2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek Review: Solid Daily but the Tow Hooks Are Fake

The overlanding hype may be settling down a bit, but off-road-inspired design elements on everyday cars are here to stay. Knobby all-terrain tires, roof racks, and all-wheel drive—once the territory of serious off-roaders—are now common on vehicles that rarely leave the pavement. Truth is, most overland and off-road builds see more asphalt than dirt, but that doesn’t make rugged styling any less appealing. That’s exactly why vehicles like the 2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek edition exist.

Where standard Rogues blend in, the Rock Creek appears trail-ready, with upgrades like all-terrain tires and roof racks. However, when it comes to true off-road performance, the upgrades are minimal—it’s more of an appearance package than a serious off-roader. That said, the Rogue has always excelled as a practical everyday crossover. The Rock Creek trim simply adds a bit more personality, giving buyers something that looks more adventurous while remaining just as functional.

It’s hard to fault the Rogue Rock Creek for lacking serious off-road capability when it delivers on what really matters to its target audience. At its price point, it offers a design that makes a daily drive feel a little more exciting. While it won’t be rock crawling, its rugged looks alone are enough to inspire adventure—whether that’s an actual trail or just an occasional muddy detour. And for many drivers, a little extra confidence to take the long way home is all they really need.

The Basics

The Nissan Rogue is the brand’s best-selling compact crossover SUV, positioned between the smaller Kicks and the somewhat fancier Murano. Competing directly with segment leaders like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, the Rogue faces pressure to balance affordability, fuel efficiency, and practicality.

Among the Rogue’s trim levels, the Rock Creek sits right in the middle—positioned between the SV and SL—but it’s the only trim with a truly standout design. The roof rack and all-terrain tires are dead giveaways. Unfortunately, ride height remains unchanged where a slight lift would have really completed the look.

Additional exterior elements include special orange Rock Creek badging on the rear and sides, along with orange accents on the lower front fascia that mimic tow hooks. Even the wheels feature a single orange spoke—the automotive equivalent of dying a single streak of hair purple. Should you choose the Baja Storm Metallic paint as seen on this test vehicle, you’re sure to convince at least some people that you spend your weekends conquering trails.

Step inside the Rogue Rock Creek and the orange accents continue, appearing as contrast stitching on the dash, seats, steering wheel, and door panels. The most noticeable touch is the large “Rock Creek” embroidery on the seatbacks. The first step into the cabin is met with a rubbery thud from the durable all-season floor mats, which extend throughout the interior—including the trunk.

Beyond these trim-specific details, the layout and ergonomics remain standard Rogue. Essentials like the shifter, climate controls, and volume knobs are exactly where you’d expect them to be, making for an intuitive user experience. I was also pleased to see that the gauge cluster isn’t fully digital as the tach and speedo remain physical. In between them, however, is a small digital display for additional information. While the interior isn’t particularly luxurious or groundbreaking, it’s practical, well-organized, and user-friendly—which is exactly what most buyers are looking for.

Driving the Nissan Rogue Rock Creek

When I think of a turbocharged three-cylinder engine, my mind immediately goes to compact, sporty cars like the Toyota GR Corolla—not a family-friendly crossover like the Rogue. So, I was surprised to learn that the Rogue comes standard with a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder producing 201 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. Compared to segment leaders like the RAV4 and CR-V which use four-cylinder engines—naturally aspirated and turbocharged, respectively—the Rogue’s setup is unconventional.

Naturally, I was skeptical about how a three-cylinder engine would perform in a vehicle of this size, especially one with light off-road aspirations. Adding to my uncertainty is the continuously variable automatic transmission, which has a reputation for feeling rubbery and disconnected—not exactly the ideal sensation you want when tackling terrain.

