Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek built for severe weather, outdoor recreation

Nissan first offered the Rock Creek version in 2019 as an appearance package for the mid-size Pathfinder with no greater off-road capabilities. Other manufacturers then began offering genuinely more rugged versions of their crossovers, included the Wilderness editions of the compact Subaru Forester and midsize Outback.

Thankfully, Nissan has now more than caught up in 2023 with a Rock Creek package that includes a 0.6 inch lift to accommodate gloss-black, beadlock-looking 18-inch wheels with 265/60 R18 Toyo Open Country all-terrain tires. increasing the overall clearance to 7.7 inches. Also included is a tubular roof rack that can hold 220 pounds of equipment on the road, or a two-person tent when parked.

More than that, the standard 3.5-liter V6 gets a power boost when using premium gas, 295 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, up from the base 284 hp and 259 lb-ft. Nissan’s Intelligent All Wheel Drive system is standard, with drive modes including Auto, Sport, Eco, Snow, Sand, Mud/Rut and Tow. The standard 360-degree parking cameras double as an off-road monitor, automatically projecting the camera feeds on the 8-inch infotainment screen. The package also comes with leatherette-trimmed seats with cloth inserts and plenty of badging, including orange Rock Creek logos embroidered into the seatbacks.

Perhaps best of all, the Rock Creek version is not the most expensive version of the 2023 Pathfinder. Far from it. At $44,115, our tester was in the middle of the pack, which starts with the front-wheel-drive S version at $47,970 and tops out with the Platinum beginning at $47,970.

And for anyone wondering how well the Intelligent All Wheel Drive system works is harsh condition, I had the Pathfinder during an unexpectedly severe winter storm that dropped 10.8 inches of snow on Portland in 24 hours, the second most in recorded history. Using the Snow mode, I was able to make it home easily at the start of the storm. I stayed home the next day to give crews a chance to clear the roads at least a little, then drove it over the next few days, when the region was still in a weather state of emergency. The Snow mode worked great, providing good traction and transitioning smoothly between dry, slushy and icy sections of the roads. I look forward to testing the other modes on future Nissan SUVs in more normal conditions.

All new Nissans provide a lot of advanced driver assistance features, including the Pathfinder. They include Nissan Safety Shield 360, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, high beam assist and rear automatic braking. Intelligent forward collision warning, intelligent driver alertness and rear door alert are also standard, while blind spot intervention, intelligent lane intervention and traffic sign recognition are available. Also optional is Nissan's ProPILOT Assist, which offers steering assistance on most roads.

Nissan first began producing the Pathfinder as a rugged, compact truck-based SUV in 1985, then increased it to a truck-based midsize before switching it over to a more family-oriented three-row crossover in 2012. The 2022 redesign included many improvements, and now Nissan has gone back to its roots with the 2023 Rock Creek package. The three non-functional slots above the grill reflect the original Hard Body style. Fans of the original version really need to check it out if they are looking for a new SUV to meet their recreational needs. Although there are still a few truck-based SUVs on the market, they will be they will be impressed by how serious 2023 Nissan Rock Creek Pathfinder is.