2027 Nissan Pathfinder Special Edition Gets a Retro Interior

Nissan is marking the Pathfinder's 40th anniversary with a Special Edition that revives the burgundy cabin of the original 1987 model, part of a 2027 lineup that reaches dealers in November and opens at a $39,990 starting price.

The Special Edition slots between the SL and Platinum grades, priced from $47,390 in front-wheel-drive form and $49,390 with Intelligent AWD. Its defining touch is a two-tone interior pairing black and burgundy, a nod to the burgundy cloth upholstery that distinguished the first-generation SUV. The theme carries outside through red exterior accents, including PATHFINDER lettering on the liftgate.

Equipment on the Special Edition runs ahead of lower grades. Buyers get black 20-inch alloys, a panoramic moonroof, captain's chairs in the second row, rear door sunshades and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system. A tow hitch receiver raises towing capacity to a class-leading 6,000 pounds, up from the 3,500-pound standard rating.

"The Nissan Pathfinder has challenged preconceptions of SUVs for 40 years, giving families more of what they need for the everyday while retaining the rugged confidence that made the original an instant hit," said Marco Fioravanti, Nissan U.S. and Canada's vice president of product planning. "The Pathfinder Special Edition celebrates that legacy by connecting one of our most beloved nameplates with the customers and adventures that shaped its story."

Mechanically, the 2027 Pathfinder is unchanged, carrying the 3.5-liter V6 paired with a nine-speed automatic and rated at 284 horsepower and 259 lb-ft of torque. The lineup still spans the SV, SL, Rock Creek, Special Edition and Platinum grades, with the Rock Creek retaining its all-terrain tires and off-road suspension tuning, along with LED fog lights, leatherette seats specific to the grade and Lava Red stitching inside. The flagship Platinum 4WD tops the range at $51,890. Destination and handling adds $1,575.

The anniversary push lands as the nameplate posts strong numbers. According to Nissan, the Pathfinder set a record for total quarterly volume during the second quarter of 2026, and the company sold its 2 millionth Pathfinder in September. Cumulative retail sales in the third quarter marked the model's second-best third-quarter retail performance on record, Nissan says. The automaker reports its overall retail sales rose 6.8% during the quarter, and the brand held its position as America's fastest-growing mainstream automaker for a 13th consecutive month, with a 19th straight month of year-over-year retail growth.

Introduced as a 1987 model, the Pathfinder has moved across five generations from a compact two-door to a three-row family hauler. It has been assembled at Nissan's Smyrna, Tennessee plant since 2004, and, per the automaker, earned a place on the 2026 Cars.com American-Made Index for the second year running. Nissan reports that U.S.-built vehicles made up close to 60% of its combined Nissan and INFINITI sales in the year to September, a rise of nine percentage points year over year, a figure the company aims to push to 80% by 2030.

The 2027 Pathfinder was also named a 2026 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ and a "Best New Vehicle for Teens" by IIHS and Consumer Reports.