Car Reviews

Full-size pickup trucks are so ruthlessly benchmarked against each other that it’s hard to find one that’s an outlier in any major way. For instance, had the 2022 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate participated in our most recent comparison test, its 5.4-second 60-mph time would have put it just behind the Ford F-150 PowerBoost (5.3 seconds) but a half-second ahead of the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro (5.9 seconds). Its 6.2-liter V-8 makes 420 horsepower, which is a little less than the hybrid Tundra’s 437 horses and a little more than the Hemi Ram 1500 Limited’s 395 horsepower. And on it goes, from towing to braking to features and pricing. To stand apart, a truck requires some kind of proprietary weapon—Ford’s onboard generator, or Ram’s impeccably tailored interior. Fortunately, the Sierra Denali has its own killer app: Super Cruise. GM is the only company that has it, and nobody else’s hands-free driver assistance system works as well (sorry, Ford BlueCruise). If you do a lot of highway driving, Super Cruise might be the feature that swings your decision toward the GMC rather than a comparably posh truck from a competitor. Just make sure it’s available, as GMC has periodically paused the availability of Super Cruise due to supply issues. As of now, it’s available to order on 2023 models.Not that Super Cruise is all the Sierra Denali Ultimate has going for it—and, with a starting price of $84,995 with the 6.2-liter engine, it better not be. The Sierra benefits from GM’s 2022 interior overhaul, which brought an updated design with a 13.4-inch touchscreen, and then piles on the goodies: a 15.0-inch color head-up display, heated and ventilated front seats with massage, and the nicest materials this side of an Escalade. The door panels are wrapped in leather, the Bose speaker grilles are stainless steel, and the open-pore Paldao wood is laser-etched with topographical maps and the GPS coordinates of its famed mountain namesake. Now that we mention it, this Denali might be nicer inside than an Escalade.Highs: Super Cruise, posh interior, magnetic ride control smothers the bumps.Among all that interior finery, it’s easy to miss the small infrared camera perched atop the steering column. That’s the driver-monitoring hardware for Super Cruise, and it enables hands-free driving—the truck has to know you’re awake and paying attention before it hands over control. Once it does, Super Cruise proves impressively competent. During our drive, it would regularly go 60 miles or more before disengaging, usually because of a construction zone or because it ran out of approved road. You can now engage Super Cruise while towing a trailer, and it also can automatically pull the truck out of its lane to pass slower traffic and then move back into it, both talents that GM has amply advertised. View PhotosSuper Cruise handling a highway interchange that required slowing down and applying serious steering lock.Car and DriverWhat GM hasn’t touted is Super Cruise’s ability to handle highway interchanges. When our route took us from one highway to another, we expected Super Cruise to turn off as we barreled toward the 90-degree junction. Instead, the Sierra slowed from 70 mph to about 55 mph and the steering wheel cranked over hard left as the truck negotiated the curve. When the road straightened, the Sierra resumed its set speed and continued along the (now different) highway. In other words, it did just what we would have done, had it handed over control. The fact that it didn’t need to tap out occasioned some surprise and, we admit, delight: cool. Hey, we love driving, but three hours on the highway is three hours on the highway, so hallelujah to a truck that can help mitigate that monotony.When you do find your way back to some corners, the Sierra Denali Ultimate isn’t a bad dance partner, on account of its standard magnetic ride control dampers. Even though the Sierra uses a relatively crude solid rear axle with leaf springs, magnetic ride control tames the yips and hops associated with an unladen bed, reading the road 1000 times per second. The Denali Ultimate managed 0.78 g of grip on the skidpad, which would have tied the Ram for best in that comparison test. And its ride is about as serene as the Ram’s, even without air springs. The Denali is light, for a full-size full-luxe pickup—5586 pounds—and that relative litheness shines through in its driving manners. Marc Urbano|Car and DriverWhile the standard-issue Sierra Denali is offered with GMC’s 5.3-liter V-8, in addition to the 6.2-liter V-8 and 3.0-liter diesel I-6, the Ultimate only gets the latter two engines. GMC positions the diesel six as the entry-level powerplant, priced $2500 below the gas V-8 model. Although the diesel six makes just 277 horsepower, it matches the V-8’s 460 pound-feet of torque and is a rewarding engine in its own right, if you can live without the V-8 model’s 13.9-second quarter-mile at 100 mph. (When we tested a Chevy Silverado with the 3.0-liter diesel, it ran the quarter in 15.5 seconds at 88 mph.) The diesel also earns a 24-mpg EPA combined fuel-economy rating, easily besting the gas truck’s 17 mpg. We averaged just 15 mpg in our time with this Denali. Lows: An $85,000 half-ton that’s not a 700-hp desert runner.When you’re Super Cruising on down the highway, getting a massage from your heated seat, you might forget there’s a pickup bed riding along back there out behind the cabin. But indeed there is and it’s a novel one, in that it’s made of carbon fiber. Granted, GMC’s CarbonPro bed probably won’t make much actual difference in your life, but we always recommend obtaining more carbon fiber, and it’s sure to be a conversation starter at your local mulch purveyor. Plus, think of the money you’ll save on a bedliner. The Sierra’s MultiPro tailgate also folds down into a variety of different loading positions. At this point, you might be saying, “For $84,995, that tailgate better have its own stereo in it!” Rest assured, it does. In fact, the Sierra Denali Ultimate’s price is its biggest drawback. A regular ol’ non-Ultimate Sierra Denali 4×4 with the same powertrain—420-hp 6.2-liter V-8 and 10-speed automatic—costs $12,500 less and is also available with Super Cruise (those are the only two Sierra trims to get it, for now). Then again, the Ultimate’s sticker price looks like a bargain compared to the upcoming Sierra flagship, the 2024 Sierra EV Denali Edition 1, which will cost $108,695 when production starts in early 2024. But for now, this is the pinnacle of Sierras. If you can stomach the price, there’s nothing else like it.SpecificationsSpecifications
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate V-8Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $84,995/$84,995 Options: none
ENGINE
pushrod 16-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 376 in3, 6162 cm3Power: 420 hp @ 5600 rpmTorque: 460 lb-ft @ 4100 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axleBrakes, F/R: 13.0-in vented disc/13.6-in vented discTires: Bridgestone Alenza A/S 02275/50R-22 111T M+S TPC Spec 3112MS
