370Z

The old Z-car is discontinued, but the new Z will be coming as a 2023 model.

Altima

A Midnight Edition features black-out trim and black 19-inch alloy wheels. Offered on the SR, it also includes heated front seats, LED fog-lights, driver's seat power lumbar and a moonroof.

Armada

Just out of a refresh for 2021, the Armada gets its entry-level S trim back for 2022. Wireless smartphone charging and heated front seats are no longer standard.

Frontier

2022 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab courtesy Nissan U.S. Newsroom

Nissan is touting its 2022 Frontier as "all-new," but it uses the same wheelbases, the same brakes, the same suspension, and even the same tilt-steering column (no telescoping feature) as the 2005 model. The engine and transmission, new last year, are the newest elements, but one could get them in the old bodystyle for 2021.

What is new is most of the sheet metal. The Frontier badly needed a fresh look and got it.

A heated steering wheel is now offered.

Knee airbags for driver and front passenger have been added to the dual front airbags, front seat side impact airbags and the side widow curtain airbags for both seating rows. Rear seat outer seatbelts now have pretensioners.

New active safety features include standard Intelligent Forward Collision, Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, optional lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross path alert, and High Beam Assist. Intelligent Cruise Control is also offered.

GT-R

Discontinued.

Kicks

No changes.

Leaf

The price is lowered for 2022 and more features are standard. Base S models are $2170 lower, now $28375 with destination. SV models with the standard motor and battery are over $6000 less. On the SL PLUS, the price is $6470 less than 2021.

Voice recognition and Charge Package are now standard on Leaf S. Leather seats are now standard on SL. Heated front seats are standard on SV. ProPILOT Assist, power driver's seat, LED headlights, electronic parking brake, Intelligent Around View Monitor and Intelligent Driver Alertness are all standard on SV PLUS.

Maxima

Heated rear seats are now standard on Platinum.

Murano

A new Midnight Edition, something akin to the "Gold Package" trend of the 1990's, includes SV equipment plus black grille, trim and 20-inch black painted alloy wheels.

Vehicle speed sensitive intermittent wipers are now also standard on Murano S. Murano SV (and by extension Midnight Edition) have heated front seats as standard equipment for 2022.

The Murano SV no longer offers the Special Edition Package, eliminating the availability of the Intelligent Around View Monitor and Dual Panel Panoramic Moonroof from the SV trim.

NV

The Nissan commercial cargo and passenger vans never succeeded commercially and are now discontinued.

Pathfinder

2022 Nissan Pathfinder courtesy Nissan News

The Pathfinder occupies a middle-of-the-ground, populous segment: mid-sized, three-row crossover sport utilities. The fine line this segment walks between utility, style and efficiency is a tight one, where consumers want a tough-looking vehicle, that doesn't guzzle gas, has room for all their kids and stuff and doesn't drive like a UPS truck. The old Pathfinder flunked almost every part of this test, but the worst failing was its looks. The 2020 Pathfinder wasn't as appealing as some minivans in the looks department, including even the defunct Nissan Quest. Its dated, jelly-bean look didn't work too well on the first generation Murano but was a complete flop when stretched out for a full (sort of) third row. A rounded short nose was a clear minivan cue, but the rounding in the back just took any storage space out of the picture.

2020 Pathfinder

The new front-end on the Pathfinder is its best feature. Even though its almost an inch shorter (on the same wheelbase), the new grille stands upright and has dual-element headlight units with a lot of character. And their upright grille didn't hurt efficiency: the coefficient of drag is lower than on the old model. On the sides the new model gets shoulders. With a track width wider by over an inch and wider optional tires, the wheels fill the wheel-wells much better. Both features improve stability and handling as well, but the impact on the looks is far greater. The rear fixes the dumpy, round back-end of the 2020 model with a clean, straight angle to the back window. Rear visibility should improve as a result, too. New two-tone combinations are tastefully done. The break, about 3/4 up the C-pillar is unique and at the same time reminds one of the original Pathfinder.

