The weird thing about international automobile companies like Nissan is that they sometimes make disparate models in a narrow segment for different countries. One example is the Toyota HiLux pickup, which is the same midsize truck segment as the Tacoma. They’re the same size, yet they’re completely different trucks. Then there is the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder. 

There is the North American version of the Nissan SUV, and then there is the new one about to launch in China. They look somewhat similar, but are different. At least when it comes to the exterior. We don’t know about the interior because we only get exterior shots when it comes to Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIT) images like these. Why do carmakers do this?

Why is the Infinifi QX60 only a Pathfinder in China?

The current U.S. Nissan Pathfinder has been around since 2021. Coming into 2024, it receives a few tweaks but is mostly the same. But in China, the 2024 Pathfinder is all-new. It is a collaboration between Dongfeng and Nissan. 

But what is somewhat weirder is that these MIT images look almost identical to the 2023 Infiniti QX60, which is sold here. So this is probably why Nissan won’t dare bring China’s Pathfinder into the U.S. As it is a premium brand, it would be a bad look. 

Does the Chinese 2024 Pathfinder look more premium than the QX60?

In the front, Nissan is flipping the script. The Pathfinder’s grille looks more premium than the U.S. QX60. It fully takes up most of the real estate, blending gracefully into the slit headlights. The side vents are slit-like as well. In all, the Infiniti looks more conservative and is broken up by too many elements going in many different directions. 

At the rear, the differences between the two are few. The taillights have a very slight difference, while the Infiniti version has those giant chrome exhaust nostrils. Oh, and the badges are different. 

Will the U.S. get the Chinese Pathfinder?

Also offering a bit more forward design are the wheels of the Pathfinder. And the smaller elements tie in rather well with both the upper and lower grilles. One other change is the hockey stick DLO trim at the D-pillar. It adds some flair whereas the QX60 DLO doesn’t feature much in the way of highlighting any of the pillars. 

Whether we end up seeing the Chinese Pathfinder grille and other unique features landing on a future QX60 is not known. But if it adds a bit of elegance and premium feel, which it does, it makes sense for Nissan to make these changes in, say, 2025. And it should spice up the current Pathfinder to give it a more contemporary, yet aggressive look.