2014 Nissan Rogue

The Nissan Rogue has proven itself as a reliable, comfortable and capable vehicle. The 2013 model is one of several holdouts from the previous design theme. It was regarded as attractive, but lacked the great outdoors look, leaning more towards an urban chic profile with a little sitting around the campfire sense of style. In other words, it was time for a change.

Enter the all-new 2014 Nissan Rogue. Capable and comfortable, it has the goods to go anywhere and should prove to be just as enjoyable over the long haul. As for looks, think of it as business casual meets outdoors plaid, blue jeans and a baseball cap. Having spent a week behind the wheel recently, it just feels right in so many ways.

Power comes in the form of an inline 2.5-litre 4-cylinder gasoline engine. It produces a solid 170 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 175 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. Matched to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with “Sport Mode”, it runs on regular unleaded fuel and delivers solid if not somewhat inspiring performance.

Two drive variations are available; rear-wheel and intuitive all-wheel drive. My test vehicle is fully equipped with all-wheel drive, a long list of standard equipment features and popular options.

Standard safety items include four-wheel vented disc brakes, ABS, EBD, BA, a G sensor for the AWD system and full complement of airbags. A whole slew of dynamic features include Active Trace Control, Active Engine Braking and Active Ride Control. Steering is electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion.

Seating capacity varies between 5 or 7 occupants. I get to experience the 7 passenger model and while it proves handy to offer seating for a regular family plus 2, it is a rare occasion when this is necessary. In most cases, seating for 5 is plenty and the extra storage space in the back is welcome. In full occupant mode, there isn’t much in the way of useable trunk space, but then this will generally be the exception and not the rule for most buyers in this segment.

Front seats are nicely sculpted to accept driver and passengers of all sizes. Cushion length is excellent, so to the amount of back support. A well-organized 3-spoke metal and leather-wrapped steering wheel, houses cruise control and audio volume/scan buttons.

Significant changes have been made to the interior, with an all-new look and feel to the dash and center console. Large white on black round gauges are easy to read while between the two resides a useful driving aids monitor. It also highlights the outside temperature, time, gear selector, tire pressures, music and more.

To the right of this, a new center stack features a completely logical HVAC system with elegant round knobs for temperature and fan speed, as well as a digital temperature readout. Manual or automatic modes are available. Above this sits the audio adjustment controls. Our test vehicle is equipped with the Nissan navigation system; a 7” touch screen and backup camera with around view, Sirius XM radio and CD player for the old school crowd. It may surprise to learn, several new cars hitting the market now no longer offer CD players, so to see one in the new Nissan Rogue is a welcome surprise.

Driving the new Nissan Rogue is not that much different than driving the previous model. That said, it does feel a little more in tune with the road and solid when the path ahead turns to dirt or potholes.

Similar to its main competitors in the market, the new Rogue is designed as an urban people mover with off-road excursions available in short spurts. It is fully capable of taking almost anything you can throw at, but if serious dirt is your goal, the XTERRA may be a better option. Start/stop is standard as well as a highly functional electric key fob. Ours is equipped with the optional power liftgate feature.

The 2014 Nissan Rogue should do very well in its market segment. The competition is fierce, what with Hyundai, Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, Kia and more all offering excellent vehicles. Where the Rogue succeeds is in the area of style, space, engine performance and build quality. It’s a jungle out there in the Crossover and small to midsize SUV market, but the new Rogue should have the right mix of beauty and brawn to succeed.

2014 Nissan Rogue
Trim Levels: SV AWD
Model: 4-door crossover
Price as tested (before taxes): $32,563.00
Freight: $1,630.00
Configuration: front-engine/all-wheel drive
Available engines: 2.5L 4 cylinder
Available transmissions: CVT
Fuel (capacity): premium (55L)
Fuel economy ratings (L/100 km): 8.2 city, 6.2 hwy
Observed fuel economy (L/100 km): 7.4 combined
Warranties: 3 years/ 60,000 km (basic); 5 years/unlimited (corrosion)
Competitors: Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V, KIA Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4.

Related links:
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