2025 | car reviews | nissan | nissan pathfinder | suvs
Are you looking for a three-row SUV that can shuttle the kids to school and also take them on weekend adventures? The 2025 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek takes Nissan’s substantial family SUV and cranks up the fun factor, offering extra capability and attitude for those who like to wander off the beaten path.
Based on the Pathfinder SV, the Rock Creek gets a tougher look and a few mechanical tweaks to back it up. It features an off-road-tuned suspension with a slight 5/8-inch lift. The SUV rolls on 18-inch black and silver aluminum wheels wrapped in all-terrain Toyo Open Country A/T tires and is trimmed with a darkened grille, LED fog lights, and a beefy tubular roof rack for carrying any camping gear you can’t fit in the cargo area.
The Rock Creek’s 3.5-liter V6 engine gets a slight bump to 295 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque when fed premium fuel, giving it a little extra punch over the standard Pathfinder. With a 9-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drivetrain, it’s happy in all weather conditions and can tow up to 6000 pounds, more than enough for a trailer and a small motorboat or a couple of ATVs.
While it won’t out-crawl a Land Rover Defender, the Pathfinder Rock Creek has the chops to drive on dirt, gravel, mud, and moderately rocky trails. Standard all-wheel-drive and multiple drive modes make it adaptable to different terrains. With 7.7 inches of ground clearance, it has a 0.6-inch height advantage over other 2025 Pathfinders. Unfortunately, skid plates aren’t part of the factory kit, so if you plan on hitting particularly rocky trails, consider looking into aftermarket ones.
On-road, the Rock Creek behaves nicely and delivers a smooth and composed ride. Its V6 engine offers satisfying acceleration and good highway passing power. The 9-speed automatic transmission shifts confidently, and paddle shifters are on the steering wheel for added engagement. The multilink suspension offers comfort in daily driving and is tuned with enough compliance to absorb ruts and bumps off-road. Fuel economy is reasonable at 20 mpg city, 23 highway, and 21 combined. That’s a little less than some other Pathfinders due to the added weight of the Rock Creek’s upgrades.
Inside, the Pathfinder offers excellent comfort on long road trips and rough trails. Nissan’s “Zero Gravity” seats provide good support, and the Rock Creek’s exclusive leatherette upholstery with orange contrast stitching and embroidered logos is a nice touch. Plus, the synthetic material is easy to clean if you get dirt or mud on it. The front seats are heated and get nice and hot, which was greatly appreciated when the temperatures dipped into the low teens. However, if you want ventilated seats, the only path is the more expensive and less rugged Pathfinder Platinum.
Tech-wise, the 8-inch touchscreen is serviceable but feels dated compared to some competitors. In addition to a surround-view parking camera, forward and side cameras help guide your way on the trails. The cameras are crisper than those in some other Nissans we’ve driven, but the small screen limits the system’s usability. The shift-by-wire joystick is easy to use, and we appreciate that there’s a physical dial for switching between drive modes, which include Auto, Sand, Mud/Rut, Snow, Eco, Sport, and Tow. ProPilot Assist provides full-speed adaptive cruise control and lane centering, though the latter can sometimes feel a little overzealous with its corrections.
The second-row captain’s chairs are comfortable, too. While not as plush as the front-row seats, these seats are nice and wide, with good headroom and legroom for taller passengers. The seats tilt and slide forward to access the third row, and a removable center console provides another way to get back there. As is the case with all but the largest SUVs, the third row is cramped for adults. There are seatbelts and headrests for three people, but the legroom limits use to kids and shorter adults.
The Pathfinder’s cargo space is generous at 80.5 cubic feet, with the second and third rows folded. Leave the second row up, and that drops to 45 cubic feet. With all three rows in use, you still get 16.6 cubic feet, plenty for groceries or a couple of rollaboard bags. You’ll also find a small storage space under the cargo floor for tools or a first aid kit. New for 2025 is a standard power liftgate, which comes in handy when you’re trying to load or unload a bunch of gear.
The Pathfinder Rock Creek delivers a great mix of everyday comfort and off-road readiness. We love its rugged looks and well-sorted drivetrain and suspension, though we’d love to see a larger and more modern multimedia screen and at least an option for factory skid plates. Pricing for the 2025 Pathfinder Rock Creek starts at $45,160, plus a $1,390 destination charge. The sticker price on the vehicle tested here was $47,390.