2014 Nissan Rogue – Video Review

2014 Nissan Rogue – TestDriveNow.com Video Review:

When the Rogue was first introduced in 2008, it was Nissan’s long-awaited answer to vehicles like the RAV4 and CR-V.  Now for its 2^nd act the Rogue aims to elevate the class by going bigger and smarter. 

Resembling a baby Pathfinder, the Rogue sheds its dowdy body for this self-assertive design beaming with chrome, LEDs and turbine wheels.  It rides on a lengthened wheelbase and is wider and taller than the outgoing model, which lives on as an import from Japan – at least for now – as the Rogue Select.  This Rogue is born in Tennessee and is shorter than before, loses about 1” of ground clearance and tops 3,600 pounds for the first time. 

It’s obvious Nissan engineers focused on 3 key areas of improvement; styling, flexibility and fuel economy, the later having been improved by about 15% with the aid of a next generation continuously variable transmission and numerous aerodynamic tricks, including firsts such as this muffler spoiler.     

For lower trim models like the S and SV, there’s the Family Package which gives you a 3^rd row seat.  The benefit of not having it though is this: the Divide-N-Hide Cargo System that provides out of sight storage and a lower deck to handle taller items. 

This top level SL trim comes standard with Divide-N-Hide and I love it.  The oft forgotten about cargo space is revolutionized here allowing for the easy creation of various sections to keep items separate, a deeper well to give you a few more inches of clearance and a 40/20/40 split to the rear seats.  You can create a shelf with removable handles and the front passenger seat reclines to a nearly flat position for carrying longer items.  And with the EZ Flex seating System, 3 rear passengers can ride in comfort with slide and recline features.  All told, Nissan has does what so many others ignore – emphasize the U in SUV.   

But something encouraged Nissan to forgo the more luxurious driving feel of the previous model, instead opting for faux sportiness.  

My main problem with the Rogue lies in its brittle ride quality over rough surfaces. The powertrain is noisy and a bit unrefined and though it’s plenty powerful it drives big and just doesn’t feel as maneuverable as it used to.   

The 170 horse 2.5-liter 4-cylinder carries over but the CVT leads to unpleasant acceleration sounds and despite a host of new chassis control measures the Rogue has largely lost its polished drivability.  Towing remains maxed at 1,000 pounds.

That being said, the good considerably outweighs the bad and most shoppers will likely favor the Rogue’s generous space, usefulness, bold styling and exceptional fuel economy over how it feels from behind the wheel.  Gas mileage for this all-wheel drive example is 25mpg city/32mpg highway.

The SL model with the benefit of the $2,000 premium package contains all of today’s high-tech safety features including blind spot warning and an around view monitor that’ll be your best friend in parking lots.  On the luxury side, this new infotainment unit is MUCH better than in other Nissan’s I’ve tested recently and includes smartphone apps, there’s a huge moonroof, Nissan’s acclaimed Zero-Gravity front seats with specialized warmers, a Bose audio system and eye pleasing modern displays.  The only demerits come in the big, floppy sun visors and a poorly placed parking brake pedal.  Otherwise the Rogue SL AWD has all of the goodies.      

Pricing starts at $23,350 and climbs to $32,395 for a fully optioned SL AWD like this. Depending upon where your priorities lie, the 2014 Rogue could be just what you need.