the sport-utility world is changing. It's a quiet kind of revolution, one

that indicates manufacturers are paying close attention to the needs and

wants of today's customers.

Not so long ago, sport-utility vehicles were evolutionary updates on

pickup trucks. That was certainly the genesis of the original Nissan Pathfinder,

and the same formula worked for early Chevy Blazers and Toyota 4Runners

as well.

Now, increasingly sophisticated buyers are looking for something different.

The hard-riding but off-road capable mid-size sport-utes of past years

won't satisfy them; what they want is a machine with car-like comfort,

equipment and driving characteristics, without giving up the traditional

SUV high stance and suitability for those rare off-road forays.

Introduced last year, the latest Pathfinder reflects the requirements

of this evolving market. Its direct competition comes from the Toyota 4Runner,

also a year-old design; other candidates for consideration include the

Blazer (or GMC Jimmy or Olds Bravada), Ford Explorer or Mercury Villager,

Isuzu Rodeo/Honda Passport and Jeep Cherokees, Grand and regular.

But combining the attributes of a passenger sedan with those of a sport-utility

entails compromise. Knowing your own priorities before stepping into a

showroom is vital; old- and new-style sport-utes do many things well, but

not necessarily the same things.

extra ground clearance. With no shared sheet metal between Pathfinder and

Nissan pickups, the family resemblance is gone. Though the new entry retains

the distinctive triple slots above the grille, it has a more rounded nose

with faired-in headlights and a wagon body with the hard edges smoothed

out.

Automotive resemblances don't stop with the sheet metal. The Pathfinder

eschews the body-on-frame construction common to most sport-utes, using

instead a unit structure that Nissan claims is more than twice as rigid

as its predecessor, as well as considerably lighter. That should keep squeaks

and rattles to a minimum, as it did during our test.

There are three models--XE, SE and LE, in ascending order--and the fancier

versions carry more bright trim than most passenger cars; their grilles,

bumper tops and running boards are plated or polished. Equivalent pieces

on XE models are black (though, curiously, the XE rides on chrome wheels),

creating an immediately apparent distinction between the models.

Both XE (from $23,919, including destination) and LE (from $33,339)

versions are available with rear- or four-wheel drive. The latter is a

part-time system with shift-on-the-fly capability, and we recommend the

optional limited slip rear differential if you're planning to challenge

mucky forest trails.

The sporty SE (from $28,369) is a 4WD-only model that essentially splits

the difference between XE and LE and offers extra ground clearance--8.3

inches, versus 7.5.

As the wide range of listed prices suggests, the various Pathfinders

run the gamut from relatively basic to fully loaded, though there's not

a "stripper" in the bunch. All have a V6 engine, ABS, AM/FM/CD

audio system and rear wash/wipe as standard, but to get air conditioning,

power windows, mirrors and locks, plus leather seats and automatic transmission

without exhaustive option-shopping requires purchase of an LE version.

Our tester was a top-of-the-line LE, with 4WD.

which category the Pathfinder fits best. Granted, the seats are higher

off the ground than they would be in, say, a Nissan Altima, but the dashboard,

seats and all other trim pieces convey a sense of passenger car ambience

and comfort.

Like most sport-utes, getting into or out of a Pathfinder requires a

long step up (or down), but once inside you'll find all the right stuff

in all the right places. Dials (speedometer, tachometer, water temperature

and fuel level) are large, as are buttons for most other necessary functions

and rotary dials for climate control. The radio buttons are a little too

small, and the electric mirror switches are hidden from view by the wheel,

but by and large, the designers have done their work well. Everything else

is sited for easy use.

Seating quality and noise isolation fall into the car-like class as

well. A quiet, comfortable environment is one of the Pathfinder's greatest

assets, followed by generous cargo space, enhanced by the vehicle's increased

dimensions. On the debit side, taller occupants may find a little less

headroom than they'd like, and all adults will wish the rear seat offered

more legroom.

Very little needs to be added to complete the Pathfinder's cabin, especially

when it's an SE or LE; most of us will be quite well served by an SE with

added air conditioning. In fact, we prefer the lesser model's cloth upholstery--especially

for the first sit-down on cold winter mornings. On the other hand, we like

the LE's power glass sunroof and excellent Bose sound system.

One standard feature that might work better on the option list is the

heavily tinted privacy glass for rear doors, quarter windows and liftgate.

Some buyers might find it a trifle dark for night driving.

On the plus side of the driver sightline ledger, the 1996 redesign moved

the spare tire from the liftgate to an underbody storage nook, a change

that also makes it easier to get in and out of the rear cargo hold.

are Rolls-Royces, for that matter--the Pathfinder is a quiet operator on

paved roads. Wind noise is exceptionally low, and the engine is well-muted.

The tires generate some sound (unavoidable with all-season rubber) but

even that is minimal.

On pavement, the Pathfinder's suspension delivers a comfortable ride.

Soft springs and generous wheel travel smooth out all but the worst bumps;

the sole negative in this area is body roll during cornering, a common

trait for sport-utility vehicles. Steering is good as well, striking a

nice balance between precision and low effort.

Performance is still another Pathfinder plus. Even with a load of passengers

and/or cargo, acceleration is brisk and there's enough torque to pull a

5000-pound trailer.

Good as the five-speed manual transmission is, the four-speed automatic

(standard with the LE) struck us as a better all-around match to our tester's

luxo character. It shifts crisply yet unobtrusively, and subtracts less

from straight-ahead performance than many automatic-equipped sport-utes.

We put this down to the power traits of the V6 engine. Its peak horsepower

output isn't extraordinary, but its robust torque comes on early and peaks

at a relatively low 3000 rpm.

Like virtually all sport-utility vehicles, the Pathfinder's fuel economy

is just so-so, even with a manual transmission. But that doesn't seem to

matter much to most SUV buyers.

of sport-utility buyers is looking for. It has style and comfort in abundance,

and combines them with the stance of a traditional go-anywhere vehicle.

There are better choices for truly demanding off-road use, but the Pathfinder

is a good choice for the vast majority of owners who will never use their

vehicles for stump-jumping or cliff-crawling.

Pricing qualifies as premium, nudging into the luxury range for the

LE, but standard equipment levels are commensurately high, and, like all

Nissans, the quality quotient is first rate.