Rock Creek buyers should eyeball the center screen when they toggle the drive mode to Snow, Sand, or Mud/Rut, as the view from the lower-mounted cameras display if they’re too close to a boulder or ditch. No grade climb is necessary to get 5,000 pounds towing from the $37,020 base Telluride. The standard max rating of 3,500 pounds is kind of weak step up to SV models (and a required additional $2,170 package) to have that bumped to 6,000 pounds. Its 3.5-liter V6 engine delivers 284 hp and 259 pound-feet of torque (295 and 270, respectively, in the Rock Creek), but Kia’s V6 is a little less coarse than Nissan’s. The nine-speed automatic shifts smoothly, and you can hasten downshifts via standard paddles. Nissan Performance 11/15Īlthough it’s a three-row SUV, the Pathfinder starts with good sight lines, and it offers excellent steering, with very strong on-center, so you won’t find it drifting out of its lane when you take a half-heartbeat to tune the radio. Hidden from view is a storage area below the console. The interior layout and instrument panel is clean and logical. These additions improve off-road capability somewhat, but if you’re mostly sticking to asphalt, the negatives may outweigh the upsides. Plus, the roof rails increase wind noise. These aspects get undermined a tad when switching to the Rock Creek version, mainly because those meaty off-road tires produce a drone while highway driving and steering precision also suffers on the pavement. We do like the way the Nissan drives, with excellent outward visibility, spot-on steering feel and a comfortable, stable ride quality. Again, all models have a nine-speed transmission, and this powertrain is relatively smooth, though the Kia and Chevrolet drivetrains are just a bit more refined. The latter is a $2,170 option in the SV model.Īs for performance exclusive to Rock Creek, that model gets a muscle boost to 295 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque-all other models produce 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet from the 3.5-liter V6 engine. Namely, Rock Creek includes a 6,000-pound towing capacity, up from the standard 3,500 pounds, LED fog lights, a camera view setup specifically for off-roading, and second-row captain’s chairs. Because of how Nissan prices the Pathfinder, the Rock Creek will likely prove appealing to buyers who don’t necessarily want an overtly off-road look (chasing Toyota’s 4Runner for sure) but do want some of the features that come with this package. It also gets a beefy, tubular, 220-pound roof rack that stands higher up on top of the Pathfinder, which could prove better for setting up a rooftop storage box or rooftop tent. Nissan only made one significant change for 2023, the addition of the Rock Creek version that gets a five-eighths-inch lift kit, meatier off-road tires and bead-lock style wheels. Revised for 2022, the Pathfinder rolls into the 2023 model year with minimal changes. Speaking of which, neither the Toyota Highlander nor the current Pathfinder offers exceptional third-row knee room or maximal cargo capacity. Honda just revamped its Pilot, and that vehicle grows considerably, which could be a factor for buyers chasing a roomier alternative-and Chevy’s Traverse has to be cross-shopped if you want the most spacious option. The Pathfinder is on the smaller end of the three-row crossover segment, particularly its third-row seating, and rivals like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade have refactored the feature versus value equation. (All prices include a $1,295 destination fee.) Nissan’s pricing structure for the Pathfinder makes the S or SV levels the most appealing, mainly because Nissan includes a great deal of safety tech at all levels. You could spend $51,165 for a four-wheel drive Platinum level, but we maintain there’s better value at the lower rung of the price ladder. The Rock Creek only comes with AWD and costs $44,115. Pathfinder S starts at $36,095, and SV models run $39,125 while the SL is $42,715 front-wheel drive is standard and adding all-wheel drive is $1,900. There are five grades of Pathfinder: S, SV, Rock Creek, SL and Platinum. The fifth generation Pathfinder aims to reverse that trend by mixing back in some chiseled lines and legitimate ruggedness, including the new-for-2023 Rock Creek model that features minor hardware updates and outdoorsy cosmetic flourishes. The trend culminated with the fourth generation 2013 model, a generic jellybean that sold well, but lost its core mojo. Launched in 1986 as a genuinely rugged competitor to the Toyota 4Runner and other body-on-frame SUVs, successive generations got softer and softer. Nissan revised the long-running Pathfinder for 2022, which carries into 2023 with only minor changes.
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