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 147.4 inLength: 231.9 inWidth: 81.2 inHeight: 75.5 inPassenger Volume: 136 ft3Bed Length: 69.9 inCurb Weight: 5586 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.4 sec100 mph: 13.9 sec1/4-Mile: 13.9 sec @ 100 mphResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.9 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.1 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.9 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 106 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 182 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.78 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 15 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 17/15/20 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

From the November 2022 issue of Car and Driver.For most of our lifetimes, Mercedes-Benz has defined the luxury car. Its vehicles were elegant, straightforward, well-mannered, technologically sophisticated, and drenched in history. The company seems to be moving luxury in a different direction with its battery-powered EQ models.These changes are immediately apparent in the new EQE. The electrically powered E-class equivalent has a body shape and details devoted to minimizing aero dynamic drag, admirably achieving a coefficient nearing 0.20. However, the editorial eye finds little to savor in the dumpling-like form, which droops at both ends and would be impossible to identify as a Benz without the large three-pointed star decorating its prow.Inside, the EQE hews closer to recent Mercedes designs with fine detailing, lovely wood, and plush leather, though we could do without the optional bordello lighting—thankfully, it can be turned off.More on the EQE SedanLogical controls, however, have been lost to the new MBUX infotainment system. It took us several days to figure out how to dim the instrument lighting, whose control is buried in a menu labeled System—a category typically containing software and firmware versions—rather than in the menu labeled Lighting, where it intuitively belongs. Even the voice-activated “Hey Mercedes” feature and the owner’s manual provided no help. Moreover, the mass of tiny controls on the steering-wheel spokes reminded us of a modern Formula 1 yoke and require more dexterity than they should.That said, the interior is stretch-out comfortable, front and rear, mostly because the EQE is bigger than the E-class sedan—2.3 inches longer, 2.5 inches wider, and 1.7 inches taller, with 7.1 more inches in the wheelbase. Of course, some of this additional volume is devoted to the 90.6-kWh battery under the floor.Amazingly tranquil on most road surfaces, with pitch, roll, and vertical jolts well constrained, this smooth-riding electric sedan subdues even the usual bangs from potholes and pavement joints. It’s also supremely hushed inside. The sounds of the electric powertrain are muted, wind noise seems completely absent, and road resonance is minimal. We measured a sound level of 66 decibels at 70 mph—three decibels quieter than the E450 we tested last year—but the cabin feels even more peaceful than those numbers suggest.On the other hand, the 5488-pound EQE is not the most agile. It easily handles some hard cornering well enough, with minimal roll, but maximum grip from the squishy Bridgestone Turanza T005 summer rubber is only 0.86 g, and stopping from 70 mph takes 178 feet. The tires are clearly optimized for ride, silence, and fuel economy rather than grip.This is appropriate because the EQE’s controls do not encourage spirited driving. The steering is accurate and precise, but synthetic in feel. In Sport mode, effort increased, but not feedback. And the brake pedal is particularly odd because it depresses on its own when you lift off the accelerator and regenerative braking commences. When you do press the pedal, there’s virtually no travel; the modulation is all from pressure.Michael Simari|Car and DriverThe accelerator works nicely, the EQE responding with the delightful immediacy and smoothness that typifies electric powertrains. With 288 horsepower and a massive 564 pound-feet of torque, it moves smartly around town. The car reaches 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and covers the quarter-mile in 13.9 seconds at 97 mph. But the faster you go, the less sprightly the EQE is. Its 9.8-second time from 60 to 100 mph is little better than the old four-cylinder E300’s. Pull out to pass on a 55-mph two-lane road, and the EQE feels a lot less ambitious.The EPA has yet to release its range estimate, but we’re expecting it to be 300 miles. Starting at $79,050, the EQE350 4Matic isn’t cheap. In time, a less expensive single-motor, rear-drive version will be offered, as well as a 402-hp EQE500 and a 617-hp AMG EQE53.As an electric luxury sedan, the EQE is comfortable, quiet, and refined. But it’s a shame Mercedes has dispensed with so many of its other traditional qualities in the quest for zero tailpipe emissions.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE350+ 4MaticVehicle Type: front- and mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $78,950/$94,390Options: Pinnacle trim, $3050; Neva Grey/Sable Brown nappa-leather upholstery, $2990; Winter package (heated rear seats, steering wheel, windshield, and windshield-washer system), $1500; 10-degree rear-axle steering, $1300; Driver Assistance package (adaptive cruise control, lane-change assist, blind-spot monitoring, emergency-stop assist, steering assist, Pre-Safe side impact, extended automatic restart), $1250; digital LED headlamps, $1100; Acoustic Comfort package, $1100; 20-inch AMG wheels, $850; ventilated front seats, $450; energizing air control with HEPA filter, $450; emergency-use 110-volt charging cable, $250
POWERTRAIN
Motors: permanent-magnet synchronous ACCombined Power: 288 hpCombined Torque: 564 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 90.6 kWhOnboard Charger: 9.6 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 170 kWTransmissions, F/R: direct-drive/direct-drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: multilink/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 15.4-in vented disc/14.9-in vented discTires: Bridgestone Turanza T005 B-Silent255/40R-20 101Y Extra Load MO-S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 122.8 inLength: 196.6 inWidth: 76.2 inHeight: 59.5 inPassenger Volume: 104 ft3Cargo Volume: 15 ft3Curb Weight: 5488 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.3 sec1/4-Mile: 13.9 sec @ 97 mph100 mph: 15.0 sec130 mph: 29.8 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.3 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.3 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.5 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 130 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 178 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 358 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.86 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGING
