2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2023 Nissan Pathfinder

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder had seen a redesign for the 2022 model year, carrying over into 2023 with mostly minimal changes except for the Rock Creek trim level. The Pathfinder featured futuristic headlights with traditional lights inside them and an angular C-pillar behind the rear door, blending traditional and forward-thinking design elements. This resulted in a modern SUV likely to remain relevant in the future. Inside, the Pathfinder’s cabin had clean lines and a sensible layout, making it visually appealing and practical for daily use.

Five trims were available for the Pathfinder: S, SV, SL, Rock Creek, and Platinum. The S trim included standard features like 18-inch alloy wheels, cloth upholstery, push-button start, remote keyless entry, and tri-zone automatic climate control. Higher trims added various amenities such as heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat, leather upholstery, wireless device charging, and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The Rock Creek trim offered off-road capabilities and unique styling features, while the Platinum trim boasted upgraded leather upholstery and 20-inch alloy wheels, among other luxurious features.

Conversely, the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport exuded a minimalist and clean design, often described by Land Rover as “modernist” and “reductive.” These attributes made the Range Rover Sport look refined yet subtle, with minimal factory options to make it flashy except for the Firenze Red paint and diamond-turned 23-inch wheels. The test vehicle offered an understated Eiger Gray paint with 23-inch silver wheels and a Black Exterior Pack, creating a terrific aesthetic. Inside, the cabin featured a Deep Garnet over Ebony theme with aluminum and shiny black trim, embodying understated luxury.

Land Rover provided the Range Rover Sport in SE P360, SE Dynamic P400, and Autobiography P440e trims. Highlights of its design included premium LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and surface LED technology taillights. Its aerodynamics were also impressive, boasting a drag coefficient of 0.29. Inside, the cabin had a luxurious high-tech appearance with sustainable Ultrafabrics and sumptuous Windsor leather upholstery.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. The Rock Creek variant had the same engine but with a slight boost to 295 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. Power was managed through a 9-speed automatic transmission, directed to either FWD or AWD, which Nissan labeled as 4WD, though it was more comparable to traditional AWD systems.

The Rock Creek model aimed to enhance off-road capability with a 5/8-inch taller suspension and off-road shocks. However, while these modifications improved off-road performance, they resulted in a rougher ride on paved roads. The vehicle featured a rotary drive mode dial with various settings, including Eco, Sport, Normal, Sand, Mud/Rut Snow, and Towing, plus an additional All-Terrain mode in the Rock Creek. The Rock Creek and select trims could tow up to 6,000 pounds, whereas most models were capped at 3,500 pounds. Despite innovative drive modes, the new shifter design was a bit cumbersome.

Land Rover’s 2023 Range Rover Sport came with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine, featuring mild-hybrid technology. The SE Dynamic version had a higher output with 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, while the SE P360 model offered 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain in the Autobiography P440e variant supplied 434 horsepower and an estimated 51 miles of electric driving range.

A 523-horsepower twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 was offered for certain early 2023 versions, although it was temporarily unavailable. The new Range Rover Sport’s inline-six provided ample power, accelerating to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and an Intelligent AWD system, it offered a towing capacity of 7,716 pounds. The Range Rover Sport averaged 21 mpg combined and even achieved 25.1 mpg on highway driving.

Land Rover equipped the vehicle with adaptive damping air suspension and introduced a new Dynamic driving mode for improved handling. While the Range Rover Sport excelled in refinement, its driver-focused engagement lagged behind sportier competitors from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Yet off-road, it proved invincible with significant ground clearance and advanced terrain technology.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder provided practical cargo space and interior configurations. With the second and third rows folded flat, it offered up to 80.5 cubic feet of cargo space. With the second row in use, the cargo space reduced to 45 cubic feet, and with all seats up, it provided 16.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats. Although solid, these figures were slightly outdone by competitors like the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. The first two rows afforded plenty of headroom and legroom, and the third row was serviceable for shorter adult trips.

Interior storage was ample with 12 cupholders and several cubbies. The Rock Creek trim featured a functional roof rack accommodating up to 220 pounds, though the low clearance made snow removal tricky. Overall, the Pathfinder offered practical family-friendly features.

The 2023 Range Rover Sport’s redesigned interior maintained the Command Driving Position, offering a tall and airy feel. Adjustable air suspension made entry and exit easy, and the front seats were comfortable with 20-way adjustability, heating, and ventilation. Rear seats, however, felt cramped for taller passengers, and hard seatback panels weren’t friendly to knees. Storage included decent space within the cabin, though some bins were less functional. The rear cargo area provided 31.9 cubic feet of space, expanding to 53 cubic feet with the seats folded down.

The Range Rover Sport's storage solutions included a unique deep bin under the sliding cupholder tray. However, the full-size spare tire limited under-floor storage, and the narrow rear door openings posed access challenges.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder offered an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Higher trims featured a 9-inch screen. Although the graphics were not the highest quality, functionality was seamless with logical menus and physical buttons and dials. The SV trim added a Wi-Fi hotspot, while the SL trim provided wireless CarPlay, wireless charging, and additional USB ports. The Pathfinder's tech was practical, though perhaps not cutting-edge.

The 2023 Range Rover Sport included advanced technology with a 13.7-inch digital instrument display and a 13.1-inch touchscreen with haptic feedback. Standard features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and SiriusXM. However, using the Pivi Pro system proved challenging and frustrating, with confusing menu navigation and unhelpful digital assistants. Despite this, options like Meridian audio systems and Active Noise Cancellation impressed, enhancing the luxurious experience.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder came equipped with numerous standard driver assistance features including forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, forward and reverse collision warning, pedestrian detection, and more. Higher trims added ProPilot Assist with lane centering, adaptive cruise control, front parking sensors, 360-degree monitor, and traffic-sign recognition. The Pathfinder offered comprehensive safety technology without major drawbacks.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured advanced safety systems such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Additionally, it included driver monitoring, parking sensors, and a surround-view camera with ClearSight Ground View. An evaluation revealed that adaptive cruise control and steering assist were slow to respond and frustrating in certain conditions, requiring frequent overrides from the driver.