Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek- How Tough Is It?
Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek- How Tough Is It?
It’s no secret that buyers have migrated to crossovers and SUVs. Now it seems like people want a little more machismo from their machines, even if it’s just looks. Nissan adds a little extra bravado to the Pathfinder with the Rock Creek model. It adds extra ground clearance, a heavy-duty roof rack, all-terrain rubber, an off-road suspension and a bunch more stuff. Even more power from the V6 engine. Tom Voelk takes it off road, on rock, that’s near a creek to see if it really improves capability.
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About Tom: Tom Voelk is an award-winning automotive contributor to The New York Times. His podcast was the first to win an Emmy Award (and he’s won for photography, editing, producing and reporting). But really, all you need to know is in the videos.
Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek, Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek review, Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek interior, Nissan Pathfinder Rock off road, Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek fuel economy, Tom Voelk, Tom Voelk car reviews, Tom Volk, Tom Volk car reviews
00:00 Intro
1:14 Improvements/Pricing
2:16 Powertrain
3:10 Off Road
5:39 Interior
6:50 Back Seating
8:22 On Road Perfomance
9:50 Fuel Economy
10:57 Cargo/Utility
12:18 Red Light Green Light
13:12 Summary
14:14 Epilogue
14:42 Quotes Service
15:14 Before I Go…
Content
1.14 -> If you’re new here and into cars, sign
up. I’m all about good information,
5.16 -> good photography and not wasting your time.
Oh, and Costco toilet paper too . You’ll see…
18.3 -> Americans have been moving from rural
to urban areas for decades. Apparently,
22.8 -> we miss the romance of the great outdoors since
SUVs and crossovers have outsold sedans for five
29.28 -> years now. When Nissan revamped the Pathfinder
for 2022, the design went from soft and swoopy to
36.42 -> rugged and broad shouldered. Like the Brawny paper
towel guy. And now, there’s the Rock Creek model
42.72 -> aimed at buyers that might be do a little more
off-roading. Or, just want to look like they do.
49.26 -> Buyers ditched minivans because they prefer the
rugged look of SUVs and crossovers, so it only
54.66 -> makes sense to add a little extra bravado. And
it seems like it’s a trend. Ford has the Explorer
60.84 -> Timberline. There’s the Kia Telluride X-Pro,
Hyundai Palisade XRT and Subaru has the Wilderness
68.34 -> series. Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Nissan
apply the Rock Creek treatment to the Rogue.
76.92 -> What IS the Rock Creek treatment? Well, gather
around the campfire and I’ll explain that it’s
82.62 -> priced between the SV and SL Pathfinders. Base
price is just over $44,000. The only real option
90.36 -> available is two-tone paint at 795$, so this
loaded one in Scarlet Ember and Super Black
96.84 -> stickers for $44,905 with delivery. There’s an
extra 6/10th of an inch of ground clearance.
103.8 -> Bespoke bumpers add an inch to the length. The
heavy-duty roof rack that takes on 220 pounds
110.46 -> adds 3 inches to the height. 18-inch wheels
get a beadlock look, they’re wearing Toyo Open
116.58 -> Country all-terrain rubber for improved grip on
gritty stuff. And the suspension is tuned a bit
122.22 -> firmer. The V Motion grille gets blacked out too.
Inside, there’s some unique stitching. A surround
128.52 -> view camera system helps to keep this shiny
and new looking on the trail. And if an owner
133.62 -> somehow forgets they’re driving a Rock Creek,
it’s a good bet they need to see a neurologist.
139.98 -> The 3.5-liter V6 in the Rock Creek
is slightly different. Put premium
145.02 -> fuel in the tank and the output rises to
295 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque
154.44 -> that’s a boost of 11 for both figures
over standard Pathfinders. I’ll take it.
166.8 -> Don’t forget, Nissan ditched the continuously
variable transmission for a 9-speed,
171.48 -> I find it very easy to shift into
manual mode, a little annoying,
175.62 -> cog swaps are done up here. There’s hill decent
mode and seven drive modes, the same as any
181.32 -> Pathfinder equipped with Intelligent four-wheel
drive. Nothing extra happening here. Rock Creek
187.02 -> gets a standard tow package for tugging 6,000
pounds. Let’s start with some off roading.
