Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2013 Nissan Pathfinder VS 2013 Dodge Grand Near Phoenix, AZ

The Pathfinder offers all wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Grand Caravan doesn’t offer all wheel drive.

The Pathfinder Platinum has a standard Around View ® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Grand Caravan only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Pathfinder and the Grand Caravan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The Pathfinder’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Grand Caravan runs out after 100,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan 12th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is ranked 29th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan 18th in reliability. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is ranked 31st.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Pathfinder is faster than the Dodge Grand Caravan:

On the EPA test cycle the Pathfinder FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Grand Caravan (20 city/26 hwy vs. 17 city/25 hwy).

For better stopping power the Pathfinder’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Grand Caravan:

The Pathfinder’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Grand Caravan are solid, not vented.

The Pathfinder stops shorter than the Grand Caravan:

For better traction, the Pathfinder has larger tires than the Grand Caravan (235/65R18 vs. 225/65R16).

The Pathfinder Platinum’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Grand Caravan’s 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Pathfinder has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Grand Caravan AVP/SE. The Pathfinder Platinum’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Grand Caravan SXT/Crew/R/T.

The Pathfinder has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Grand Caravan doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For superior ride and handling, the Nissan Pathfinder has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Dodge Grand Caravan has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Pathfinder has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Grand Caravan doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Nissan Pathfinder may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 50 to 350 pounds less than the Dodge Grand Caravan.

The Pathfinder is 5.6 inches shorter than the Grand Caravan, making the Pathfinder easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces. The Pathfinder is 5.6 inches shorter than the Grand Caravan.

The Pathfinder has 2.4 inches more front headroom, 1.6 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more rear headroom and 5.2 inches more rear legroom than the Grand Caravan.

The Pathfinder’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Grand Caravan AVP’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.