IT’S A BEST BUY BECAUSE:
The Rogue offers respectable fuel economy, refined interior materials, and passenger and cargo versatility that few compact SUVs can match.
BUT…
Passing power is only so-so, and engine is a bit noisy during acceleration.
WORTH NOTING:
The Rogue is one of only two vehicles in our compact-SUV category to offer a 3rd-row seat—the other is the Mitsubishi Outlander.
WHAT IS IT?
The Rogue is Nissan’s compact SUV. It comes in base S, mid-line SV, and top-line SL trim levels, each with a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine mated with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Standard or available equipment on SV and SL models includes leather upholstery, heated front seats, sunroof, hands-free power liftgate, satellite radio, navigation system with voice recognition, NavTraffic and NavWeather, Around-View Monitor (360-degree camera), and NissanConnect Apps including Facebook, iHeartRadio, and Pandora. Also available are advanced safety features, including blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning with emergency braking, and Nissan’s Moving Object Detection.
WHAT’S NEW?
The Rogue gets a significant refresh for 2017 that includes a styling facelift with Nissan’s “V-Motion” grille, a host of new safety and convenience equipment, and a gas/electric hybrid variant. Among the newly available features are a heated steering wheel, driver-seat memory, and a hands-free power liftgate. New safety features include adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning and mitigation with rear cross-traffic alert, and the addition of pedestrian detection to the previously available forward-collision warning and mitigation system. The Rogue Hybrid is powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and an electric motor that combine for a total of 176 horsepower.
FUEL ECONOMY
The EPA rates the Rogue at 26 mpg city/33 mpg highway with front-wheel drive and 25/32 with all-wheel drive. In Consumer Guide® testing, an all-wheel drive Rogue SL averaged 21.6 mpg in mostly city driving. The new-for-2017 Rogue Hybrid is rated at 33 mpg city/35 mpg highway with front-wheel drive, and 31 city/34 highway with all-wheel drive.
VALUE IN CLASS
The Nissan Rogue offers classy interior trimmings and a host of desirable features at very competitive prices. The 3rd-row seat is too small for most adults to sit in comfortably, but it nevertheless offers passenger versatility that most other compact SUVs don’t match. Likewise, Rogue’s ingeniously configured rear cargo area is a study in versatility and functional design. Other compact SUVs are better at the “sport,” but Rogue is one of the best around when it comes to utility. The new Rogue Hybrid model is a welcome addition that should prove a compelling alternative to the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and the upcoming Kia Niro.
| BASE PRICE RANGE | $23,140 – $29,890 |
| BODY STYLES | 4-Door Wagon |
| AVAILABLE ENGINES | 170-HP, 2.5-Liter 4-Cyl.; 176-HP, 2.0-Liter 4-Cyl./Electric |
| DRIVE WHEELS | Front Or All-Wheel Drive |
| BUILT IN | USA and South Korea |
| EPA FUEL-ECONOMY RANGE | 25-33 MPG |
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