Nissan Might Turn the Kicks Into a Rock Creek Off-Roader

Rock Creek All the Things

Nissan currently has two off-road-oriented lines in its range. For the more rugged, body-on-frame models, those get the Pro-4X label, while the crossovers get the Rock Creek Edition tag. Currently, there’s the Armada and Frontier Pro-4X, along with the Pathfinder and Rogue Rock Creek Edition.

Now it seems there will be another model that will receive the latter treatment. Instagram spy photog kindelauto snapped a shot of a covered-up Kicks sporting a roof rack, among other things. This suggests a Rock Creek Edition for the subcompact crossover.

Previewed in Canada?

During the Montreal Auto Show back in January, Nissan showed a Kicks outfitted with various accessories that made it look ready for the first. It didn’t have a badge to say it was a Rock Creek Edition, but it did appear that Nissan was hinting at it at the very least. The car was also displayed right beside a Rogue Rock Creek Edition.

According to Canadian auto website RPM, the real deal will be released sometime this year, likely by Summer. The publication also reckons that it’ll slot just below the SR Premium.

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The Spy Shot

The car spotted by kindelauto was seen in Tennessee. That little tidbit is worth mentioning as Nissan USA’s headquarters is in that state. There’s a good chance it was undergoing some testing, and luckily, someone was able to take a photo of it.

Its entire tailgate is covered up, suggesting there are changes to that panel. The side door badge was also masked, and the wheels were camouflaged. Funnily enough, there’s the same zebra-like pattern on the roof rack, though it won’t be totally hidden from view.

But what’s more interesting here is the camo on the front. This suggests a design unique to the rest of the Kicks lineup, just like any other Nissan crossover that’s received Rock Creek Edition trim. What caught our attention was the top half of the grille, which had three rectangular holes, something the standard Kicks doesn’t have.

Nissan’s on a Roll Lately

Nissan is fresh off its announcement of long-term plans and the world premiere of the all-new Juke and Rogue. The program also gave a sneak peek at the Xterra revival and the reboot of its sport sedan, the Skyline. It’s all part of the company’s plan to regain relevance and, more importantly, to recover from years in the red.

The redesigned Rogue will be key to the equation, while the Juke aims to revitalize the company’s fortunes in Europe. Meanwhile, the Xterra could be fully revealed by the 2027 model for the 2028 model year, and the same goes for the redesigned Skyline that could become the Infiniti Q50 successor by the time it reaches the U.S.

Nonetheless, this new potential trim of the Kicks will play a small but vital role in Nissan’s recovery plan. We could see more special trims and models down the line to keep interest up before the wave of new models comes in.