2013/05/19

Nissan Pathfinder and Altima named to Kelley Blue Book's 10 Best Family Cars list

NISSAN CANADA - The reinvented 2013 Nissan Pathfinder was named to the top spot on the list of 10 Best Family Cars of 2013 from Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com last Thursday. The 2013 Nissan Altima also made this year's cut of KBB.com's top family-friendly vehicles. Each year, editors at Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com, the leading provider of new and used car information, develop their list of the 10 Best Family Cars based on characteristics that cater to unique family specifications and situations.

"The Pathfinder and Altima were both completely redesigned to enhance the driver and passenger experience with a bevy of technology and styling upgrades that satisfy the needs of the entire family," said Jon Brancheau, vice president, Marketing, Nissan North America, Inc. "The marketplace has embraced the new direction of these vehicles, and it's a tremendous honor to be recognized by Kelley Blue Book for our achievements in making Pathfinder and Altima two of the most family-friendly vehicles on the road today."

The 2013 Pathfinder represents a new synthesis of comfort and utility for this iconic, 27-year-old nameplate, with a more refined unibody construction providing a civilized ride yet maintaining best-in-class standard towing capacity of 5000 lbs. Kelley Blue Book's editors also recognized the vehicle's improved ride quality, better handling and best-in-class highway fuel economy of 26 mpg. Technology played a big role in Pathfinder's award as well, with KBB.com praising features such as available Around View Monitor with "bird's eye" view, which the outlet claims is "among our favorite features in existence."

The all-new fourth-generation Pathfinder seats up to seven passengers comfortably and boasts best-in-class interior volume, best-in-class front headroom and legroom and class-exclusive reclining third row seats. The Nissan EZ Flex Seating System allows the second row to move forward or backward up to 5 1/2 inches for easy access to the back row, even with a child seat installed. When carrying seven passengers, the Pathfinder still accommodates up to 16 cubic feet of cargo.

The 2013 Nissan Altima, launched in June of 2012, was included among KBB.com's 10 Best Family Cars due to its "sharp new look, tech-savvy features, refined driving characteristics and class-leading fuel economy" of 38 mpg. KBB.com gave special mention to Altima's "comfortable seating for five and a host of safety features including blind-spot monitoring and lane-keep assist."

The fifth-generation Altima is equipped with standard Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone System and Streaming Audio via Bluetooth. Other innovative technologies offered on Altima include NissanConnect and NissanConnect Navigation with a suite of Bluetooth phone connectivity features including hands-free text message integration, Pandora playback, real-time Google POI search and more. Easy Fill Tire Alert adds further convenience for drivers and passengers who are protected by next-generation Safety Shield Technologies including Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Moving Object Detection (MOD) systems.