It probably seemed like a good idea at the time: introduce American car buyers to Nissan’s new cute ‘ute in an episode of NBC’s hit show Heroes. And so we see the Rogue in the hands of a world saving high school cheerleader– ensuring its chick-car status for all eternity. And then rogue crooks swipe the CUV and drive it to Mexico. Demonstrating what? The car is easy to boost? Why didn’t technopath Micah Sanders get a booster seat, take the wheel and show Ford the true meaning of “sync my ride?” All of which leaves me wondering: is the Rogue good enough to survive its own marketing?
From the looks of it, yes. Although the upward kinked rear window is a Murano cue without which I could do, the Rogue’s swoopy lines are generally as fresh as a pair of Puma sneakers. The height vs. width solution makes the vehicle look decidedly skinny from certain angles, but that may be part of the appeal (you can’t be too tall or too thin). And cheers to the designers for realizing nobody wants to see your spare tire.
The Rogue’s design loses coherence at the front. If the crossover’s grill actually made French fries at least they’d be an excuse. As it is, the monochromatic prow lacks a dramatic focal point or expression. To bad the varsity team from Infiniti didn’t do more coaching; their similarly proportioned EX has a far more appealing Cheshire cat grin.
The Rogue’s righteous cabin screams “give me a Z!” And so it does, cowled instruments, air vents and all. The Rogue’s minimalist collection of round, friendly gauges and sensibly designed and positioned controls create a handsome, business-like space that seems built for the long haul. The same can’t be said for the seats, whose comfort lacks highway compatibility. The base radio sports an Aux jack for iPoditude and delivers sound. (You’ll need to upgrade to BOSE for a flattering adjective.)
Nissan’s svelte utility vehicle has one engine option: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The powerplant’s 170 horses and 175 lb-ft of torque fit the demographic remit: not being slow and not sucking gas. Bonus! Floor it and the Rogue will charge-up on-ramps with growly, thrashy abandon. Around the corners, at speed, the Rogue should not go; the tires and chassis will tell you so. If you don’t listen, four-wheel anti-lock braking, Electronic Brake force Distribution, Vehicle Dynamic Control and Traction Control will remind you.
Nissan’s continuously variable transmission (CVT) is perfect for urban work, but a genuine pain on the highway, where the slightest throttle input sends the revs soaring or falling. The Rogue’s CVT’s not as good as the best systems (usually married to larger engines) and not as bad as the worst. Opting for paddle shifters is like putting Peyton Manning in a pleated skirt and sweater; it’s not the right gear for the game.
By the same token, if you think Nissan’s [optional] Intuitive All-wheel Drive is designed for hard core off-roading, you’re wrong. But there are advantages…
The Rogue’s system uses all four wheels to get going, cruises in front wheel-drive, and engages the rear wheels in corners or slips. So you get torque steer-free starts, front-wheel drive economy, rear wheel drive handling in the corners, and all wheel-drive security. As the Rogue is neither sports car nor genuine mud plugger, it all adds up to extra prowess on wet and snowy roads.
That said, driving dynamics help set the Rogue apart from its formidable competition– emphasis on “help.” Just about every brand’s got one of these little cute utes– Toyota’s RAV-4 and Honda’s CRV are on their third-generation– and they all drive with ever-increasing “car-like” aplomb. Nissan’s blend of tech makes it the least rut-going of the top CUVs, but arguably the best on the boulevard. To stand out, though, the Rouge needs to, well, be a rogue. It’s not.
In terms of size, weight, engine output and gas mileage, the three CUVs cited above are virtually identical. The Rogue loses 15 cubic feet of cargo area due to its sleek lines. It does have The Mother of All Gloveboxes, and lots of clever cubbies for iPods, laptops and meal cards. The back has a very cool tray-size nook that, left open, separates pom-poms from Evian bottles from your backpack. And…?
The Nissan Rogue seems like it’s still in high school, trying to fit in, afraid to be really different. (You remember what happened to the deeply dorky Quest minivan?) The Rogue’s cuter than most of the other cute utes, but that’s a subjective judgment that doesn’t guarantee the model a seat at the CUV table. To be Nissan’s hero, the Rogue would have to exhibit some really extraordinary ability. That it doesn’t.