193.44 -> It’s been a while since I’ve shot on this road
and apparently the road is washed out. The one on
200.7 -> the right is the old one. The one on the
left is new and the engineers have filled
208.08 -> this area full of rock. And this is near a creek.
How can I not do this? Right? Come on, let’s go.
218.76 -> A front facing camera that’s pretty nice to have
222.06 -> There’s no extra protection for the oil
pan and expensive drive train components,
226.62 -> I’m careful not to prang those.
228.54 -> Does the extra ground clearance
make a difference? Yeah,
232.2 -> probably. I think it’s mostly the
tires though with the extra grip.
241.2 -> There is no “rock” mode, I’ve just
set it to auto. Pathfinder isn’t
246.42 -> a body on frame vehicle and there’s no
transfer case, no four wheel drive low.
250.92 -> Look, are people going to really take their Rock
Creeks on terrain like this? Probably not OK,
258.9 -> they’ll do this with a Wrangler
but not with a crossover. See?
264.84 -> Jacking this up higher would affect everyday use,
both driving dynamics and entry and exit. Nissan
271.08 -> doesn’t a tough SUV entry like 4Runner
or Bronco. There’s no enhanced Armada.
276.54 -> Rock Creek has a little bit more
than a half inch of ground clearance,
282.54 -> would be nice to have another 6/10ths of an inch.
284.94 -> Not that it makes any difference
in this situation but approach,
288.42 -> departure and breakover angles are
all improved a smidge with Rock Creek
292.92 -> So here’s the deal I’ve driven the regular
Pathfinder in some light off roading conditions,
298.74 -> the kind of stuff that the people
that own this rig will actually do.
303.3 -> And it’s fine, let me show you some of that stuff.
309.54 -> Considering what manufactures have shared with me,
the vast majority of people plunking down 45 grand
315.12 -> on the Rock Creek would probably stay clear of
that nasty stuff and do something more like this.
322.38 -> Nissan was trying to simulate a poorly graded
forest service road at this event. The normal
327.54 -> Pathfinder scampered around without any problems.
And knowing what I know, most Pathfinders,
333.36 -> Rock Creeks included, will never see duty like
this. But good to know that it can handle it.
341.7 -> Inside, this model looks a little different
than other Pathfinders. Again, there are no
346.62 -> real options available, just paint choices. All
Rock Creeks get black interiors and it tends to
353.28 -> soak up light, it’s dark in here with no sunroof.
The heated seats are comfortable for the long haul
358.56 -> with fabric that’s grippy and breathable. That’s
synthetic leather on the sides. Considering the
364.5 -> mission of this rig, the lack of a heated wheel
is a miss. The 6-speaker audio system is tepid,
370.26 -> no upgrade path either. And while the user
interface is much the same in all Pathfinders,
376.32 -> it’s basic in function and appearance. Its
best attribute is customization, that easy
382.44 -> to do. Rock Creek does not get a Qi charger.
It also loses out on wireless Android Auto and
388.62 -> Apple CarPlay which are battery vampires.
Phone should be powered when using those.
394.2 -> All Pathfinders have great utility with large
storage areas that are well thought out. The door
399.66 -> pockets will take on water bottles much bigger
than this. A decent sized backpack stashes here.
405.18 -> Materials look appropriate for a vehicle in this
class, for a spendier look move up a model or two.
412.5 -> Rock Creek is strictly a 7-passenger vehicle
and the mid row does the kind of stuff you’d
418.2 -> expect from a 3-row SUV. Knee, leg
and foot room are what you make it,
422.82 -> lots of space for your noggin.
These chairs are not heated,
427.08 -> move up to a different Pathfinder if friends and
family complain. At least they get a good amount
432.66 -> of storage and a separate climate zone which
can overridden upfront. To get to the wayback,
438.72 -> this can be removed easily. And a completely flat
floor helps. But the usual way is more convenient
448.56 -> no need to remove a child seat if there’s one
installed there. But best to remove the kid.
