips.. first was to FL from PA (1000 miles) just got new tires and alignment before. My parents were driving with us in their Honda Pilot. First Gas.. unfortunately we kept having to be the ones that needed to pull over, while they still had plenty of gas... wish i had a bigger tank, not to crazy about mileage, more so range... Second, cruising at 85 -90 mph wasn't a huge problem but with the road noise and shakes it made for an uncomfortable ride..

second road trip.. upstate NY ( 400 miles) hundreds of dead bugs on my windshield... It was a miserable ride home. it jumps all over the place on the winding NY roads. To the point it would wake up my 1 year old in the back seat.

I think my time is up.. It was a great run, but with the family thing in mind.. being able to sit in the back seat with our baby and be comfortable is a huge desire, test driving the explorer.. definitely delivered a quiet smooth ride... Haven't decided to trade the pathy in yet.. but debating...

scarelli wrote:So I've went from loving my Pathfinder to questioning it.. In looking for something with more space/ a more comfortable ride. The new Ford Explorer looks like a good option.

I'm getting sick of the rough ride and cramped back seat. Don't get me wrong I love the Pathy in terms of how it can tackle anything and looks.. but realistically i need something comfortable for long road trips we often take.

"Rough" is one of those really subjective words. I would consider the stock suspension in the Pathfinder as being the polar opposite of rough. Even with firmer suspension, I still find the ride in mine is far softer than most other trail-worthy SUVs.

we took 2 long road trips.. first was to FL from PA (1000 miles) just got new tires and alignment before. My parents were driving with us in their Honda Pilot. First Gas.. unfortunately we kept having to be the ones that needed to pull over, while they still had plenty of gas... wish i had a bigger tank, not to crazy about mileage, more so range... Second, cruising at 85 -90 mph wasn't a huge problem but with the road noise and shakes it made for an uncomfortable ride..

I've never actually noticed road noise, but I've also never driven without music playing. If you are feeling the shakes, then something is wrong somewhere. I drive at those speeds pretty much every time I hit the interstate driving out of town, but I've never had any indication of shakes. Yes, the Pathfinder sips a bit more gas than a Honda, but you also can't take that Honda to the same places that you can the Pathfinder. If you are mostly a pavement kind of guy, which it sounds like, a car would be more of a benefit for you, or as you say, one of the crossover car/SUVs like the Explorer. They look like they have lots of bells and whistles. It would be a car-like ride & certainly a bit more car-like at the pump. Whatever you end up doing, let us know. Best of luck with the decision.

Sounds like you would be a perfect candidate for the "soon to be released" 2013 Pathfinder (or current Infiniti JX), which is designed to be more of a highway hauler than the current, off-road capable, full framed Pathfinder. It runs the VQ35DE and key points are better ride and 25% better gas mileage compared to the R51. Like the current Explorer, the new Pathy will also have a unibody chassis. If I'm not mistaken, the Explorer is built on the Taurus chassis. Another option is the Toyota Highlander, based on the Camry chassis. The Pilot's not a bad choice, either. It's definately worth a careful look into the pros and cons of all of them. Having had a chance to see the Pathfinder "sister" Infiniti JX, I think it would worth a wait to check it out! As far as the ride of the R51, I think Consumer Reports termed it as "unsettled," which I think is a pretty fair assessment. My 06 LE does tend to "bounce around" or "skip" across the bumpy asphalt roads new my home in VA and it's not due to worn steering or suspension componants. My friends 08 SE drives the same. I prefer a firmer ride, personally, so it doesn't bother me much. I think monotube rear shocks and Airlift 1000's would improve the ride and will probably be a future upgrade.

Two words that will talk you out of it...Soccer Mom!!

What gas milage does the Explorer get? It is not a small vehicle either. I just came back from a long road trip from Vancouver to the Kootenays, around 600km one way. I found the ride comfortable and somewhat quite. The air bags made a big difference in reducing body roll and bouncing on rough roads. Average MPG was just over 20 at 50mph through mountain passes and lots of hills and corners. BTW, what is the speed limit down there?

Sounds like you're leaning toward a minivan!

Sounds like someone has some issues with suspension if you are complaining about the suspension. its so soft it bugs me... getting new suspension soon, I might take it to a shop, while your at it, check your weather-stripping. Road noise is there. but manageable. explorer's are just as loud if not louder (speaking from a brother that has a '10.) there is a reason they have adopted the name ford Exploder.

You can't really compare the 2010 Explorer to the 2013 Explorer; it's like comparing a 2012 Pathfinder to the upcoming 2013 Pathfinder. The '10 Explorer had the body on frame design, similar to our current Pathfinders. The 2013 Explorer uses, if I'm not mistaken, a Volvo-derived unibody chassis that is also used on the current Taurus. The ol' "Exploder" 4.0L-V6 has been replaced by a 3.5L-V6 and a 2.0L-turbo four. Their gas mileage runs around 19 mpg (combined) for the V6 AWD model. The 2013 Pathfinder's sister, the Infiniti JX35 AWD, is rating a combined 20 MPG, so the Pathfinder should be similar when it's released. So, the mpg camparison between the new Explorer and Pathfinder is almost a draw, with a slight advantage to the Pathfinder.

Thanks for all the replies.. I did an extended test drive with the Explorer yestderday... After driving it for a day, I'm thinking we are going to stick with the Pathfinder a little longer.. and go take a look at the new infiniti to see what the next pathfinder will bring.. The Explorer is definitely quieter. and the seats are more comfortable.. but it feels low driving it... and I'm not sure how i feel about that.. The reason I thought of ford to begin with was because my brother in law has a F150 platinum and the huge back seat was awesome..

Overall the Explorer is nice, but for the setup we like it would cost around 45k and i'm not sure if it's quite worth that.. After turning the explorer back in after our test drive and driving the Pathfinder home, i was liking the pathfinder again...

So we are staying with the pathfinder for now.. till something worthwhile comes along... The Pathfinder is great at a lot, but a few things not so much.. tight back seat, but there has been plenty of times the shorter length and width of the car has come in handy...

The new explorer is suppose to be a lot better on gas milage than the older explorers and a better ride, but as others have pointed out so is the 2013 Pathfinder. The only input I v
Can give you is that my brother loves his explorers, always has but the gas milage kills him. It is worse then my 04 Pathfinder, which gets about 11 miles to the gallon local driving, and about 14 or 15 highway. This is just a round about since I have not had it long. For me I like both the Explorer and the Pathfinder, but my heart is with the older Pathys. I find the leather in the explorers to be very hard and do not feel that the body holds up as well as the older Pathfinders. If you are on the road you still see so many old Pathfinders in great shape, but look at the Fords and they do not have the shine or body condition as the same year Pathfinders, many rusted or lack shine. I know a lot has to do with how you take care of it, but all in all I truly believe Pathfinders hold up better.