Ok, so is this the Quasquai?
It sure seems like it, only in Europe, the Quasquai has just a 2.0 with the CVT, and I think you can even get a 1.6.
Then again, it is regarded and marketed (in Europe) as a competitor to the C segment cars, like VW Golfs, Opel Astras and Meganes, 308s, 147s (149 on its way), Civics and then some, like the Eurofocus.
Therefore it replaces the hugely unsuccesful Nissan Almera.
I liked it when it entered the market but I think the interior does not look very good and like most Japanese cars they age very fast for some reason, not qualitatively, but they get boring within 1 or maybe 2 years. Even with the name Quasquai.
I hope that seat fabric looks better in person than it appears in the provided picture.
The moment I turned off Heroes and never came back was when Claire’s dad was like, “I got you a present honey,” and she was all, “You got me the Nissan Rogue? Thanks Daddy!” and then they showed a pretty shot of the Rogue in the driveway. My jaw dropped and I stomped around the house ranting for 45 minutes, frightening my dog and annoying my wife.
Never was there more blatant or barfworthy product placement. It was bad enough when Hiro demanded a Nissan Versa for his rental in season 1, but seriously, I hope that the dreadful marketing proves to be the downfall of both Heroes and the Rogue.
Other than that, it’s a fine CUV, but every time I see one it rankles me; it’s a rolling representation of sellout half-ass money grubbing Hollywood production values. Ugh.
Nice to see its a well balanced package, even if the name doesn’t match the spirit of a CUV. I wonder if it’ll be enough to snag a lot of RAV4 owners, or if it just kills the Sentra in its wake.
Since we mentioned it: the only good auto product placement I’ve seen was the Caddy CTS in USA Network’s Burn Notice. The guy brags about his old Eldorado, so his new sugar mamma buys him an ’08 CTS…and he only refers to it as “the Caddy.” Nice.
Nissan obviously didn’t take that route. And it shows.
As a prospective RAV4 purchaser (top of my current list)in the next 3-6 months, this review is something I have been waiting for. The Rogue, like the CRV, is not offered with a V6. A quick test drive with a V6 equipped RAV4 makes it difficult for me to consider anything less – and the gas mileage penalty is minimal.
I agree with the statement made about the CVT. On the highway Nissan’s CVT makes the engine rev much higher than what is probably necessary. I’d rather see an A4 or A5 transmission in it.
I am in Canada and the rogue essentially replaces the X-trail.
The X-trail had an available 5-speed manual (much more fun to drive).
The X-trail had a insanely HUGE sunroof.
The X-trail had switchable 4wd system.
The X-trail had more cargo room.
The X-trail has fold flat seats with rugged backs.
In short the Rogue is a major step down.
I also saw the Heros product placement and couldn’t believe how lame it was. My hope was that they pissed of the writer who didn’t want to do product placement so made it completely lame.
The moment I turned off Heroes and never came back was when Claire’s dad was like, “I got you a present honey,” and she was all, “You got me the Nissan Rogue? Thanks Daddy!” and then they showed a pretty shot of the Rogue in the driveway. My jaw dropped and I stomped around the house ranting for 45 minutes, frightening my dog and annoying my wife.
Well, you didn’t miss much, the second season was a dud. Thak god we had the writers go on strike to put an early end to a dreadful season.
I hope that seat fabric looks better in person than it appears in the provided picture.
If it’s anything like the Xterra, then that’s as good as it gets.
It’s like the Rogue is everything the Xterra tries to avoid being. I don’t know if that’s a good thing in a crowded market of ‘me-too’ cute utes.
The thing that torqued me about the Heroes product placement was that Claire knew it was a Nissan Rogue while I, who bear witness to the Truth several times a day, said “WTF is a Rogue?”
Product placement is bad enough, but when they place product that isn’t even available yet, that sucks.
Did I mention I hate being marketed to?
Get over the product placement thing, or you will have to stop watching tv and movies. Yes, subtlety is likely more productive, but the reality of it is that before long almost everything you see on a screen will be a placement.
I met with a company that gets placements, and they are already all over everything.
Jaguar actually tried placements in real life with extraordinarily good looking people who hang out at all the right places. I read about it in the Journal a while back.
