The new Rogue is bigger and bolder than all previous models, making it very competitive with other crossovers.
Stylish LED lights give an impressive look with daytime running lights. Fenders are muscular, and large arches around the wheels complete the wheel ensemble, but not at the expense of a sculpted impression. Aerodynamic panels around the rear pillars sweep the wind and unwanted air current away. Even the muffler has its own spoiler.
All these aerodynamic features help Rogue to get an EPA fuel economy of 28 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. Add all this to a choice of nine exterior colors like Gun Metallic, Arctic Blue Metallic, and Midnight Jade. My Rogue was Cayenne Red that went well with the charcoal cloth interior.
If my colors were a little bland, you may choose to colorize your vehicle however you wish. Door handles, rear spoiler, outside mirror caps and some interior parts may be colored red, orange, yellow or blue.
All three trims (S, SV, and SL) come with a 2.5 L DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine providing 170 hp at 6,000 rpm and 175 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm.
The Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System, Nissan Direct Ignition System with double platinum-tipped spark plugs, and Eco Mode add to the power and economic character of Roque.
The 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in all-season tires put the engine power down to the asphalt, coordinated through the help of Active Trace Control, Active Engine Braking, and Active Ride Control.
The 6-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar support was just barely bearable as far as size was concerned. EZ Flex 60/40 split folding/sliding/reclining second-row bench seat and optional 3rd-row split fold-down bench seat allow for more cargo space options and legroom.
The automatic liftgate complements the standard Divide-N-Hide cargo space, offering driver and passenger lots of storage space (70.0 cubic feet) and organization options. With five folks in the car it would still have 39.3 cubic feet of storage.
The 5-inch color display was much too small for practicality and safety. Down on the left out of sight near the driver’s knee, and away from the steering column are several buttons that cannot be identified unless the driver bends down. Bending down takes your eyes off the road, which makes for a perilous situation. I think one was the Lane Departure Warning feature.
There are numerous power features, such as power door locks with automatic locking features and power windows with driver’s one-touch auto-up/down features.
To ensure safety, Nissan provides their advanced air bag system with dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant-classification sensor, plus driver’s and front passenger seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags for side impact head protection for front and rear-seat outboard occupants.
Vehicle Immobilizer System, Vehicle Security System, and tire monitoring system add additional ingredients to the safety and security formula.
Rogue had great torque for highway merging and passing. It handled well, but felt a little unbalanced when making quick lane changing maneuvers. The steering wheel felt strong but was too small for me, and the car seemed to have a little rattle coming from the right rear window.
The standard AM/FM/CD audio system was average, and seems technologically limited unless you opt for the SV Premium Package that was built around the very sophisticated NissanConnect navigation system, and include features like an Around View Monitor, power liftgate, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning, and Moving Object Detection for an additional $1,590 added to the base manufacturer’s price of $24,490.
Durhl Caussey writes a car column read around the world. He may be reached at this paper or [email protected]
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