There's a strong touch of the Star Spangled Banner about the Pathfinder. For a start, it comes in one size: large. It's certainly big enough to drive the anti-SUV lobby into a state of apoplexy.
Not quite a rival for the Hummer or the Cadillac Escalade, this big, chunky, imposing bus is nonetheless at the upper end of the SUV market, vying with the Land Rover Discovery, Toyota Land Cruiser and Mitsubishi Pajero.
It has all the right muscular looks to make even the most diminutive of us feel more manly and indestructible when behind the wheel. Just having one in the driveway raises your testosterone. You find yourself putting your feet on the furniture, wearing denim on workdays and walking with a certain swagger. The privacy glass - standard - adds to the mystique.
Yet, appearances can be deceptive. It may ooze masculinity and scare Fiat Seicento owners into the hard shoulder, but this 7-seater SUV is actually no bigger than most of its competitors. It's neither as long, wide, nor as tall as the new Land Rover Discovery, Toyota Land Cruiser LWB or even the VW Touareg. It's only 9mm longer than a Ford Mondeo and not as wide if you include the Ford's mirrors.
In fact, most SUVs sold in Europe are actually little bigger than the average saloon. It's their height and styling that gives the bulky intimidating impression.
The Pathfinder is also slightly immune from the anti-SUV attack in that Nissan clearly intends it for people with physical work to do. For all its cabin refinement, this is arguably a passenger version of a very practical commercial vehicle aimed at farmers and landowners in hard-to-access parts, rather than at school-run mums.
It may carry a Japanese badge, but the Pathfinder was designed for Middle America. Texas rather than Tokyo was in their minds - the only off-roading you can do in Japan today is to steer your golf cart into the nearest sand bunker.
The first two versions of the Pathfinder were sold only in the US. This third version, however, has Europe in its sights. Clearly, Nissan said to itself: "We have this big off-roader, so why not throw a few over to those tree huggers in Europe and see how they get on?" - hearty, deep-throated laughter.
This Pathfinder takes most of its design cues from the eye-catching Dunehawk concept of 2003. It manages to keep all its positive points.
The image being rough and tumble image, the interior is rugged, practical and also quite smart. All the switchgear feels solid and chunky, and there are numerous cubbyholes. Air-con and privacy glass are standard and the central console is in stylish brushed aluminium. Only the added height lets you know you're not in an upmarket saloon.
Then there are the seven seats. While the rear-most seats are really only for children, they do fold easily into the floor and serve as a useful emergency set when the need arises. As they are add-ons to the boot the base of the seats are no taller than the loading bay and if you are over 5-foot tall then you'll find yourself in a sort of crouching position for the journey.
Yet as a 5-seater there's a substantial boot - and even this middle row of seats can be folded down to give you a pretty fancy pick-up.
If we are to identify a significant disappointment, it's the engine, a reworking of the 4-cylinder unit in the smaller Terrano. All right, it has a respectable 0-100km/h time of 12.3 seconds and has all the torque and pulling power of competitors. Where it falls foul is refinement: it's a competent off-road powerhouse, but it's noisy and you must work the gearbox to get the most out of it on motorways
Our test car had the manual 6-speed gearbox and, though it felt spongy and imprecise, we suspect it's a better option than the automatic which would be less receptive to dropping down a gear.
Americans use diesel only in trucks and tractors, so the engine is a compromise for Europe.
We found the ride tuned more for off-roading than cornering at speed. It wallows somewhat on our supposedly national routes and with the rear empty there's a certain amount of bounce in the back that's a little unnerving.
There's also a fair bit of leaning in corners but you get used to it. Those who normally drive cars or soft-roaders such as the BMW X5 or the Volvo XC90 might find it a little unnerving, but this is what real off-roaders do.
In its natural terrain the Pathfinder begins to prove its worth. On a slippery Wicklow slope it dug in deep, then managed to climb with low ratios engaged.
We did miss the sort of suspension gizmos now found on Land Rovers that make off-roading so easy, but this is a more traditional approach to the off-roading issue.
Ground clearance is good, but not class leading. It seems better on dry dirt roads rather than wet Irish soil.
So what of the competition? Perhaps its main competitor will be the Mitsubishi Pajero, the best-seller in the large SUV category here. For an extra €1,000 you could also get the new Land Rover Discovery with seven seats. This offers greater flexibility off-road, and a better, more refined diesel engine.
For those who don't need serious mud-skating capability, the issue may come down to looks. Here the Pathfinder will likely find many willing customers.
We came to the Pathfinder with the usual urban prejudices against large SUVs, but we are left with fond memories of a vehicle that's both stylish, butch and ultimately an honest off-roader.