The Rogue placed third in the newest Car & Driver comparo test behind the Rav4 and the CR-V.
Personally, I hate CVT’s, and would pass on any vehicle that had one. They drone on acceleration, and always seem to be hunting around for the right ratio.
I have a Honda bias, and having owned a first-gen CR-V, I’d buy the Honda in a heartbeat if a small ute was what I need.
WTF is “Heroes”, anyway? Do people actually watch that drivel?
I saw one of these on display at an Illinois Tollway oasis and said “meh.”
Exactly what does this give me that my lighter, more powerful, more car-like-ride-and-handling, less thirsty, comparably spacious, and equally priced Chevy Malibu Maxx doesn’t? AWD, I guess.
Please, someone explain to me the mini-UTE fascination, because I don’t get it. Bring back the freakin’ station wagon, already!
If Nissan offered an Altima wagon at under $25k, that would top my list for my next people-and-stuff-mover.
After reading the review, which describes the Rogue as good enough but not good, how does it get four stars? It seems there is a lack of consistency in the star reviews from one reviewer to the next. The description of the vehicle seemed to be 3 stars across the board.
On product placement, some do it well, others not so much so. I’ve never seen Heroes, but it sounds like about the worst job of product placement. Sort of a one hour infomercial. I just saw “I Am Legend” last week, which was set in a post-apocalyptic world where the lone survivor in New York City is evidently a Ford man. Personally, I wouldn’t use a Shelby Ford to drive around a deserted overgrown Manhattan hunting deer, but maybe that’s just me.
I’m a little confused on a few fronts regarding this vehicle and review…
Is Nissan keeping both the Rogue and Xterra? I rode in an Xterra recently, and was really disappointed by ride quality and interior materials, but then again, I recall it being a comparatively cheap ride.
I know all reviews are subjective, but I too am confused by the text of the review syncing with the end rating. When I had seen it earned 4 stars, I figured it likely got a quite positive write up. If I first read the review, I would have thought it earned 3 stars… Don’t get me wrong… it was a great review, just a little surprised at the end rating.
As for product placement, I have no issue with it as long as there are no commercials in addition to placement. After all, if the sponsors are paying for placement, I don’t need to see ads, right?
It’s the one thing that absolutely irks me about cable and Directv. What exactly are we paying for if the advertisers market to us on paid content? I should just send Frito-Lay my monthly pay tv bill.
I don’t really see this thing gaining traction in the marketplace. The CR-V & RAV4 are better deals for the money… and even the Escape would be a consideration for those who want a bit more of a traditional ute.
Really, I can’t see the niche here. Is this supposed to be the ‘cool’ alternative to a Jetta? Is it maybe a more young mommy type of vehicle? If so, how the heck are they going to beat the Toyondas in that department. The trunk area may have a bit of unique practicality to it. But that’s really about it. There’s no real strong edge that it offers versus it’s obvious competition.
Also, is it just me or is the “Murano-esque” styling less convincing on a smaller scale.
Steven, it isn’t just you. I love the look of the Murano, but the Rogue doesn’t look right.
I don’t think this is meant to displace the Xterra, as the latter is a genuine, legitimate off-roader.
I like that people are mis-spelling this vehicle as a “Rouge.”
Goes well with Hayden Panettiere’s eyeliner SherbornSean…
As I’ve mentioned in other comments, I’m currently CUV shopping. If more reasonably-priced wagons were available, I’d be looking there – but that’s another discussion entirely.
As for the Rogue, it’s made my list of contenders. I’m a Nissan fan, so naturally I was interested in this mini-Murano. This CUV seems to have some decent qualities – C&D made note of both its “sporty” driving dynamics (by CUV standards, of course) and serenely quiet interior. The Rogue is also the fastest of the 4-cyl CUVs, with a decent 0-60 figure of 8.2 seconds (C&D).
My biggest disappointment with the Rogue? Interior space. Folding the rear seats only affords 8 more cubic feet than the Nissan Versa, making it the second smallest CUV in this category (only besting the new Saturn Vue in cargo capacity with seats folded) despite sharing similar exterior dimensions with every other cute ute.