The biggest news other than the looks: a 9-speed automatic transmission replaces the much-maligned continuously variable (CVT) unit. A new drive mode selector offers five choices for front-wheel drive models (Standard, Sport, Eco, Snow, and Tow) and seven models with 4-wheel drive. Sand and Mud/Rut are the additional settings. Automatic engine start/stop (with a disable button!) has been added to the otherwise identical 3.5 DOHC V6, still with 284 horsepower. All of these changes don't appreciably change fuel mileage.

On the inside, the capacity grows enough to add a third passenger to the back row, bringing standard capacity up to eight, competitive with the class. Bucket seats are now offered in the second row, which brings seating back down to seven with that option. An 8-inch infotainment system is standard and a 9-inch one is available. Platinum models also get a 12.3-inch digital dashboard and a 10.8-inch heads-up display. Thicker window glass and more sound insulation delivers a quieter cabin.

Maximum towing is still a hefty 6000 pounds, but it is no longer standard, requiring a package in SV and SL. Pathfinder S is stuck with a 3500 pound tow capacity.

On the safety front, driver and front passenger now have knee airbags and the second row seats have outboard seat-mounted side impact airbags. (Roof curtain airbags are still standard for all three rows.) Platinum models get an additional airbag, centrally located between the two front seats, it protects against head injuries due to the front seat occupants hitting their heads together during side impacts. Trailer Sway Control is now available, standard on all models. Automatic high beams and rear automatic braking, new features, are standard on all models.

The fuel tank loses a gallon of capacity, now only 18.5 gallons to fill up.

Small changes: memory seat and mirrors and the 120-volt household electrical outlet are no longer offered on SL, only Platinum. Heated steering wheel not available on SL, only SV and Platinum. Heated second row seats are no longer standard on SL, but are part of the Premium Package.

Power liftgate is now also an option on SV, the motion-activated feature, however, is now only on Platinum models. SL and Platinum now have manual sunshades built into the second row windows.

Blind Spot Warning and Intervention, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Intelligent Key (hands-free keyless unlocking and starting), automatic headlights and LED headlights are now standard. Rear doors can also be unlocked with the Intelligent Key on SL and Platinum. All four windows are now automatic one-touch up and down on all models.

A heads-up display on the windshield, power folding mirrors and rain sensing wipers, new features, are standard on Platinum. Intelligent Lane Intervention is a new feature (lane departure warning systems haven't been offered on Pathfinder previously) and standard on SV, SL and Platinum, where they're paired with the Intelligent Cruise Control. With standard navigation, SL and Platinum models feature intelligence to the cruise speed beyond sensing other vehicles in front; they can alter speed due to curves in the road or an upcoming exit that the planned route calls for.

Rogue

All-new last year, the Rogue continues forward with an all-new engine, the second variant of its variable-compression ratio turbo engine, this one a 3-cylinder. The 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder makes 201 horsepower, exactly 20 more than the previous 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four. Torque is 225 pound-feet, 44 pound-feet more.

Fuel mileage is improved significantly.

Weight is up by as much as 80 pounds. Towing capacity is now 1500 pounds, up from 1350.

A heads-up display is no longer standard on Platinum. Around View Monitor is deleted from the SV.

Rogue Sport

No changes.

Sentra

A new Midnight Edition with blacked-out trim, black alloy wheels, headlines the minor changes for the 2022 Sentra.

An all-weather package, optional on SV, includes dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, and remote engine start. Of course, dual zone climate control and remote start were previously standard on SV. Previously, a heated steering wheel wasn't offered on the SV.

Nissan Connect is no longer standard on SR and no longer available at all on SV.

Titan

The choices for Titan buyers are pared down: King Cab models are only offered in S and SV, eliminating PRO-4X. Crew Cab models eliminate the SL, leaving S, SV, PRO-4X and Platinum.

Versa

No changes.

2023 Z