Third generation (R51)

2012 Nissan Pathfinder towing capacity

Max towing, 20127,000 lb

Maker3,175 kg

The 2012 Nissan Pathfinder tows up to 7,000 lb (LE 5.6L VK56DE V8 4x4, per the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder Press Kit).

The lowest rating is 6,000 lb, for the S, SV, Silver Edition and LE 4.0L VQ40DE V6 4x2.

2012 Nissan Pathfinder Press Kit (overview, price list and specifications)

Configurations: 9
Payload: up to 1,276 lb
GCWR: 11,135–12,569 lb
Tongue: 600–700 lb

2012 Pathfinder LE 4x4 V8, drawn to scale from its published dimensions.

01 / Ratings

Every 2012 Pathfinder configuration

9 configurations Nissan sells, each with the ratings Nissan publishes for it. A package that changes a rating gets its own row. All have the 5-speed automatic.

2012 Nissan Pathfinder

Makerin pounds

2012 Nissan Pathfinder towing capacity, GCWR, payload and tongue weight by configuration, in pounds
Configuration	Max towing^{source 1} lb	Max tongue^{source 2} lb	GCWR^{source 2} lb	Max payload^{source 1} lb	GVWR^{source 1} lb	Axle^{source 1} ratio	Tow check
4.0L VQ40DE V6
S · SV · Silver Edition · LE4x2	6,000	600	11,135	up to 1,047	6,000	3.133	Check load →
S · SV · Silver Edition · LE4x4	6,000	600	11,135	up to 1,047	6,113	3.133	Check load →
5.6L VK56DE V8
LE Most4x4	7,000	700	12,569	up to 1,276	6,499	2.937	Check load →

“Not published”: the maker doesn’t print it. —: not in the documents we hold yet. A number by a column’s name is the source of its figures that have none of their own. Scroll the table sideways for every rating.

SourcesMakerThe small number by a figure says which document it is from.

How Nissan rates towing: when properly equipped.

Documents last checked Oct 12, 2026. How we read them and what the marks mean: how we source the numbers. A figure doesn’t match its document? Report a wrong number.

2012 Nissan Pathfinder specs: payload, dimensions, ground clearance and weight beside the towing ratings.

The 2012 Pathfinder belongs to this generation; every configuration, its clearance, angles and weights are on its page.

Nissan Pathfinder R51 (2005–2012): full specs

02 / Why

Which one tows the most, and why

Each figure below is the gap between two of Nissan’s own ratings for configurations that differ in one thing only.

What moves the rating

Maker

Tows the most: 7,000 lb

LE 5.6L VK56DE V8 4x4.

Best rating by engine

5.6L VK56DE V87,000 lb
4.0L VQ40DE V66,000 lb

The line is the highest rating on this page. Each bar is that engine’s best configuration.

03 / By year

Pathfinder towing by model year

The highest rating each model year, from that year’s documents. Years rated the same in every configuration share one page.

04 / Next

Check it against your load

Towing calculatorPut your trailer and cargo against a 2012 Pathfinder’s ratings and see what’s left.Check my load GVWR, GCWR & payloadWhat each rating limits, and why the trailer number alone isn’t the answer.Read the guide Pathfinder specsClearance, angles, weights and the rig builder for every configuration.Open the spec plate Pathfinder tire sizesStock tire and wheel sizes by trim, and what bigger tires change.See tire sizes All towing capacitiesEvery truck and SUV we cover, side by side, sortable.Compare vehicles

05 / FAQ

Questions people ask

Which 2012 Pathfinder configuration tows the most?

The LE 5.6L VK56DE V8 4x4, at 7,000 lb.

What is the max tongue weight of the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder?

600–700 lb by configuration; the most is 700 lb, for the LE 5.6L VK56DE V8 4x4. Tongue weight is the trailer’s downward push on the hitch; it counts against payload.

What is the GCWR of the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder?

11,135–12,569 lb by configuration; the most is 12,569 lb, for the LE 5.6L VK56DE V8 4x4. GCWR is the most the loaded vehicle and its loaded trailer may weigh together.

Has the Nissan Pathfinder’s towing capacity changed by year?

Highest rating by model year: 2020, 6,000 lb; 2017–2019, 6,000 lb; 2016, 5,000 lb; 2014–2015, 5,000 lb; 2013, 5,000 lb; 2012, 7,000 lb.

Does four-wheel drive change the 2012 Pathfinder’s towing capacity?

No: Nissan rates each configuration the same with either drive (4 pairs in its table).

Does the engine change the 2012 Pathfinder’s towing capacity?

Yes. Best rating by engine: 5.6L VK56DE V8, 7,000 lb; 4.0L VQ40DE V6, 6,000 lb.

These are Nissan’s published ratings, not a weighbridge. Your own vehicle’s GVWR and axle ratings are on its certification label, and only a scale tells you what your loaded rig weighs. Found a figure that doesn’t match the document? Tell us.