Observed: 85 MPGe75-mph Highway Driving: 67 MPGe75-mph Highway Range: 260 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 97/95/100 MPGeRange: 300 mi
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

After decades of spitting fire and spraying gravel on the world’s rally stages, or at least looking the part on the street, the Subaru WRX has earned a few gray hairs. Now in its fifth generation after a redesign for the 2022 model year, Subaru’s proto-rally car has reached middle age, donned a suit of body-cladded office wear, and attained a new level of sophistication. Nowhere is this clearer than in the WRX’s range-topping, automatic-only GT version. More on Subaru WRXNow, the WRX has been available with an automatic transmission for years, and the latest model’s CVT unit with eight simulated ratios is an $1850 to $2250 option on all trim levels, including the $30,600 base car. Subaru still lashes a six-speed manual to the 271-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four as standard. The new fully equipped GT model, however, is exclusively a two-pedal affair that will set you back $43,390. For a WRX. That’s $5220 more than the starting point of the old 310-hp STI model, the likes of which won’t be returning for this generation (that nameplate may be revived for a future performance EV based on a different platform). To be fair, Volkswagen GTIs can be optioned past $40K, so the affordable sport compact is somewhat of a nebulous concept nowadays.The Subaru Global Platform feels stiff and nicely balanced, and the WRX’s crisp steering delivers the direct turn-in response you’ll want when barreling down goat paths at highly questionable speeds. This is a car designed to be chucked around corners with minimal effort, its standard all-wheel-drive system helping it find purchase on just about any surface. The reasonable 72 decibels of wind and tire noise we recorded inside the GT’s cabin at 70 mph is average for a sport compact. While its 28-mpg result on our 75-mph highway route is less competitive, it is 3 mpg better than the automatic’s EPA estimate and the same as the manual Limited model we previously tested achieved. HIGHS: Quicker real-world acceleration than the manual, standard active-safety tech, numerous drive mode configurations.Perhaps the greatest draw of an automatic WRX is the additional equipment it unlocks over the manual. Opt for the CVT and you gain the ability to tweak the drivetrain’s responses through Intelligent, Sport, and Sport # settings. The GT goes a step further by adding overarching drive modes (Comfort, Normal, Sport, Sport+, and Individual), which via the 11.6-inch center touchscreen let you configure your preferred mix of drivetrain feistiness, steering weight, front-to-rear torque balance of the all-wheel-drive system, and ride stiffness from the GT-exclusive adaptive dampers. Also included: a 504-watt, 11-speaker stereo, body-hugging Recaro sport seats with microsuede upholstery and red contrast stitching, and Subaru’s raft of EyeSight driver assist tech, which isn’t available with the manual. All that kit helped inflate our test car’s curb weight to 3552 pounds, some 151 pounds more than the aforementioned manual version. Yet despite being the most polished of WRXs, the GT is also the quicker of the two in the real world. Though the CVT-equipped car needed almost a second longer to reach 30 mph, its 5.4-second 60-mph time is 0.1 second quicker, largely due to the manual needing two shifts to reach that mark. The GT’s rolling acceleration from 5 to 60 mph, 30 to 50 mph, and 50 to 70 mph also is significantly quicker. Only at higher speeds does the stick shift stretch its legs, tripping the quarter-mile lights in 13.9 seconds to the GT’s 14.1, though both are traveling 101 mph.With both models rolling on similar 18-inch Dunlop SP Sport Maxx summer tires, the GT’s other go-fast metrics are what you’d expect from a car saddled with additional mass. Its 0.93 g of skidpad grip is down 0.02 g to the manual Limited’s, and its stops from 70 and 100 mph—159 and 326 feet, respectively—are both a few feet longer. In the greater sport-compact arena, the performance of today’s WRX makes it a close match for the lighter 241-hp GTI, yet it falls behind racier rivals that approach or surpass the 300-hp mark, such as the Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai Elantra N, Toyota GR Corolla, and VW Golf R.Michael Simari|Car and DriverYet with the GT, the WRX feels more content than ever to do its own thing. Dial its drive settings back to tame and it cruises in mature comfort, if with only marginally better ride compliance than the well-tuned standard car provides. And save for the CVT’s inherent mushiness when tipping into the throttle, particularly at stop-and-go speeds, its stepped ratios mostly eliminate engine droning. A CVT will never be as fun as a stick—this autobox “upshifts” on its own at redline in every scenario outside of attacking the drag strip, where its quickest runs kept the needle pinned at 6100 rpm—but it does help lend the GT the sort of bandwidth found in some premium sport sedans. Michael Simari|Car and DriverLOWS: Carries extra pounds, a CVT will never be as engaging as a manual, still lacks some basic niceties.But from the fluttering of its aluminum hood on the highway to its lack of a heated steering wheel and rear climate-control vents, the WRX quickly reminds you of its economy-car roots. We’d wager most Subaru sedan shoppers tempted by the GT’s feature count will be happier spending considerably less on a 260-hp turbocharged Legacy. While updates have made the latest WRX’s automatic transmission a compelling option for drivers more concerned with convenience than engagement, this pricey GT model leaves us longing for the simpler times of the WRX’s youth.SpecificationsSpecifications
2022 Subaru WRX GTVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $43,390/$43,390
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 146 in3, 2387 cm3Power: 271 hp @ 5600 rpmTorque: 258 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
continuously variable automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 12.4-in vented disc/11.8-in vented disc Tires: Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT 600 A245/40R-18 97Y
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 105.2 inLength: 183.8 inWidth: 71.9 inHeight: 57.8 inPassenger Volume: 98 ft3Trunk Volume: 13 ft3Curb Weight: 3552 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.4 sec100 mph: 13.6 sec1/4-Mile: 14.1 sec @ 101 mph130 mph: 28.2 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.3 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.3 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.1 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 134 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 159 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 326 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.93 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 20 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 28 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 460 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 21/19/25 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

