This month, we take up yet another hot hatch. We’ve been patiently waiting for the Ford Focus ST to arrive on our shores, and now we finally get behind the wheel. Plus, we pack a bunch of other automotive content in this issue.
Being late to the party has its advantages. This was as true in college as it is in adult life. It’s especially true in the auto industry, where the buying public can be quite merciless in its criticism of outlandish or groundbreaking ideas (anyone remember BMW’s original iDrive?). Nissan has been quite late to the party with its Pathfinder SUV.
The Pathfinder is motivated by a V-6 of undisclosed displacement and output, while shifting doesn’t really happen at all, thanks to a continuously variable transmission. This combination should be good for a 25-percent increase in overall fuel economy. No seven-passenger SUV worth its salt would come to market without an all-wheel-drive option, and the Pathfinder Concept is no exception. It should also be quite capable in the realm of towing.