The best sellers in this category don’t interest me – the RAV4’s styling does nothing for me (swinging gate spare tire anyone?) and the CRV’s center stack-mounted shifter (minivan inspired, apparently) and strange dual grille nose are turnoffs as well.
That’s why the Outlander has been elevated to the top of my list. Quiet interior? Check. Refined V6 and decent gas mileage? Check. 15 more cubic feet behind front seats than the Rogue? Check. 100k mile warranty? Check. Leather/Nav/Xenons/Sunroof for under $28k? Check.
But we’ll see. Waiting for the updated Mazda6 wagon seems more tempting day by day. And why did they stop making the Legacy wagon?
I was in the Nissan dealer today, getting my wife’s 06 Altima serviced, and spent a lot of time checking one of these out. I think its one of those cars you either love or hate the shape of. I really like the Murano, and aside from the front end, this is like a mini Murano. And the price is certainly a lot more appealing. The Murano I was spec’ing out came in just shy of $38K. A loaded out Rogue SL AWD with pretty much everything except leather is just over $25K. Add in decent gas mileage, and this is a good buy. And to me, its one of those cars that just doesn’t photograph well. I originally saw it on the net and was underwhelmed. But the silver one I saw on the lot looked pretty nice. I do have to say the fabric on the seats is even more hideous in person that in the pictures though. Which is a shame, because the interior otherwise is really nice….
I’m in the market for a new car in the next year, and I need something AWD or 4WD for weather, not off road capability. And this just made my short list, along with the Outlander and Jeep Patriot. I’m going to let the deals available do the talking….
Saw one in traffic today – it looks like a woman’s car. Guess who was driving it? A middle aged woman.
My wife likes it, so that settles it for me – it is a woman’s car.
A dude would tell the wife we’re getting a minivan – a Mazda 5 is cheaper.
My problem with this thing is that it feels like a prime example of misapplication of technology. It’s slathered with all the technical bells and whistles Nissan can muster, and it achieves…what? It’s not grievously slow, but it ain’t that quick. It’s not the most profligate thing in the world (although the mass and bulk suggest the EPA fuel economy numbers are going to be hard to achieve in the real world), but it’s far from thrifty. It rides and handles okay, but its tall-boy center of gravity and vague off-road pretensions compromise its on-road handling dynamics, and it’s not a real off-roader. Most of its performance is inferior to that of any number of late-80’s or early-90’s compact cars with far less mechanical/electronic complexity. All of it makes me scratch my head and say, “Why?”
I’m not sure I completely get where you’re coming from, argentla. I mean, Nissan has ‘slathered’ all their vehicles with technology – even the Versa can be equipped with Bluetooth, satellite radio, intelligent key, and so on. Although it’s clear that many folks balk at cute utes, they really are one of the only viable alternatives to wagons for folks not wanting to pony up for a ‘premium’ wagon. Try equipping a V50 with leather, bluetooth, etc. – it’ll easily top 32k, and that price still lacks xenons and other features. Want something bigger? X70 base MSRP: $32.5k, XC70 base MSRP: $36.7k.
Your assumptions regarding gas mileage seem misguided. Since I’ve been shopping CUVs for some time now, I frequent various forums to search for common issues and owner reviews. Although this hardly guarantees anything, many folks have reported low-to-mid 20 MPGs in their “typical” commute on one particular forum.
“Most of its performance is inferior to that of any number of late-80’s or early-90’s compact cars with far less mechanical/electronic complexity.”
Name a few of these late 80s/early 90s compacts that could run 0-60 in 8.2 seconds. At that time, a 10 second run was considered competitive for econo cars. The B13 Sentra (1991-1994) in non SE-R form was considered the sporty alternative in it’s class at the time – I think it was good for 8.5 seconds to 60 with the 5 speed. Also – did any of these compacts offer 58 cubic feet of cargo space or a decently advanced 4 wheel drive system?
I do agree with you – the Rogue doesn’t really excel in any one category. Nor does it offer as much cargo space as many competing CUVs. That’s primarily why it isn’t at the top of my shopping list.
But why did Nissan make the Rogue? That shouldn’t take too much head scratching. CUVs are the fad vehicle right now, and the Murano is just a little too big and expensive for the segment. Sure, I’d rather have an Altima wagon, but it’s easy to see why this vehicle came into existence. It offers (merely) decent cargo capacity in a decently peppy (by CUV standards, of course) package without guzzling too much gas. Remember, most folks buying these things have no intention of off-roading and nor do they expect overly sporty handling.
