The 25th anniversary of what might be properly labeled as the original sport-utility vehicle might, in another brand, necessitate a new and ridiculous re-do of an ancient classic.

But in the case of the still-viable Nissan Pathfinder, 2011 brings a mid-sized machine with a significant passenger capacity that offers a stylish and appropriately rugged reinterpretation of its origins.

I say that because Pathfinder is still a chunky auto capable of serious off-roading, with 8.9 inches of clearance (even the creampuff Silver Edition package comes complete with a full low 4×4 range and BF Goodrich Long Trail tires), and as a result, carries a truck-like bounce on regular pavement and steering a bit more heavy-handed than the competition.

Take a very nasty piece of shale slope such as the Saxon Mountain Road in Georgetown and, with slow running, the Pathfinder will get ‘er done, with infinitely more class and grace on the insides (and outsides, frankly) than a rock-crawling Jeep. It is, after all, a three-row machine with space for seven.

The tough part is that Pathfinder’s real-world role is going to be about 98 percent spent on the pavement, and that strong-armed steering setup requires lots and lots of inputs. Pathfinder’s reasonably broad-shouldered stance (it’s 192 inches long, weighing in at 4,843 pounds) also tends to cause it to lift off the pavement when the vehicle crosses bridge expansion joints and rutted pavement.

Underneath, Pathfinder offers a boxed steel frame common to the larger Armada; that body-on-frame design is a big part of the truck-y feel.

Power is adequate but not explosive in base six-cylinder mode, with 266 horses and 280 lb.-ft. of uphill torque. The highest-end variation offers the option of a 310-HP 5.6-liter V8 and only a 4×4 model (all five others have the Texas-friendly option of 4×2), which might be more suitable for high-altitude use.

That smaller engine is still rated for only 14 MPG city, 20 highway, so prepare yourself for that (though I was getting upwards of 24 on my drive home, on a test vehicle with more than 8,000 miles on the odometer).

Additionally, a relatively old-school five-speed transmission is geared such that there’s a completely flat spot at the 30 MPH local cruising speed, where all the revs suddenly disappear and it just kind of coasts along. Odd.

The Silver Edition I drove was outfitted with 17-inch alloy wheels, a 10-speaker Bose audio system, heated leather seats and special badging.

Looks and overall finishings are quite nicely rendered, a pleasant reinterpretation of Pathfinders fast, though the price point (getting close to $40K and no V8) might be part of the reason you see so many Xterras out there and not so many Pathfinders.

Pathfinder is much taller and squarer than in the early days, with a pronounced and curved front bumper that rolls around and up and over the front wheel wells; the glass is large and plentiful and … it’s all quite attractive, really.

The interior has been upgraded a bit with some faux carbon fiber/metal trim on the center console, but the rest of the brightwork is mostly plastic, and oddly similar to the stuff found in Xterra (just not Xterra’s gigantic, easily scratched plastic cargo deck – Pathfinder subs a carpeted surface).

Like Xterra, the rear door handles are vertically oriented, which is a nice look. There’s also an exceptionally tall rear liftgate.

Seating is comfortable up front and in the second row, and when push comes to shove, you can pop up a couple of extra third row seats and completely flop forward the second row seats for relatively easy access. The running boards and A-pillar handholds also make it a bit easier when making the big jump to get in.

Also odd in a nearly $40K machine to have a electronic screen with controls entirely prepped for navigation but that doesn’t actually offer navigation; instead you have a large color screen and a very complex knob system, good for the trip computer and reading out the song titles on the XM Radio broadcasts.

Andy Stonehouse’s column “Mountain Wheels” publishes Saturdays in the Summit Daily News. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998, focusing on automotive coverage since 2004. He lives in Golden. Contact him at summitmountainwheels@gmail.com.