2013 Lexus RX 350 F Sport | 2013 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4x4

I had the opportunity to attend this year’s Rocky Mountain Driving Experience, or RMDE, which was put on by Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) in Denver, Colorado. RMDE is a two day event that brings together automotive journalists and auto manufactures to test drive some of the newest vehicles on the market, as well as opportunities to network. I was able to connect with representatives from Nissan, Audi, Ford, Kia, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Mercedes and several other manufactures, as well as getting the chance drive cars they brought to the event on freeways, canyon roads and even a racetrack.

My photography assistant from Salt Lake and I made the decision to drive to and from the event in Denver. Lexus was kind enough to loan us an RX 350 F Sport for the drive from Logan to Denver, via I-80 through Salt Lake City. Anytime I have an opportunity to conquer a 10-hour road trip in the luxury and comfort of a Lexus, I am pleased with the experience without any stiffness or fatigue from the journey.

We were rolling in style in the loaned F Sport, complete with 19” dark graphite-finish aluminum alloy wheels, LED daytime running lamps and a 15-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround sound audio system. Both of our phones connected quickly and easily through Bluetooth or the USB port located in the center console. We were able to accept phone calls wirelessly from either phone, listen to stored music on either device or choose from a variety of commercial- free music stations offered by SiriusXM. All of this technology and connectivity made for an entertaining road trip while sitting in 10-way power, soft leather seats.

The 3.5 Liter 24 valve V6 engine putting out 270 horsepower provided plenty of power to the 8-speed, automatic transmission. The paddle shifters, F Sport 3 spoke steering wheel with audio controls, plus a heads up display located in the windshield provided an extra enjoyment and sportiness to the driving experience. The F Sport’s aesthetics stood out on the route with its unique front grill and the Obsidian exterior.

The first day of RMDE offered a variety of driving options as we traveled south on I-25 from our Denver hotel to Colorado Springs, enjoyed lunch at the Garden of the Gods, and then returned to Denver. We made five stops along the way to swap vehicles, giving us a new car to test drive every 30-50 miles. During the 225-mile round trip, I drove the Audi S5, Dodge Charger Daytona, Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio, Nissan Juke with Nismo package, Ford Focus Turbo ST and the new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Day two of RMDE was on the track at High Plains Raceway located approximately 45 miles East of Denver. Here we were able to drive the cars on the track to test power, cornering and braking abilities. After a brief instructional session regarding the track rules and overall safety, they set us loose on the track with about 15 different vehicles- including the Nissan GT-R, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG and the Chevrolet Camaro SS 1 LE, all with at least 400 horsepower. Other cars I had a chance to drive on the track included the Audi S5, Infiniti M Hybrid, Ford Focus ST, Subaru BRZ, Mazda 6 and the Hyundai Genesis Coupe Track. One of the most exciting memories I’ll never forget was not driving, rather it was riding in the passenger seat of a 640 horsepower Dodge Viper SRT with a professional race car driver as he maxed out the machine’s abilities during three laps around the short track. It was an amazing day to round off the 2013 Rocky Mountain Driving Experience.

After our track experience, my road trip companion/photographer and I started our 600 mile return trip to Utah. Our friends at Nissan loaned us a 2013 Pathfinder Platinum 4x4 for our journey home. I’m impressed with the options that Nissan offers in the Platinum Edition.

The 3.5 Liter V6 engine pushes 260 horsepower with 240 lb·ft of torque through the Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) very efficiently. It has Intuitive 4WD with 4x4i and optional 2WD, Auto and 4WD Lock modes. A 5,000 lb tow package isincluded with tow haul settings.

The Pathfinder can seat up to seven passengers within the three rows of leather appointed EZ Flex seating system which includes Latch and Glide technology. The 2nd row seat is heated and has a 60/40 split reclining option with 5.5 inches of sliding and fold flat capabilities. The 3rd row is a 50/50 split fold flat bench seat with recline. The front 8-way and 4-way driver and passenger seats are both heated and ventilated. Adjusting the heated, leather-wrapped, telescoping steering wheel is key when adjusting to the driver’s comfort.

The 2nd and 3rd row passengers can enjoy the view through the dual panorama moonroof for views of the outdoors or even watch movies on the dual 7” head restraint DVD screens. There are 2 wireless headphones, rear headphone jacks with volume control, plus a wireless remote included with the entertainment system. All of the music through SiriusXM, DVD or phone activity connected through Bluetooth can be enjoyed through a 13-speaker, dual subwoofer BOSE audio surround sound system.

Both Lexus and Nissan provide turn by turn navigation systems with voice command and both averaged about 23 MPG on this trip. The only disconcerting thing about driving either of these vehicles through the state of Wyoming was that at one point, the navigation system reported the next turn being as far as 440 miles away.

Driving many different vehicles in all shapes, sizes and colors for more than 1600 miles within a 56 hour timeframe truly made this a Rocky Mountain Driving Experience.

Visit a Lexus dealer to experience a similar driving experience.
2013 Lexus RX 350 F Sport
Base MSRP: $47,000
Price as Driven: $53,865

You can find the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4x4 at Wilson Motor Company located at 328 North Main in Logan. (866) 579-2209
See Wilson’s complete inventory on Cars435.com
Base MSRP: $40,770
Price as Driven: $44,395