I couldn’t disagree more with previous posts concerning the rogue and the xterra. These two vehicles are completely different and do not impact either on sales. The Xterra is a SUV built on a truck platform with a truck engine. The ride of the current generation (2006 and newer) doesn’t even compare with previous generation Xterras or the new Rogue.
If you want a cute-ute that drives like a car, buy the Rogue. If you want a more serious SUV with plenty of power and off-road prowess, get the Xterra.
BTW, I own a 2006 Xterra and I think the ride quality is suberb for such a vehicle.
“not beng slow and not sucking gas”
Wouldn’t; ‘not sucking a** and not sucking gas’ make it past the editorial desk?
I like this car. It’s the only way to get an Altima hatchback with a 4-cylinder engine and all wheel drive.
I agree Justin. I love my wife’s Altima. Drives nice and smooth (now that I’m rid of the stock Continental Tires) and no problems at all through 2 years and 38,000. This has the same motor and AWD, so I dont see how I can go wrong….
I saw a Rogue while I was in holiday traffic this past weekend. The design is just bad. Clumsy weak details that you’d expect from Kia, not Nissan. Maybe I’m just over Nissan’s overly distilled design language, but this is an invisible and insignificant vehicle.
If there’s anyone out there who owns a Rouge i would love to know your opinion about it. I’m looking into buying a new car and the Rouge was one of my top 3 choices. I’m a college kid so i cant afford a $35,000 car, but i live in an area where 4-wheel drive/all wheel drive is a MUST HAVE!!! fuel economy and safety is very important too! I test drove the Rouge and loved it. But i would really like to know what a real owner thinks about. Thanks!
Well, I guess I disagree with most of the postings. We are currently in the market to replace our 2004 Civic SI, which has been a great car. Currently, the Rogue is at the top of our list.
Here are some the reasons the Rogue and a CUV is at the top of our list?
1. We are in our 50s and we want a higher seating position to make it easier to get in and out of the vehicle, which the SUVs/CUVs do.
2. The Rogue gets the best city gas mileage of all of the SUVs/CUVs, with the exception of hybrids and we live in the city.
3. The Rogue is one of a very few SUVs to get a $1,000 rebate from the Canadian government for fuel economy – which is $1,000 in my pocket.
4. We don’t want or need a larger SUV/CUV because there are usually only 1 or 2 of us in the vehicle. The smaller ones are better for parking and moving around the city.
5. We like the seats and instrument panel and general layout of the Rogue better than the other SUVs we have looked at.
6. Even the position of things like cup holders is better in the Rogue than others we have looked at.
Cheers.
I have to say that I find Nissan Rogue exterior and interior styling overall attractive. It can be very well equipped (albeit Honda CR-V offers more options) and drives very car-like.
It’s common to hear praises for RAV4 however, when I saw RAV4 interior through the window at the dealer, I didn’t even bother sitting inside. The cheap interior – it’s horrible faux aluminum dashboard design is so revolting..it even exceeds the Corolla & Matrix combined. I can’t imagine anyone enjoying sitting everyday in that thing regardless of how good it’s engine is.
I drove Honda CR-V and found it’s handling and power bland, however it is miles ahead of RAV4 in it’s interior quality.
THE ROUGE HAS A DRIVLINE VIBRATION , ITS LIKE DRIVING ON A FLAT TIRE AND NISSAN CANT FIX IT, DONT BUY A ROUGE, DRIVE THE TRUCK AT 40 MPH AND YOU CAN FEEL IT, IT GETS WORSE OVER TIME AND THEN IS CONSTAT AT ANY SPEED, DONT BUY A ROUGE
I wondered how this got resurrected. Someone registered just to trash the Rogue.
I exchanged my 2005 murano lease for a 2009 murano lease and also leased a 2009 rouge. the rouge could be called a baby murano and defintaly looks great with claire ( hayden ) in it but the fact is still the same that if you have a rouge you have the vibration and it only gets worse, check out the article in the new york times ” whole lot of shaking”3-09-2008.