Here is the spec for the VQ30:
Engines Size liters / Horse- / Transmission: / Observed
powe-Torque EPA city/hgwy


dohc V6 3.0-181cu.in. /190hp205tq / 5-speed manual: 22/27 /5spd-24-1
4spdauto-21.4
Automatic: 21/28

Here are the specs for the pathfinder (96-2000)
Engines Size liters / Horse- / Transmission: / Observed
powe-Torque EPA city/hgwy


ohc V6 3.3 / 201cu.in. /168hp196tq /5-speed manual: 16/18 /5spd------
4spdauto-14.1
4-speed automatic: 15/19

Sorry for the crappy formatting but there is no way to copy paste this properly. So why did nissan not use the VQ in the pathfinder?

 

they did. 2001+

 

im talking side by side year comparisons max is 95-99 and pathfinder is 96-2000

same time of production

 

Because they had to do something with the leftover RWD VGs.

Seriously- no one really knows. The VQ was a FWD block that was not adapted for RWD applications until the 350Z/G35 came out. Even the Frontier/Xterra did not use it.