In America, the Rogue is Nissan's compact crossover. The Qashqai (nicknamed Kumquat by Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear) is the Rogue's overseas fraternal twin (shared DNA with some substantial differences). Nissan is rolling-out a long wheelbase, seven-passenger version of the Cash Guy in the near future; pictures have hit the Internet. Does this development portend a rogue Rogue coming to the U.S. in a stretched version? Probably. Toyota's RAV4 offers a seven-passenger option; or reasons I can't quite grasp, American consumers seem fairly hung-up on the notion of three row vehicles. Nissan, of course, has made no official announcement re: the Rogue. The spinmeisters would probably tell you there are currently no plans to sell a stretched Rogue in North America and that it's always looking at new market segments. Admirers of Turik nomenclature are advised to watch this space.
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And that leaves the Murano where, exactly?
I must be missing something…
Murano is much bigger, much more luxurious. In Europe, the Qasqai has 1.6-2.0 liter engines. In America it only has a 2.5 liter I4. But the Murano comes only with the 3.5 liter V6.
Both would offer 7 seats and be sold in Nissan dealerships, but realistically the similarities stop there.
Don’t forget Nissan’s Xterra and Pathfinder vehicles… not only do they have the same drivetrain (everything included save possibly the rear differential), they are practically they same vehicle in every way save from a few options, styling, and IRS vs SRS. Yet these two vehicles seem to have completely different markets.
*correction – the Pathfinder is available with the V8, but that could just as easily be placed in the sister Xterra.
Nissan seems to be pretty good at making different markets out of the same platform, so I don’t think they will have trouble with two cars that are on seperate platforms.
My problem is that we already have enough frickin’ CUVs on the street… people need to get over the rediculous stigma and realize that a CUV is nothing but a lifted hatchback. There’s no reason to have the body clearance these vehicles have and, consequentially, lose related handling characteristics, especially when the most these things are capable of are the same types of roads I can take my xA on.
Does the Murano have 7 seats?
I think these tiny 3 row crossovers will do a lot to increase sales of minivans and large crossovers in the future. A year of shoving your kids into a Rav4 will make you buy a Sienna quick.
Let’s be real on the Rav4 3rd row option. Unless your passengers are missing their legs – they won’t fit in that 3rd Row. While Lamba vehicles aren’t the most comfortable – they have 3 mostly effective rows for seats. The same goes for CX9s and other 3-row CUVs that actually have the necessary length to make that 3rd row usable.
But I don’t think Nissan’s FFL platform can get the extra foot or so necessary to pull off an effective CUV. Maybe they’ll take some other platform and slap “XL” on the end of an existing brand name. The Maxima has a 109 inch wheelbase as the longest FFL (I think). To compare, the CX9 is considered cramped in back at 113 inches. And Lambdas come in around 119 inches. And reviewers here still contend the Lambda didn’t offer an effective 3rd row.
The Rav4 has a 104 inch wheelbase… which makes it woefully inadequate for 7 passenger seating. I guess if Toyota can make a rubbish 3-row vehicle and not take flak for it, then Nissan has a chance too.
Here in NA, having a third row seat in the small SUV class isn’t as important as we don’t seem concerned about buying vehicles the size of a Pilot, Highlander or minivan as they would be in the UK or Europe.
Toyota sold 172,572 RAV4s in 2007 – not all of which had the optional 3rd row seat. Honda sold 219,160 CRVs. I’m too lazy to look up the combined sales of the Escape, Mariner and Tribute.
I’d be surprised if the Rogue grows a third row.
@Lichtronamo:
Escape: 165,596 sales
Mariner: 34,844
Tribute: 13,680
Total: 214,120 sales
A third row is a good move for Nissan, so the Rouge can compete with the RAV4, Suburban and Navigator.
“And that leaves the Murano where, exactly?”
As an eye-sore.
Just what we needed, another SUV.
Hey, I have a CAR that has 3 rows of seats, and could seat seven. Oh, and it gets 40mpg on the highway.
Do any of these “CUV” get 40mpg on the highway? Didn’t think so.
Forget all this CUV/SUV/XUV/crossover bullcrap, and bring back the STATION WAGON!
@eggsalad
Volvo?
I think it’s spelled Quasqai
JJ
I think it’s spelled Quasqai
Nissan spells it Qashqai on their UK web site.
@ Lichtronamo
Yep. ’84 240 Diesel wagon. Everyone should have one!