Despite my reservations, the Rogue Rock Creek proved to be an excellent daily driver. Standard all-terrain Falken Wildpeak tires are a well-rounded choice that complements the vehicle’s ethos—comfortable on-road with some added off-road capability. The Rogue’s heavy-duty-looking cosmetics are contrasted by light driving inputs. Everything from steering to power delivery made for a truly effortless driving experience. Combine that with large tires and soft suspension, and the Rock Creek is easily one of the more comfortable crossovers I’ve driven. Throw in heated seats and a heated steering wheel and this thing can feel like it’s entering Infiniti territory.

If the Rock Creek trim is designed to inspire adventure, it certainly succeeded. During a visit to my folks in the barren desert of Victorville, CA, I seized the opportunity to take the Rogue off the pavement and explore. Surrounded by tumbleweeds and Joshua trees, I found a playground of dirt mounds to test its abilities. After all, this Nissan does feature a selectable off-road mode, so why not see how it performs?

I felt most confident navigating small elevations and uneven gravel—it could do that all day. However, after just a brief stint testing steeper inclines, it became clear that the car wasn’t designed for anything serious. If Jeeps are built to conquer large hills, the Rogue is intimidated by them. Every encounter with what I’d consider an “obstacle” for the Rogue was a reminder that I was driving a crossover that wasn’t really built for them.

The Highs and Lows

If there’s one thing to rave about, it’s how easily the Rogue Rock Creek serves as a one-car solution. And it does so with rugged-looking exterior bits that set it apart from regular traffic without being another lifted 4Runner with a ladder—because, really, who wants to drive that every day?

The biggest drawback is how frustratingly close the Rogue Rock Creek comes to being a better off-roader. A more robust powertrain, a proven transmission, or even a small lift—just one of these upgrades would’ve helped the Rock Creek make a stronger case for itself.

Nissan Rogue Rock Creek Features, Options, and Competition

Compared to the base Rogue, the Rock Creek edition adds leatherette-appointed seats, a six-speaker audio system (over four in the base model), and roof rails. On the off-road side, it comes with selectable drive modes, hill descent control, and a standard 360-degree camera. My test vehicle was equipped with the optional $800 Premium Package, which adds a heated steering wheel, motion-activated tailgate, and wireless charger, among other convenience features.

The competition includes AWD crossovers like the Subaru Forester Wilderness, Hyundai Tucson XRT, and Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road. On paper, they’re all capable light off-roaders. The key differences lie in the powertrain, where Nissan stands out as the only one with a three-cylinder engine. Among these off-road-tailored crossovers, the Rock Creek is the only one to offer a 360-degree camera—not just as standard, but as an option at all.

Fuel Economy

When it comes to efficiency, the Rogue RC outperforms most of its off-road-leaning rivals. Its 29 mpg combined rating is the best in this lineup, edging out the TRD RAV4 (28 mpg combined) and significantly ahead of the Outback Wilderness (23 mpg combined). The AWD Hyundai Tucson (26 mpg combined) also lags slightly behind the Rogue.

As for real-world numbers, the Rogue came impressively close to its EPA estimates. During my road trip to Victorville, I averaged 30 mpg on the highway, while city driving returned 25 mpg, both figures landing just 2 mpg shy of official ratings.

Value and Verdict

For those of us with an outdoorsy side who need a do-it-all crossover, the 2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek is hard to dismiss. No, it’s not the rock-busting, creek-crawling, trail-destroying budget Bronco it perhaps pretends to be. But for $37K, you get a comfortable, practical, and fuel-efficient compact SUV that I’d be happy to drive long-term. For beach days, hikes, or road trips to Big Bear, I’d raise my hand to haul the gang in the Rock Creek every time.

The Rogue Rock Creek is like a kid playing cowboy—some may have the lasso and leather gloves, but a hat and boots are enough to look the part. And sometimes, looking the part is all it takes to spark a little adventure.

Quick Take

Eighty-five percent daily driver and 15% weekend warrior, the Rock Creek nails the rugged look, but its capabilities are only a small step beyond the standard Rogue.

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