MISSOULA, Mont. — When the Nissan Pathfinder was final redesigned, in 2013, it was within the high third of the three-row crossover phase, with a good 6.5 % share.

Issues look totally different because the fifth-generation Pathfinder prepares to rumble into dealerships subsequent month.

The Pathfinder’s share has slumped by greater than half to 2.9 %, in keeping with AutoForecast Options, because the midsize crossover has aged and new challengers have emerged. Volkswagen and Hyundai did not have aggressive entries earlier than, however now the Atlas and Palisade, together with the Kia Telluride and Subaru Ascent, have crowded the sphere.

“The brand new Pathfinder has some fierce rivals to beat to search out its manner again onto American purchasing lists,” famous Sam Fiorani, AutoForecast vp.

However Mike Colleran, Nissan North America senior vp accountable for gross sales and advertising, says the automaker is prepared for the problem.

“We expect we have the correct resolution,” Colleran instructed Automotive Information. “We expect we have nice ‘compares’ towards our competitors.”

Colleran rattled off the attributes of the redesigned mannequin, citing a best-in-class for third-row roominess, considerable security tech, bigger infotainment shows and wi-fi Apple CarPlay. These options and applied sciences “actually enhance the client’s acceptance of the car,” Colleran mentioned. “That is what it takes to compete.”

With the redesigned 2022 Pathfinder, Nissan has labored to fulfill the realities of what clients want, whereas additionally enjoying to their aspirations.

The crossover dials up inside house by about 10 cubic ft and consists of conveniences comparable to simpler entry to the third row and wi-fi charging. Nissan has additionally beefed up the sunshine truck’s “ruggedness” quotient, with extra SUV styling and higher towing functionality to enchantment to weekend warriors looking for to veer off the crushed path.

“We needed to make the car rugged, succesful, but in addition present that three-row versatility and adaptability that they are searching for in 95 % of their each day residing conditions,” Vishnu Jayamohan, senior supervisor of product planning, mentioned at a presentation right here final week.

However the redesign additionally faucets into nostalgia: The 2022 mannequin sports activities a Nissan V-motion grille that includes a hood design with three slots — a contact borrowed from the unique Pathfinder.

“The DNA could be very clear on this car,” Colleran mentioned. “It is a extra upright car with an awesome stance and has that look of, ‘Let’s go driving out within the open nation.’ ”

Analysis confirmed clients needed a bolder, extra “tough-looking” design, famous Ken Lee, senior design director at Nissan’s International Design Heart in Atsugi, Japan.

“After we thought of a brand new Pathfinder, the very first thing we needed to do was to boost the proportions — making it daring, robust, and still have simplicity,” Lee mentioned. “So we strengthened the silhouette.”

The entrance options U-shaped highlights that mix with the fenders to create a muscular look. The rear sports activities slim LED taillights and a squared-off liftgate.

Below the hood, the brand new era dumps Nissan’s long-ballyhooed constantly variable transmission for a ZF-supplied nine-speed.

“The nine-speed permits us to have much more torque from a standing begin, and subsequently, from a towing state of affairs standpoint, it is rather more succesful,” Jayamohan mentioned.

Nissan intends to play up the utility messaging within the advertising marketing campaign, which begins in mid-July.

“You are undoubtedly going to see a Pathfinder in additional rugged environments and [with] the aptitude in connectivity and adaptability,” Colleran mentioned of the promoting message.

With the redesign, Nissan is breaking from a pattern.

Pathfinder updates have typically been countercyclical to the phase’s evolution — oscillating between body-on-frame and unibody platforms with every successive era, mentioned Tyson Jominy, vp of knowledge and analytics at J.D. Energy.

“Pathfinder house owners returning to market would doubtless encounter a car a lot totally different than the one they’re buying and selling in,” Jominy mentioned. “However now, Pathfinder is locked onto what shoppers are searching for, and the brand new era retains the setup of its predecessor.”

The redesign arrives as Nissan is taking the defibrillator paddles to its U.S. enterprise. The automaker is struggling to reverse the largest annual proportion gross sales decline in its historical past — a 33 % tumble in U.S. deliveries final yr to 819,715.

The Pathfinder holds promise for that turnaround.

Midsize crossover gross sales have surged 36 % previously decade, and the phase accounts for five.4 % of retail gross sales, in keeping with the Automotive Information Analysis & Information Heart.

In contrast to a few of its rivals, Nissan has room to run.

Toyota and Ford derive 10 to fifteen % of their gross sales from three-row crossovers, whereas the Pathfinder accounts for lower than 6 % of Nissan’s gross sales, Jominy mentioned.

“Even modest success within the business’s largest phase would generate large share elevate for Nissan,” he mentioned.