2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek Version Highway Take a look at: Hold the gentle off-roaders coming

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek Edition continues a rising tide of frivolously off-roadified crossovers (or, in a single case a minivan). We’ve already examined the likes of the Ford Explorer Timberline (and loved it), the Wilderness variants of the Subaru Outback and Forester (appreciated these too), Honda Passport TrailSport (meh) and even the Toyota Sienna Woodland (that one had us scratching our heads just a little). Now, forward of its introduction to market, we’ve had the chance to check the Pathfinder Rock Creek.

Nissan isn’t arriving late to the sport, nevertheless. This isn’t the primary time it has given the Rock Creek remedy to the Pathfinder, however with the clear slate of a brand new technology, the 2023 mannequin now will get its time to shine. This time round, the Rock Creek recipe appears just a little extra profitable than what was essentially a low-effort appearance package prior to now. The 2023 Pathfinder Rock Creek really will get an off-road tuned suspension. Its slight, 0.6-inch raise helps accommodate the gloss-black, beadlock-looking 18-inch wheels wrapped in 265/60 R18 Toyo Open Nation all-terrain tires. The ensuing 7.7 inches of clearance remains to be a full inch shorter than a inventory Subaru Ascent (and fewer than fairly a number of different crossovers), although no less than the tires will present higher traction off pavement and the aesthetic basis for the remainder of the bundle.

The Rock Creek will get a tubular roof rack, which additional helps ruggedize the seems to be whereas offering an additional place to retailer as much as 220 kilos of bags or gear for when you want to disappear into the wilderness for a pair weeks. Up entrance is a fascia unique to this particular version, with a novel grille that includes a mesh insert in gloss black to match the wheels. LED foglights are normal, whereas a normal tow hitch receiver and harness are good to tug as much as 6,000 kilos (an above-average quantity for a three-row crossover). After all, there’s Rock Creek badging on the outside, with gloss-black lettering and an orange mountain emblem, to let different drivers know that this isn’t a run-of-the-mill Pathfinder. All of the black Rock Creek items and orange accents appeared nice in opposition to our tester’s two-tone stable gray and black paint scheme.

Surprisingly, there’s even a slight powertrain enhancement for the Rock Creek. Revised gasoline mapping means the three.5-liter V6 can make a complete of 295 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, up from the usual 284 hp and 259 lb-ft. Nissan says it’s a must to use premium gasoline to attain these improved numbers, however that the car will run simply tremendous on common gasoline. 4-wheel drive is normal together with the identical drive modes as each different all-wheel-drive Pathfinder — Customary, Sport, Eco, Snow, Sand, Mud/Rut and Tow.

Inside, the Rock Creek will get leatherette-trimmed seats with material inserts, in addition to orange Rock Creek logos embroidered into the seatbacks. They do an excellent job of mixing help: the firmer faux leather-based bolsters good a job round corners whereas the soft consolation of the material center portion is good on lengthy drives. Go searching and also you’ll see orange distinction stitching on the seats, sprint, heart console, door panels and steering wheel, plus one other embroidered Rock Creek emblem on the middle console armrest. The second row will get normal captain’s chairs with a detachable heart console. The automobile’s 360-degree parking cameras double as an off-road monitor, routinely projecting the digital camera feeds on the 8-inch infotainment display (which is the Pathfinder’s base unit — SL and up get a 9-inch unit with navigation) everytime you shift into Mud/Rut or Sand mode. All this comes at a price of $44,115, together with a $1,295 vacation spot charge. That positions the Rock Creek smack in the course of the Pathfinder lineup, between the all-wheel-drive SV and SL trims. Whereas we don’t significantly miss SL options like navigation, a wi-fi charger, wi-fi Apple CarPlay (wired CarPlay and Android Auto are normal throughout the lineup), energy liftgate or site visitors signal recognition, we wouldn’t thoughts having the ability to go for additions like a heated steering wheel or a 120-volt plug. The latter particularly looks as if one thing that will be helpful on the kind of out of doors adventures this particular model is supposedly meant for. And definitely some adventurers will miss the chance to get a panoramic sunroof as nicely.

The Rock Creek’s off-road-tuned suspension doesn’t do any hurt by way of experience consolation or stability, and soaks up street imperfections nicely. Neither is there any additional squat and dive you may get in a Toyota 4Runner. When the pavement begins to curve, the Rock Creek’s dynamics don’t crumble — slightly, they maintain up surprisingly nicely. The chassis setup that so nicely manages the imperfections on the street does a tremendous job of managing physique roll. Your passengers gained’t should dig their nails into the armrests toe keep planted of their seats.

What you do get from this off-road setup in movement is a few tire roar. It’s not the form of intrusive cascade of sound you’d get from the Subaru Forester Wilderness, which might provide the feeling of rolling down the freeway in a tin can. It’s extra of a flat hum that gives a way of consolation, letting you recognize the knobby tread and tall sidewalls are there that can assist you crawl over no matter might come your means when you exit the freeway and switch down a rural again street.

As for that additional energy, nicely, we’ll take Nissan’s phrase for it. A lift of 11 horsepower and 11 pound-feet of torque (and provided that full of premium) doesn’t actually register by way of driving really feel, but it surely nonetheless appears ample sufficient to get the car’s 4,605 kilos of curb weight transferring with out criticism. As for fuel economy, the Rock Creek suffers barely. At 20 miles per gallon metropolis, 23 mpg freeway and 21 mixed, it’s only a midge beneath the SV 4WD’s 21/27/23 mpg and the SL’ 4WD’s 20/25/22 mpg.

Now, in case you look carefully on the photographs right here, you may discover some funky issues — particularly uneven materials surrounding the embroidery on this tester. Take into account, this can be a pre-production model and such literal and figurative wrinkles are usually ironed out within the manufacturing line.

And, sure, whereas this new Rock Creek Version has just a little extra performance than the one from the last-gen Pathfinder, the seems to be may nonetheless be a very powerful a part of this bundle. And this car actually delivers in that division. Even when the furthest off-road it will get is the grass car parking zone on the county truthful, it nonetheless seems to be adequate to attract admiring feedback from fellow fairgoers. You’ll be able to even inform them it’s extra highly effective than different Pathfinders … simply hope they don’t ask by how a lot.

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