2024 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek Edition Review and Video

I’ve spent this week with the very attractive and very capable 2024 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek Edition. This SUV has many unique features that are different from the regular Pathfinder.

Exterior

I find the exterior to be extremely attractive. I love the Nissan grill and the way the LED headlights flow into the body, the rear quarter panels are flared slightly, the 18” wheels and tires look terrific.  A rear spoiler looks great.

 

 

Powertrain

What’s under the hood on the Rock Creek version versus the regular Pathfinder is a naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6, with no turbos.  It is putting out 295-horses and a strong 270-pound feet of torque.  It is mated a conventional 9-speed automatic transmission that has shift paddles. The Rock Creek Edition is 4-wheel drive, that is what this SUV was built for.

Interior

Nissan did a great job with the interior as well.  The leatherette and fabric heated seats are very comfortable and roomy.  The gauge cluster is simple and easy to read with a configurable driver info center right in the middle that is controlled from the steering wheel.  There is some light stitching across the dash and across the door panels, but overall, the interior if fairly minimalistic. 

Center dash, easily within reach, is an 8” touchscreen that handles the audio system, Bluetooth, Sirius XM, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a host of apps, and it houses the backup camera with cross-traffic alert.

The center console houses the gear shifter, a couple of large cup holders, the electronic emergency brakes, the Auto Hold button, and a button to turn off the start/stop system.  This is also where you control the drive modes, which include:  snow, mud/ruts, sand, tow, auto, sport, and eco. 

 

 

The back seats have captain’s chairs, and they offer good legroom and headroom, there are fold-down armrests, and the seats slide forward & backward.  There is also a nice center console between the seats that is easily removeable for easier entry to the 3^rd-row seat.  Second row occupants get air vents and can control their own temperature, and also has USB ports and a power outlet.

The 3^rd-row seat has limited room and is best suited for children.  The 2^nd-row captains will flip over for 3^rd-row access, or you can remove the center console.  Cargo area is also fairly small, but there is underneath storage that would hold a lot of additional cargo out of sight.

Standard Equipment

The Pathfinder Rock Creek comes well equipped. Most notable are: remote start, LED fog lights, tubular roof rack, 10-way power driver’s seat, heated seats, and a trailer hitch.

Safety

On the safety front, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane intervention, high-beam assist, rear automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, backup sensors, and adaptive cruise control.

It also has Nissan’s terrific ProPILOTAssist.  ProPILOT Assist is a hands-on driver assist system that combines the Intelligent Cruise Control and Steering Assist technologies and includes a stop and hold function that can bring the vehicle to a full stop, hold in place and can bring you back up to speed when traffic starts moving again, and it works great.

Ride and Drive

The Pathfinder Rock Creek is an extremely capable off-roader but is also a wonderful daily driver.  Handling is superb and the ride is terrific.  The Rock Creek is also very quite inside.

 

 

 

Fuel economy is rated at 20 in town, 23 on the highway, and 21 overall.  It seemed to be doing slightly better.

Verdict

Everything you see is included with the Rock Creek package except for the $240 all-season floor mats and a cargo liner.  Total MSRP is $45,305 with destination.

This is a great SUV, and it is one of the best values in a mid-sized SUV on the market today.