This three-row crossover splits into two completely different vehicles by generation. The 2011-2019 Theta II models are mechanical time bombs, engines grenade between 50k-90k miles with oil burning and rod knock, leaving families stranded for months while dealers work through warranty backlogs. The 2024 redesign threw out that cursed powertrain entirely, but introduced two new problems: panoramic sunroofs that explode while driving (glass raining into the cabin, corporate denying coverage), and a 2024 dual-clutch transmission already failing at low mileage. The 2026 hybrid with conventional automatic looks promising, owners report 470-mile range and Range Rover looks at $50k, but it's too new to trust long-term. If you're buying used, the Theta II era is a hard pass. If you're buying new, the hybrid might be worth the gamble, but skip the sunroof and prepare to fight corporate if anything breaks. Honda Passport and Mazda CX-90 offer less drama.
Infiniti's three-row family hauler splits cleanly at 2022: before that year, you're buying a Pathfinder in a tuxedo with a CVT that grenades itself before 100k miles, and after it you're getting a genuinely improved interior wrapped around a wheezy turbocharged four-cylinder that takes eight full seconds to drag 4,700 pounds to highway speed. The current version looks sharp and undercuts German rivals by $15k, but the ride is stiff and loud for something wearing a luxury badge, and you're still paying a $15k premium over the mechanically identical Pathfinder for nicer leather and a different grille. One owner made it to 400k miles on a 2015, but that's the exception that proves the rule, most pre-2022 owners are nursing failed transmissions, dead alternators, and $5k timing chain bills while watching their resale value crater. Buy the new one if you want Highlander space without the Toyota tax and can live with the gutless engine, or skip the brand entirely if you're shopping used.