454.08 -> Is there a tons of room back here? No, and that's
the case for almost all three-row SUV crossovers.
461.58 -> It’s not so bad though, I'm 5 foot nine and I've
got that much headroom. When it comes to knee,
467.52 -> leg and foot room not an awful lot that is
the case for almost all of these rigs. There
474.48 -> are belts for three that would be for a little
kids. For adults, they better be very intimate
480.96 -> or just put two grown-ups back here. There's some
cupholders back here and what looks like blanks
486.3 -> for USB ports on the fancy models. You’ve got to
remember almost all of these crossovers and SUVs,
492.78 -> the third rows have cushions that are
very low so your knees are up high.
496.74 -> There is no thigh support. They're not overly
comfortable, but Pathfinder isn't half bad.
503.52 -> Arguably, Rock Creeks will cover
most their miles on pavement.
508.2 -> Are you going to notice that little
extra power if you put premium in this
512.94 -> vehicle? I don’t know maybe you’re very
sensitive. I don’t think that I would,
516.96 -> besides Pathfinder on regular fuel
is perfectly fine off the line.
522.48 -> Motoring up to 60 miles an hour
from standstill is an easy seven
530.94 -> seconds. Plus the 9-speed transmission is
so much better than the CVT. It really is.
541.56 -> Stop and think about how much distance driving
you’ll be doing before going with this model.
546.54 -> Pathfinders is pretty quiet at highway
speeds, you’re not gonna hear much wind
550.62 -> noise off the A pillars. The Rock Creek
does have those all-terrain tires though,
556.5 -> you will hear them just a little
bit, it’s not a dealbreaker.
562.38 -> Thought there’d be more wind
noise off the chunky rack,
565.02 -> but even at 75 miles an hour
it’s not all that noticeable.
568.8 -> The suspension is on the firm side which
takes care of body roll in cornering,
575.22 -> but there’s nothing really memorable
about the handling of the Pathfinder.
579.36 -> And that setting does let sharp bumps
through. You’ve going to feel those.
584.7 -> The stiffer off-road suspension
does effect the ride quality.
588.48 -> And the rack and ride height make
this Pathfinder less aero friendly.
592.26 -> Rock Creek’s fuel economy is the
worst of all of the Pathfinders,
596.64 -> but not by much, 1 MPG. The EPA rates it
at 21 miles per gallon average and really,
604.68 -> you can make that up by just
not driving so aggressively.
608.1 -> But who wants to do that. Not me.
610.86 -> I like to look at the automatic engine
stop start systems because, you know,
615.48 -> it’s a real-world thing. It’s something that
you use. This one is pretty smooth on shut down.
625.62 -> On startup, it’s maybe a little rough, and you can
always turn it off if you really don’t like it.
634.02 -> Pro Pilot assist is standard on all but the
base Pathfinder. It’s a decent ADAS system,
640.14 -> the upgraded Pro Pilot with Navi link is better
but can’t be had on this model. The lane keeping
646.26 -> centers up well and the wheel doesn’t fight
the driver much. It takes gentle curves on
650.7 -> the highway… fine, not locked in. As usual, I
did not test the automatic emergency braking.
660.48 -> If you simply must have a powered tailgate
sorry Rock Creek is not for you. Now I’ve
668.16 -> said time and time again that if you really want
to use all the seats and have cargo space, get a
672.3 -> minivan. Nearly all three row crossovers
have limited space behind the third row.
678.6 -> These are about the size of a carry-on suitcase
so even if there’s only six people on a trip,
683.52 -> two of them will be wearing the same clothes
everyday. This is nearly 17 cubic feet. Remember
690 -> that removable center console in row two? I
suppose one more duffle would fit in here,
695.1 -> there are slots for dividers too. There are a
couple of these back here, no power port that
701.1 -> would be handy when camping. Dropping the backs
is a cinch, raising them might be an issue for
706.8 -> petite owners. At this point there’s 45 cubes
to fill up. The all-weather liner makes it look
713.58 -> like the floor is more uneven than it is, it’s
nearly flat. And this is 80 cubic feet. I can see
720.18 -> Pathfinder used as a two-row machine with a huge
trunk most often so that’s how I’m testing it.
