Rent Nissan Pathfinder 2020 in Dubai

Want three rows of seats for a Dubai trip without paying current-generation money? The Nissan Pathfinder 2020 is the previous-generation seven-seater, and renting it gets you a big, comfortable family SUV with a no-deposit option and doorstep delivery in one to two hours. This is the last of the R52 cars, the one with the smooth CVT and the soft, easy ride that suited long highway cruising. Our take: for a family who wants room for seven and a relaxed drive to the airport or Abu Dhabi, this older Pathfinder is sensible, roomy and easy to live with, as long as you go in knowing it's a tarmac comfort car rather than a sharp drive or a serious off-roader.

Running costs and how often you'll fill up

Start here, because it's the question most renters actually care about on a week-long booking. The 3.5-litre V6 averages around 10.3 km per litre in mixed use, and on the 74-litre tank that works out to a real-world range close to 800 km on the highway, less in city stop-and-go. For a typical Dubai week of school runs, mall trips and the odd cross-emirate drive, you're looking at one fill, maybe a top-up if you're heavy on the road.

The CVT is part of the story here. It keeps the V6 in its efficient band and makes the Pathfinder a calm, unfussy cruiser, which is exactly what this car is for. It won't snap off quick downshifts like the newer 9-speed car, but for relaxed Dubai driving most renters never miss them.

Spec at a glance

The third row, and who really fits

The Pathfinder seats seven across three rows, with a fold-flat third row that's more usable than most rivals of its era. It's built for kids and teenagers on Dubai-length hops, not two adults on a long highway slog. For the school run with a full load of children, or a grandparent coming along for dinner, the back row does the job.

Luggage is the trade-off to understand before you book. With all three rows up, the boot takes a few soft bags and the day's shopping, not three large suitcases. Drop the third row and it opens into a proper cargo bay that swallows a family's airport cases without a fight. The rule for a DXB or DWC run is the same one every big SUV asks of you: seventh seat occupied means pack light; full luggage means you're carrying six, not seven.

Heat, the cabin and keeping the back seats cool

A big cabin takes longer to cool than a small one, and at 45 degrees that's a genuine concern. Park this Pathfinder in the sun and the first minute or two is warm, but the system pulls it down to comfortable soon after you set off, and there are vents feeding all three rows so kids in the back aren't left baking while the front gets the cold air. That third-row airflow is one of the real reasons to choose a three-row SUV here over a cheaper people-mover.

Size, parking and the roads

At just over five metres long and nearly two wide, the Pathfinder needs thought in tight Marina bays and older multi-storey ramps, and you'll use the cameras on every U-turn. The 180 mm of ground clearance clears speed bumps and mall ramps comfortably, and the 4WD version copes with a graded desert track or a wet road better than the 2WD, but this is a comfort-first family SUV, not a dune machine. On the open road to Abu Dhabi or out to the airport it's quiet, soft and easy, which is exactly what the R52 was tuned to be.

A few Dubai basics worth knowing: Salik tolls run on your account through the rental and any RTA fines come back to you, so watch the gantries and speed cameras. Seat belts are required in every seat including the rear, and children under four need a child seat by law, which we can fit if you ask at booking.

Who should rent it, and who shouldn't

Rent the Pathfinder 2020 if you want seven seats and a relaxed, comfortable cruiser for a Dubai week and you're happy with a previous-generation car to keep the cost sensible. For families who value a soft ride and easy highway manners over the latest cabin tech, this is a smart book, and the third row is one you can actually use.

Look at the newer Pathfinder if you want sharper responses from the gearbox and the most current interior, and size up to a full-size SUV if you're regularly seven adults with full luggage. If it's just two of you on short city errands, you're paying for space and fuel you won't touch, and a five-seat crossover is the smarter choice.