From the November 2022 issue of Car and Driver. Until now, no one would have thought that throwing a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R gummies on a sports car would improve ride quality. But it’s true on the Z06 when paired with the $9995 carbon-fiber wheels, which shed a claimed 41 pounds.That this most extreme version of the Z06 is amazingly livable over far-from-smooth Michigan pavement is surprising, given that this car is also capable of setting many a track record. Going hardcore means you should choose the base targa body style, which saves about 90 pounds versus the convertible, and the $8995 Z07 Performance package. That’s actually a relative bargain, as it includes the carbon-ceramic rotors that cost $8495 alone, which makes the Cup 2 Rs only $500. Going Z07 also requires the aggressive Aero package for another $8495 (or $10,495 in exposed carbon fiber). The Aero package generates 734 pounds of downforce at 186 mph and brings a stiffer gas-guzzler penalty—$3000 versus the standard car’s $2600, presumably thanks to increased drag.Oh, don’t worry, this Z06 is plenty sharper too. Its dramatically stiffer wheels necessitated a different steering calibration. Turn-in is preternatural, the steering is purer, and, another surprise, this car better resists tramlining too.More on the Corvette Z06 and Z07Getting the targa also means the engine is visible, and shouldn’t you be able to see the 8500-rpm widget that’s causing a queue to pay $43,400 more than a regular Stingray costs? We thought having a line of sight to the 670-hp LT6 might affect the sound inside the cabin, but subjectively it doesn’t, although the targa measured quieter at wide-open throttle than the convertible, 94 decibels to 96. Other than the shriek to redline, the exhaust’s guttural throat clearing when tipping in and out of the throttle at elevated rpm tickled our car-enthusiast innards every time. Very Ferrari. A double-paddle pull lets the engine free rev and is a guaranteed way to draw a crowd—you can hear its wail from miles away.At the test track, this one got to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 10.5 at 131 mph, gains of 0.1 and 0.2 second, and 2 mph, respectively, over the 133-pound-heavier convertible. The initial leap to 30 mph happens in 1.0 second flat, tying the 991-generation Porsche 911 GT3 RS and GT2 RS for quickest launch we’ve ever recorded in a rear-drive car and bettering many all-wheel-drive sports cars. Chevy’s launch control is exceptionally dialed in.Although the new Z06 decisively shows its taillights to the previous-gen car in a straight line, the C7 Z06 stopped shorter and cornered harder. Adding an extra 108 pounds to an already heavy car never helps. On the skidpad, we measured 1.16 g’s, better than the 1.12 g’s of the convertible on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber, but short of Chevy’s claim of 1.22 g’s, which requires tire pressures much lower than those specified on the door placard (the Z07’s placard pressures are higher than the regular car’s to increase wet traction). The skidpad also brings out the Z06’s understeer.With its angry startup, high-pitched wail, and ability to spin its crankshaft to speeds that would shoot pushrods through a small-block, this latest Z06 is far more special. It’s also best served hardcore. SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 w/Z07Vehicle Type: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door targa
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $127,185/$166,205Options: 3LZ equipment group (leather-wrapped interior with microfiber headliner, heated and ventilated GT2 bucket seats, navigation, wireless phone charging), $13,850; visible carbon-fiber wheels, $11,995; carbon-fiber interior trim, $4995; front-axle lift, $2595; visible carbon-fiber targa top, $2495; Bright Red painted calipers, $695; black exhaust tips, $395
ENGINE
DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 333 in3, 5463 cm3Power: 670 hp @ 8400 rpmTorque: 460 lb-ft @ 6300 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/control armsBrakes, F/R: 15.7-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic disc/15.4-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic discTires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ZPF: 275/30ZR-20 (97Y) TPCR: 345/25ZR-21 (104Y) TPC
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 107.2 inLength: 185.9 inWidth: 79.7 inHeight: 48.6 inPassenger Volume: 51 ft3Cargo Volume: 13 ft3Curb Weight: 3666 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 2.6 sec 100 mph: 5.9 sec130 mph: 10.3 sec1/4-Mile: 10.5 sec @ 131 mph150 mph: 15.2 sec170 mph: 24.9 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 3.1 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.0 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.2 secTop Speed (mfr’s claim): 189 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 139 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 274 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.16 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 12 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 14/12/19 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The day began with weather to scare Gordon Lightfoot, when the gales of November came early at Michigan’s Silver Lake Dunes. Eventually, the rain abated, but the towering dunes were so thoroughly soaked that there was almost too much traction. Not too much for the guy in the rental Buick Encore, we guess, but enough to make even the steepest of dunes but a minor inconvenience to the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R. When you’ve got 700 horsepower and 37-inch beadlocked tires, wet sand may as well be a foot-thick lane of interstate slab.The Raptor R is the long-awaited but maybe not inevitable zenith of the Raptor brand. In a world with no Ram TRX, would Ford drop a Shelby GT500 engine in a Raptor? Science tells us that the mere act of observation influences outcomes, and we have to think Ford observed Ram selling all the $90,000-ish trucks it could build and said, “You know, maybe we should do that.” And while Ram won’t say how many TRXs it has sold, the Stellantis trophy truck had a healthy head start on the Raptor R—we’re closing in on 40,000 miles in our long-term TRX. So it’s a little bit curious, given the obviousness of the Raptor R’s competition, that Ford didn’t go for horsepower bragging rights. With the TRX making 702 horsepower, why not give the Raptor R 703? That would have been hilarious, and probably something Ram might do. Instead, Ford arrived at an even 700 horsepower at 