726.12 -> Competitors like VW Atlas, Chevy Traverse or Buick
Enclave will swallow up 19-20 packs of the 2-ply
733.14 -> though they are larger. The Nissan stops at 13. A
significant difference. It’s time to wrap this up…
742.32 -> Green Light- The Rock Creek model adds the
tougher styling people are looking for.
747.12 -> Its tires and clearance could make a difference
when the going gets rough. Like all Pathfinders,
752.58 -> there are useful storage spaces that make
family life easier. And this generation is
758.1 -> a handsome machine that’s a manageable
size when driving in tight urban areas.
763.26 -> Yellow Light- That reasonable size means there’s
less cargo space for outdoor gear. The all-terrain
769.92 -> tires aren’t too loud but they’re heard in
the background. Fuel economy suffers a smidge.
777.9 -> Red Light- There are compromises to the
driving dynamics on-road with the Rock
782.7 -> Creek package. The interior is dark
with a rudimentary user interface.
788.28 -> There are really no option packages,
no way to get some desirable features.
794.22 -> There’s a great image happening here, this
Pathfinder looks like a capable body-on-frame SUV,
799.68 -> even though it unibody. And chances are it’ll
take on the kind of wilderness owners would
805.2 -> point it at with little difficulty.
It’s not intended for severe duty.
810.24 -> No doubt the rock Creek Pathfinder looks great
but let me leave you with this. The SL model with
818.04 -> the Luxury package might be $3,500 more
than this but it has all sorts of nice
824.7 -> stuff like a panoramic glass roof and a
Bose sound system. That’s kind of stuff
829.5 -> that people really like. This is nice, you
just can’t get all the luxury features in it.
836.64 -> So size up your needs and priorities. For
some the Rock Creek package is a perfect
841.92 -> balance. Others will find it compromises
the comfort and features they want. Looking
847.26 -> for the outdoorsy image? A Patagonia jacket
and new hiking boots are always an option.
854.24 -> The automakers have to tow a fine line with
models like this. If it’s just a trim package,
860.28 -> then it’s slammed as a poser. Toughen it up too
much and it isn’t appealing enough for everyday
865.62 -> use. It’ll be interesting to see how Rock Creek
does, people will vote with their checkbooks.
871.5 -> This is the credits shots. Martin, come on
up here say hi to everybody. Hi, everyone.
878.4 -> He’s kind of shy. Thanks for driving though
883.98 -> I’ll remind you that I have a quote service and
I know there are a bunch of them out there but
889.14 -> if you use mine, it supports this channel and
I do need to buy gas for this rig. And to be
894.84 -> honest with you, I actually gave it a try because
my wife is thinking about buying a new vehicle.
901.44 -> And it actually works, I got pricing from
two dealerships right away and there was
907.44 -> no pressure. So give it a try, buying
vehicles these days, it's kind of tough.
915.12 -> Well that’s how I feel about 2023 Nissan
Pathfinder Rock Creek. Before I go a little car
923.22 -> shopping advice and it’s all free. For starters
test drive, OK? I know that I’ve said this
930.3 -> before but test drive at least three different
vehicles because if you haven’t bought in a while,
935.16 -> 5 or 10 years, you probably don’t know what you
don’t know, things have changed a lot. And to get
941.64 -> the best deal, don’t just buy at the dealer
that’s closest to you. Travel, shop around,
948.12 -> you might get a lower price. And then finally, buy
the car you love all right. You’ll keep it longer.
955.26 -> It’s the best value in the long run. And you’ll be
more satisfied with it. It’s just a better deal.
961.8 -> Thanks for watching. Remember to subscribe
to this channel. Click notifications,
966.66 -> follow me on social media. I’m on Post now. And
if you have a question, leave it in the comments.
973.8 -> That’s Driven I’m Tom Voelk.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t7JacU3jGc