The 2007 Nissan Pathfinder Off Road is truly a vehicle for our winter and summer mountain driving conditions. I test drove the Pathfinder during our fifth weekend snowstorm of the season.

I was glad to have this vehicle to get through the unplowed three-foot drift in our driveway from the result of howling winds at the top of Floyd Hill where we live. I was able to shift to 4WD Low to 4WD High easily by just turning a knob on the dash. The Pathfinder Off Road is a vehicle adequately equipped that if needed will go where most SUV's would not dare to go.

Changes to Nissan's mid-sized SUV for '07 include standard third-row seating for seven-passenger seating capability and some juggling of trim/content, depending on which version you buy. The '07 Pathfinder comes in base S, sporty SE, SE Off-Road and luxury LE forms. All trims are powered by a standard 4.0-liter V-6 rated for 266 horsepower.

The standard transmission is a five-speed automatic. When properly equipped, the Pathfinder can pull 6,000 pounds. The cargo area features eight utility hooks and rubberized coatings for easy clean-up.

There's also a hidden storage compartment under the second row seats. All trim lines get auto-reversing power windows, door locks, tilt wheel and 16-inch wheels (LEs come with 17s). Manual or dual-zone A/C is optional. The Pathfinder can be ordered with rear-drive, part-time four-wheel drive, or Nissan's All-Mode four-wheel-drive system with electronically controlled transfer case.

The SE Off Road model I tested came with Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist, Rancho off-road shocks and underbody skid plates. Four-wheel-disc, anti-lock brakes with Active Brake Limited Slip and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, along with Vehicle Dynamic Control are offered for added on-road stability. Front-side and side-curtain airbags with rollover protection, a navigation system, rear-seat DVD player, and a power sunroof are optional.

Sirius or XM satellite radio can be ordered from the factory -- and there's a new Desert Stone exterior hue available for the new model year. If you need a vehicle that is large enough to fit seven people and also get you places the average SUV cannot, then the Nissan Pathfinder Off Road is a vehicle to look at.

Denis and his wife Jeanie live in Evergreen and own the Mountain Man Nut & Fruit store in Bergen Park.