Photo: Nissan
Previously a body-on-frame utility vehicle with truck underpinnings, the Pathfinder became a crossover in 2012 for model year 2013. Nissan didn’t address the structural design for the R53 that premiered for model year 2022, but on the upside, it discontinued the awful continuously variable transmission of the R52 in favor of a nine-speed auto supplied by ZF.
The second model year of the fifth generation adds some off-pavement capability to the Pathfinder in the guise of the Rock Creek. Still a unibody like all other trim levels, the Rock Creek features a 5/8-inch suspension lift and 18-inch wheels mounted with A/Ts. Don’t be fooled by the beadlock-style wheels, though, because this fellow isn’t a bonafide off-roader.
The list of goodies further includes a tubular roof rack with a maximum weight rating of 220 pounds (100 kilograms), a tow hitch receiver and harness, a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds (2,722 kilograms), LED fog lights, Intelligent 4WD, Intelligent Around View Monitor with Off-Road Mode, and 295 horsepower from a direct-injected V6 that produces 284 horsepower in lesser grades. Torque improves to 270 pound-foot (366 Nm) with premium gas versus 259 pound-foot (351 Nm).
Interior stitching in orange and second-row captain’s chairs also need to be mentioned, along with ProPILOT Assist which brings the vehicle down to a complete stop and holds it in place until traffic moves again thanks to a forward-facing camera, radar, and other sensors. The hands-on driver assistance system also knows how to keep the vehicle centered in its lane. The Pathfinder’s SV grade also gets ProPILOT Assist as standard.
Elsewhere in the lineup, the 2023 model year sees the SL add a wireless charging pad as standard. The Platinum sweetens the deal with a captain’s chair package. The SL and Platinum further boast a 10-way power passenger seat. A grand total of five trim levels are available, starting with the S, which carries a retail price of $35,000 excluding freight charge.
The Rock Creek, which comes exclusively with all-wheel drive as opposed to its siblings, will set you back $42,820 plus $1,295 for the freight.
The list of goodies further includes a tubular roof rack with a maximum weight rating of 220 pounds (100 kilograms), a tow hitch receiver and harness, a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds (2,722 kilograms), LED fog lights, Intelligent 4WD, Intelligent Around View Monitor with Off-Road Mode, and 295 horsepower from a direct-injected V6 that produces 284 horsepower in lesser grades. Torque improves to 270 pound-foot (366 Nm) with premium gas versus 259 pound-foot (351 Nm).
Interior stitching in orange and second-row captain’s chairs also need to be mentioned, along with ProPILOT Assist which brings the vehicle down to a complete stop and holds it in place until traffic moves again thanks to a forward-facing camera, radar, and other sensors. The hands-on driver assistance system also knows how to keep the vehicle centered in its lane. The Pathfinder’s SV grade also gets ProPILOT Assist as standard.
Elsewhere in the lineup, the 2023 model year sees the SL add a wireless charging pad as standard. The Platinum sweetens the deal with a captain’s chair package. The SL and Platinum further boast a 10-way power passenger seat. A grand total of five trim levels are available, starting with the S, which carries a retail price of $35,000 excluding freight charge.
The Rock Creek, which comes exclusively with all-wheel drive as opposed to its siblings, will set you back $42,820 plus $1,295 for the freight.
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