6650 rpm, and its powertrain engineers make complete sense when they say that you can’t tell the difference between 700 horsepower and a little more than 700 horsepower. But trucks like this aren’t about making sense, unless you commute to Mike’s Sky Ranch in Baja. They’re about big numbers and loud noises and taking dirt that was over here and throwing it way over there, and then doing some sweet jumps. The Raptor R is spectacularly well equipped to handle all of that, even without horsepower bragging rights.Related StoriesFor Raptor duty, Ford’s supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 gets a truck tune that fattens up the torque curve, delivering 640 lb-ft at 4250 rpm. The blown 5.2 gulps air so ferociously that Ford had to reinforce the Raptor’s intake ductwork because the EcoBoost-spec plumbing was distorting under heavy throttle. A new supercharger pulley gets the boost ramped up sooner, all the better for spinning those four 37-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires. Because the V-8 adds 100 pounds to the front end, spring rates are increased, and there are some beefier frame brackets, but the suspension mostly carries over. The base Raptor, with its 450-hp twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6, is available with either 35-inch tires or 37s, but the Raptor R gets only the 37s. That costs it an inch of front suspension travel but delivers 13.1 inches of ground clearance and, Ford admits, just helps it look awesome. The 35s are rational, but the 37s say it’s “Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!” And even though your ticket buys the whole seat, you’ll only need the edge.The blue parts mark Raptor R-specific parts–so, mostly brackets at the rear end.Car and DriverThe Raptor R, like its EcoBoost counterpart, is gloriously adaptable to whatever terrain you care to assault. The transfer case offers rear drive, auto four-wheel drive, high-range four-wheel drive (physically locked front to rear), and low-range four-wheel drive. You can also manually lock the rear differential, though not in two-wheel drive. The steering effort, Fox Live Valve dampers, and exhaust sound all are independently adjustable via steering-wheel buttons, which include an R button for your favorite preset modes. And there are drive modes galore to tailor responses for the situation at hand. Baja is our favorite. Wandering into Tow/Haul mode occasions a shock of recognition—oh yeah, this is a truck, a useful thing that can tow and/or haul! It’s not just for sending the Raptor R into low orbit off Silver Lake Dunes, although it’s mighty good at that too. But so is an EcoBoost Raptor.Where the Raptor R distinguishes itself is when you flatten the accelerator, and the twin four-inch exhaust cannons fire a fusillade of V-8 fury, and your shoulders are buried into the Raptor R embroidery on the upper seatback while the 10-speed automatic shuffles gears quicker than a blackjack shoe rearranges the cards at the Golden Nugget. The front end climbs toward the sky, and the steering wiggles a little bit in your hands as the Raptor searches for traction. Even on sand, it feels violently quick. What it feels like, really, is an F-150 Lightning Extended Range with way more noise and drama. In fact, when we asked the Ford engineers whether the Lightning or the Raptor R would be quicker to 60 mph, they furrowed their brows and conceded it would be a good race. Given the well-watered state of the dunes, indulging our juvenile urge to throw sand required running in rear-drive mode. Which is how we discovered that, in addition to the electronic locker, there’s a brake-based limited-slip function for the open rear differential. The brake-based system works when one side or the other experiences a flare in wheel speed, and the brake on that side gives a squeeze to send power back to the other side. This system is operating in the background even when the AdvanceTrac stability-control system is completely disabled. So if, say, you want to roost some dunes in two-wheel drive, where the rear locker can’t be engaged, the rear brakes will be getting a workout. It is true that Car and Driver is staffed by a pack of feral, half-mad maniacs, and that no normal driver would ever experience this particular problem (we’re paraphrasing what Ford said to us). To which we say that 700-hp pickups don’t exactly attract the left-brain thinkers among us, and Raptor R owners will want to drift it in rear-drive mode, probably on the way out of the dealership parking lot. So why not just allow the locking diff to engage in two-wheel drive? Ford says that’s not the way it works right now, but the company is always listening to its customers. So if you want a locking diff in rear-drive mode, petition your local Ford representative. What do we want? Roosty drifts! When do we want them? As often as possible!If you’re looking to spot a Raptor R in the wild, it won’t be easy. First of all, except for its bulging hood, the Raptor R looks very much like an EcoBoost Raptor with the 37-inch tire package. The trucks at Silver Lake were also emblazoned with the graphics package that riffs on the Raptor “digital mud” pattern by constructing the black part of the graphic out of tiny 8s. On the driver’s side of the truck, the Raptor logo renders the second “R” in Raptor Orange, which looks great unless the truck is the same color, in which case it looks like you’re driving a Rapto. (On the passenger’s side, the first R is orange, so on that side you’ve got an “aptor.”) But you can delete the graphics for no cost if you prefer to let the 5.2-liter Predator speak for itself.On orange trucks, the orange “R” graphic makes it look like you’re driving a Rapto.Car and DriverThere also won’t be a million Raptor Rs to spot, given that the base price is a cool $109,145. Whether that roughly $30,000 more than a base Raptor (and $26K more than a TRX) sounds worth it or totally ridiculous depends on your point of view, and maybe whether your neighbor has a TRX and is overdue for a FoMoCo riposte to those 6 a.m. Hellcat cold starts. It’s tempting to conclude that since Ram built the TRX and Ford built the Raptor R, that’s where this ends, but we suspect not. GM, what say you?SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Ford F-150 Raptor RVehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base: $109,145
ENGINE
supercharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 315 in3, 5163 cm3Power: 700 hp @ 6650 rpmTorque: 640 lb-ft @ 4250 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 145.4 inLength: 232.6 inWidth: 87.0 inHeight: 80.6 inPassenger Volume: 136 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 6150 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.7 sec100 mph: 9.5 sec1/4-Mile: 12.1 secTop Speed: 114 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 13/11/15 mpgThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Being the best puts a target on your back. The Kia Telluride has been our top mid-size SUV since it debuted for 2020, bar none. The three-row ute has received three straight 10Best awards and has never lost a comparo, vanquishing challengers such as the Mazda CX-9 and the Toyota Highlander and even its corporate counterpart, the Hyundai Palisade. Instead of letting its champion grow complacent, Kia has continued to refine the Telluride for 2023, making it handsomer, enhancing its equipment, and toughening it up.Range Rover, Er, Kia TellurideThere’s little fundamentally different about the updated Telluride. Its 291-hp V-6, eight-speed automatic, and other mechanical bits remain the same. Its reshaped grille adds three-dimensional mesh trim, its front bumper has a boxier design, and its revised LED headlights have dual vertical elements. Gone are the TELLURIDE lettering on the hood and—sadly—the distinctive amber headlight accents. But that’s about it. The facelift is subtle; then again, this canvas already looked pretty good to our eyes. The Telluride’s vaunted value proposition does take a hit for 2023, with prices rising between $1700 to $2900, but its $37,025 base price for a front-wheel-drive LX model is still a heck of a deal. The upcharge for the new model year is mostly offset by newly available content ranging from a digital rearview mirror and a digital key (via keycard or smartphone app) to expanded driver-assistance tech that allows the Kia to automatically change lanes upon the driver’s prompt. Also new are the X-Line and X-Pro trims, both of which feature standard all-wheel drive, slightly greater approach and departure angles, and an extra smidge of ground clearance (8.4 versus 8.0 inches) compared with lesser models. The Xs also have standard roof rails, making it easier to secure items on top.HIGHS: Influx of tech features, more capable off-road, looks even more Range Rover-esque.Kia pushes the X-Pro’s capabilities further in a few key areas. It has 18-inch wheels and Continental TerrainContact all-terrain tires versus the X-Line’s 20-inchers with all-seasons. The X-Pro also gets revised traction-control software that Kia says improves its off-road performance. Additionally, a more powerful cooling fan increases the X-Pro’s maximum towing capacity by 500 pounds to 5500.Marc Urbano|Car and DriverX-Line and X-Pro Get ToughThe X-Line get-up is offered on the EX and SX trim levels. It costs $2195 on the EX and $1395 on the SX, with starting prices of $46,820 and $50,220, respectively. There’s also a top-trim SX-Prestige version for $53,120. The Telluride’s driving demeanor is the same regardless, and we continue to be impressed with this SUV’s accurate steering, compliant ride, and taut body control. Its handling traits won’t have you searching out back roads just for the fun of it, but its cohesive nature makes it feel a cut above its peers.More on the Kia TellurideThe X-Line SX-Prestige model we tested hit 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, making it slightly quicker than previous Tellurides we’ve sampled. That time may not be worth bragging about, especially when more powerful alternatives such as the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee L are quicker still, but the Kia never feels poky with a transmission that is well tuned and unobtrusive. It’s much the same story with its 175-foot stop from 70 mph, 0.80 g of skidpad grip, and 68 decibels of interior noise at 70 mph, all of which are similar to what our 2020 long-term example produced when it was new. With the addition of the X-Pro, the Telluride is more adventurous than ever. It’s only offered with the SX AWD trim that starts at $48,825 and on the full-zoot SX-Prestige, which is now the priciest Telluride, starting at $51,725—X-Pro tacks on $2395 to each. To experience the X-Pro in action, our drive route outside of San Antonio included a makeshift off-road course. While the setting was no Rubicon Trail, the X-Pro’s all-terrain tires and all-wheel-drive system, with its electronically locking center differential, helped it crawl over a rock bed and a couple of gnarly drainage ditches. Hill-descent control is new and standard on all ’23 Tellurides, and it worked flawlessly to manage our speeds on steep downgrades. LOWS: Pricier than before, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto still require wires, not as quiet at highway speeds as some competitors.When it comes to fuel economy, expect the 2023 Telluride to deliver similar results as before. Its EPA estimates are almost identical across the board, with front- and all-wheel-drive models earning the same 23 and 21 mpg combined, respectively. We weren’t able to run the 2023 model on our 75-mph highway route, but a 2020 SX AWD version returned 24 mpg, matching its EPA figure. Lonely at the TopInside, the Telluride looks and feels as resplendent as ever. Fit and finish remains excellent, and there’s an array of attractive interior color options, including Navy, Sage Green, and Terracotta. The biggest update is a redesigned dashboard, with its restyled HVAC vents and trim that make way for a new interface, which, on upper trims, combines two 12.3-inch displays for the gauge cluster and the center touchscreen in a single unit. It’s a tech-forward centerpiece that makes the Telluride feel more upscale. The updated infotainment system gives more screen space to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the inability to connect wirelessly is baffling. We’ll continue to hope that an over-the-air software update fixes that in the future. That miss aside, there’s a reason we continue to tout the Kia Telluride: It’s an amazing all-around mid-size SUV. It has been a big hit for Kia too, with sales ballooning by a whopping 60 percent through last year. The company sold 93,705 copies in the U.S. in 2021, and now it’s raising production capacity to 120,000. The Telluride wasn’t in danger of getting stale, but Kia has taken meaningful measures to keep its competition in the rearview mirror.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Kia Telluride X-LineVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $46,820/$53,615Options: SX-Prestige package (12.3-in digital gauge cluster, nappa leather seats, heated and ventilated second-row seats, Harman Kardon 10-speaker stereo, Highway Driving Assist 2.0, head-up display, digital rear-view mirror), $6300; Glacial White Pearl paint, $495
ENGINE
DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 231 in3, 3778 cm3Power: 291 hp @ 6000 rpmTorque: 262 lb-ft @ 5200 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/12.0-in disc Tires: Michelin Primacy LTX245/50R-20 102V M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 114.2 inLength: 196.9 inWidth: 78.3 inHeight: 70.5 inPassenger Volume: 151 ft3Cargo Volume: 21 ft3Curb Weight: 4469 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.8 sec1/4-Mile: 15.1 sec @ 94 mph100 mph: 17.2 sec130 mph: 38.3 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.3 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.6 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.6 secTop Speed (C/D est): 132 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 175 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.80 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 19 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 21/18/24 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The 2023 Lordstown Endurance is likely the electric pickup you’ve never heard of. Unveiled in June 2020 by a startup Ohio automaker, it’s a full-size truck with 8000 pounds of towing capacity and a target of 200 miles of range. It’s aimed solely at fleet buyers whose trucks must earn their keep and work for a living. While 200 miles wouldn’t cut it for personal-use vehicles, hard-nosed fleet managers know how far each of their trucks travels daily—and whether 200 miles of range (minus allowances for highway use, winter temperatures, and towing) will suffice. The Endurance starts at $65,060. Still, Lordstown faces some very steep odds. For our first drive of the Endurance pickup, there were two questions: Is the truck fit for purpose? And does the company have a hope of success?Driving Early-Production TrucksOver two days, we spent about 90 minutes total with two separate Endurance pickups—VINs 005 and 006, it turned out. They differed slightly and were still receiving final tweaks, said Darren Post, Lordstown’s vice president of engineering. He rode shotgun on routes encompassing suburban traffic, country roads, and freeway driving outside Ann Arbor, Michigan.From the outside, the Endurance is an upright pickup with a body-color shield where the grille would be, with the charge port in its center behind the Lordstown logo. There’s a frunk that contains almost 10 cubic feet of storage. Design flourishes are few but include serrated black accent strips that break up the flat side panels and long, thin horizontal headlights and taillights that wrap around the body corners. The 20-inch wheels wear tires with tall sidewalls; no high-fashion 23-inch rims here.Inside, the truck is clearly a fleet vehicle, with an overall design theme of “basic.” Upholstery is black cloth, relieved by white stitching; door upholstery is gray vinyl. The seats slide manually, and this must be one of the last new vehicles without a telescoping steering column. The front seats are divided by a wide, deep console bin, and the flat-floored cabin easily accommodates four six-foot adults through wide-opening doors. The 66.8-inch-long bed has a carbon-fiber liner, with “Lordstown” stamped into the tailgate section.Related StoriesBehind the wheel, the rectangular digital instrument cluster and center touchscreen have big, clear, easy-to-read graphics. The trucks we drove lacked both navigation and smartphone mirroring via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Those are “on the list,” Post said.The four motors’ horsepower and torque outputs are not yet finalized, but the company is estimating 440 horses from those motors, one at each wheel. In its Normal mode, the truck accelerates swiftly but without the kidney punch of a GMC Hummer EV or a Tesla. Speed is capped at 75 mph—a challenge when you’re trying to navigate fast, aggressive Detroit-area freeway traffic. One-pedal driving is the default mode, though it can be switched off, and Lordstown has tuned its regenerative braking well. Drivers can select a Sport mode too, which gives more abrupt accelerator response and aggressive regen with transitions that felt much jerkier. We doubt Sport mode will be important to companies who want their drivers to get the most miles out of fleet trucks using the least electricity.Lordstown advertises a turning diameter of 47.0 feet—one foot better than the F-150 Lightning—and indeed, the truck turns sharply. That’s not tight enough for a U-turn in two lanes, but for a full-size pickup, it feels more maneuverable than competitors with gasoline engines. The steel structure has an aluminum hood, fenders, doors, and tailgate, with a claimed curb weight of 6450 pounds.Four Hub MotorsThis is a big, tall vehicle, but with a 109.0-kWh battery pack located under the cabin, the Endurance handles better than its engine-equipped counterparts—with one exception. Unlike the two other electric pickups now on sale—the Lightning and the Rivian R1T—it uses a solid rear axle on leaf springs. It’s simple, cheap to maintain, and should reassure set-in-their-ways fleet mechanics, but it produced a lot of side-to-side jiggle, or head toss, on certain road surfaces.That may be due to the all-wheel-drive truck’s unusual weight distribution. Most EVs are close to 50-50 front to rear, as this one is. But rather than two motors, one each between the front and the rear wheels, the Endurance uses four liquid-cooled hub motors. Each weighs 150 pounds, Post said. Added to the weight of the wheels and tires they propel, that’s likely more unsprung weight than any other light-duty vehicle on the road.Lordstown’s chassis engineers have done their job, so it’s not immediately evident how much mass is moving up and down under each corner. But without a differential, the solid rear axle is really just a tube on springs with all its weight at the very ends—hence, we suspect, the jiggle.Between them, the two early-production trucks had a variety of issues still to be addressed. Each had a different mix of wind noise, creaks behind the dash, and flimsy mirror mountings. The Endurance is also still in its Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) certification phase, and Lordstown says it’s shooting for 5-star safety ratings from the NHTSA.It clearly needs some final tweaks, but based on our limited driving, we’d say the Lordstown Endurance is approaching readiness for fleet-truck use. That presumes the assembly quality is high and the trucks hold up in the hands of early customers. Most important, it also assumes Lordstown can convince conservative, risk-averse fleet buyers they should not only buy EV pickup trucks but do so from a startup company.Better-Known Competitors Jump Out AheadBy this point, most Americans likely have some awareness of the Ford F-150 Lightning. Ford’s EV pickup gets up to 320 miles of range, can provide up to three days of backup power for your home (when properly equipped), and leaps to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds. Ford has both work-truck and high-end consumer versions—and has received reservations for more than 200,000 Lightnings altogether.The Rivian R1T electric pickup came from a startup that stayed stealthy for nine years and then stole the limelight at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. It’s a size smaller than the Lightning and Endurance, a mid-size pickup heavy on built-in technology and luxury. Amazon has invested more than $2 billion into Rivian, which will build 100,000 electric delivery vans for it over five years. Lordstown has a less salutary history. Founded in 2018, it has been through three CEOs, an expose by short-seller Hindenburg Research, and an SEC investigation. Lordstown’s tumultuous five years are summarized here. In May, it completed the sale of its Ohio factory (one-time home to the Chevy Vega) to Taiwanese contract assembler Foxconn, which will build the Endurance at the site alongside its own Foxtron-branded electric vehicles.The Foxconn deal gives Lordstown a bit more viability. Lordstown executives have been pitching their pickup to a variety of fleet operators, to learn which industries or niches may be best suited to the truck’s capabilities. We’ll watch over the next few months to see whether Lordstown announces major fleet purchase agreements for Endurance pickup trucks. Lordstown hopes to announce the first vehicle deliveries before the end of this year—more than a year later than planned. It’s been a tough road bringing the once-novel idea of a battery-powered pickup to market. Lordstown has now shown it can make a viable truck. We’ll see whether it can make a viable business.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Lordstown EnduranceVehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE 
Base: $65,060
POWERTRAIN
Front Motors: permanent-magnet synchronous ACRear Motors: permanent-magnet synchronous ACCombined Power: 440 hpBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 109.0 kWhOnboard Charger: 11.0 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 150 kWTransmissions, F/R: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 146.2 inLength: 230.0 inWidth: 81.4 inHeight: 76.4 inPassenger Volume (C/D est): 115 ft3Cargo Volume: 10 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 6450 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 6.3 sec1/4-Mile: 14.8 secTop Speed: 118 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 65/70/60 MPGeRange: 200 miThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The Nissan Pathfinder name evokes a certain amount of off-road cred, but in truth, the Pathfinder is now in its second generation as a family-friendly three-row unibody crossover. Still, Nissan can’t exactly afford to ignore the obsession with overlanding and all-terrain capability (or at least the appearance of it) that has taken over the market—enter the 2023 Pathfinder Rock Creek.The previous-generation Pathfinder offered a Rock Creek edition, but that was simply an appearance package. The new version goes a little further than that with Toyo Open Country all-terrain tires, a revised suspension, and, of course, the expected appearance tweaks and Rock Creek badging all over the exterior and interior. The 18-inch beadlock-style wheels look pretty cool, and the chunkier roof rack and modified front fascia work well with the latest Pathfinder’s boxy, slab-sided shape.The larger tires affect the driving experience negatively, as is to be expected from this kind of rubber with chunkier tread and taller sidewalls. There’s more noise, with a persistent drone at highway speeds, and the handling feels noticeably more trucklike due to slower responses to steering inputs. The ride quality is considerably worse too; the Rock Creek makes an Explorer Timberline feel like a Bentley by comparison. Predictably, the tires were less grippy at the test track too, with a skidpad result of 0.78 g and a long 70-mph braking distance of 194 feet, both significantly worse than all-season-equipped Pathfinders. But these tires are meant for handling a bit of mud, dirt, or snow, rather than dry pavement.The Rock Creek’s other mechanical difference compared with other Pathfinders is a bit more juice from the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 engine, which makes 295 hp and 270 pound-feet of torque. That’s an extra 11 horsepower and 11 pound-feet of torque compared with the base Pathfinder and is the same output found in the related Infiniti QX60. As in the standard model, the V-6 provides plenty of power to motivate the Pathfinder, and the nine-speed automatic is an improvement over the old model’s CVT in terms of responsiveness.More on the PathfinderBut the Rock Creek’s extra grunt couldn’t overcome the negative effect of the tires, and it effectively mirrored the results for a front-wheel-drive Pathfinder SL and an all-wheel-drive Platinum model we previously tested. It got to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds and ran the quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds at 92 mph.The EPA rates the Rock Creek’s fuel economy lower than other Pathfinders, at 21 mpg combined, 20 city, and 23 highway. We averaged 20 mpg overall during our time with the Rock Creek, and in our real-world 75-mph highway fuel-economy test it returned 25 mpg, a figure that beats its highway rating but lags behind the 28-mpg result we measured with an all-wheel-drive Platinum model.The Rock Creek sits in the middle of the Pathfinder lineup in terms of price and equipment. That’s nice because it means that, at $45,250 as tested, it’s cheaper than competitors including the Kia Telluride X-Pro, but it’s not so nice if you want features such as a power tailgate or a heated steering wheel, neither of which can be had on the Rock Creek trim.There’s no denying that the Rock Creek’s upgrades hurt the Pathfinder’s handling performance, fuel economy, and refinement. The upside is a bit of extra all-terrain capability and rugged cred. We wouldn’t choose it over a nicely equipped Pathfinder SL. But if you like the Rock Creek’s look, then it could be just the vehicle for your overlanding adventures—or your image as someone who has such adventures anyway.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek EditionVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $44,115/$45,250 Options: Premium Solid Gray/Super Black two-tone paint, $790; Rock Creek floor liners and cargo area protector, $345
ENGINE
DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 213 in3, 3498 cm3Power: 295 hp @ 6400 rpmTorque: 270 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
TRANSMISSION
9-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 13.8-in vented disc/13.0-in vented disc Tires: Toyo Open Country A/T III265/60R-18 110T M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 114.2 inLength: 198.8 inWidth: 77.9 inHeight: 73.7 inPassenger Volume: 148 ft3Cargo Volume: 17 ft3Curb Weight: 4583 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.7 sec1/4-Mile: 15.2 sec @ 92 mph100 mph: 18.8 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.2 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.5 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.9 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 120 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 194 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.78 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 20 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 25 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 460 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 21/20/23 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More