Nissan Rogue Waves a Welcome to Compact SUV Buyers
Vehicles can surprise you in many ways.
Perhaps the best surprise is when you have low expectations and a test vehicle far exceeds them.
Such was the case with today’s test car, a 2015 Nissan Rogue compact SUV. The original Rogue simply was an OK-but-unremarkable vehicle in a market segment that was getting pretty competitive even three or four years ago.
The Rogue got a total redesign for 2014, and (true confession), it didn’t get a close enough look from this corner.
So it was hardly a “gee whiz’’ moment when the 2015 arrived in the driveway. The compact SUV market has gotten even more competitive in the last two years, so we weren’t anticipating anything out of the ordinary. However, there were errands to be run and trips to be taken and the Rogue got the call.
Obviously, this wasn’t a case of love at first sight, but when our time together was over, Mr. and Mrs. G were sorry to see the Rogue go. The Rogue—and isn’t that a neat name?—had made itself right at home.
That was even after we had trouble getting off on the right foot.
For starters, it seemed hard to find the right driving position. The driver’s seat is six-way adjustable, but it seemed impossible to find a position that felt just right. However, on several two-hour drives, that seating position turned out to be far more comfortable than most.
Mrs. G generally feels a bit put out when the passenger doesn’t get the same “love’’ as the driver. However, she found her four-way adjustable seat gave great comfort, especially noticeable on those longer drives..
One of my trips was from Newburyport to Middleboro on a Thursday afternoon. It meant fighting Southeast Expressway rush-hour congestion and was compounded by both heavy rain and additional traffic headed for Foxboro and that evening’s Patriots-Jets football game.
Veterans of Boston traffic would ask, “Why didn’t Ol’ Griff go around Rte. 495 or Rte. 128 and try to avoid some of the traffic?’’
he answer is because the New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA) has its traditions, and one of them is that I swing through Saugus and bring some of those famous Kane’s Donuts to our meetings.
Because it projected to be a long trip, I also got a small coffee for the road.
It turned out that the Rogue’s molded cup holders were a bit too deep for a small cup, requiring one to carefully extricate the cup in order to avoid pulling off the lid. It seems that the design team has recognized America’s preference for the Big Gulp sizes.
But that was a minor glitches.
The interior space of the five-passenger version of the Rogue was roomy and well appointed. There was plenty of legroom and arm room in both rows of seats, plus a generous cargo area. The second row had sliding and reclining adjustments.
Our test vehicle was all-wheel-drive and well-equipped as the middle (SV) of three trim levels: S, SV, SL. The starting price of $26,700 (including destination) seemed reasonable with a long list of standard features.
The only addition to our vehicle was a $1,590 SV Premium Package that pushed the bottom line to $28,290. That package contained some items we could do without (navigation, power liftgate) but plenty that we liked (“quick comfort’’ heated cloth seats, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and moving-object detection, plus the overhead “around view’’ monitor). The necessary rearview monitor is standard.
Styling-wise, the Rogue fits nicely in the Nissan lineup between the aggressive look-at-me Juke and the more conventionally styled Pathfinder.
Power comes from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an upgraded version of Nissan’s Xtronic (CVT) transmission. Nissan has eliminated the annoying booziness of the CVT with this offering and also offers both Eco and Sport modes.
There wasn’t a huge difference among the settings, and Eco seemed an OK choice for normal driving conditions. We achieved 27.2 miles per gallon on one tank (through heavy traffic) and 30.2 on another tank. The AWD version is EPA rated at 25 mpg in city driving, 32 on the highway, and 28 overall.
We found performance, handling, fuel economy, comfort, interior space, and visibility all to be positives for the vehicle.
Standard hill-start assist and hill-descent control, engine braking, and ride and trace (curve) control were unobtrusive aids that contributed to the Rogue’s secure driving experience.
All the seats (except the driver’s) fold flat for flexible passenger-cargo configurations, making the new Rogue capable on lugging a lot of stuff.
The electroluminescent gauges add to the upscale interior appearance, and the NissanConnect audio/navigation system was easy to set up and use.
We may not have been familiar with the 2014-15 Rogue, but that wasn’t the case with consumers. The ’14 Rogue had a great sales year, numbers that are continuing this fall. It’s the second-best seller in the Nissan lineup.
As far as we’re concerned, those buyers have been making a solid choice.
2015 Nissan Rogue SV AWD
THE BASICS
Price, base/as tested (with destination): $26,700/$28,290. Fuel economy, EPA estimated: 25 city/32 highway/28 combined. Fuel economy, Globe observed: 28.7. Drivetrain: 2.5-liter I-4, CVT, all-wheel-drive. Body: 5-passenger, unibody compact SUV.
THE SPECIFICS
Horsepower: 170. Torque: 175 lb.-ft. Overall length: 182.3 in. Wheelbase: 106.5 in. Height: 66.3 in. (67.5 w/roof racks). Width: 72.4 in. Curb weight: 3,545 lbs.
THE GOOD
Economy, value, performance, interior style and configuration.
THE BAD
Non-adjustable cup holder design, some controls low to the driver’s left, blind-spot warning lights subdued.
THE BOTTOM LINE
A strong overall contender with plenty of desirable options and capabilities at a competitive price.
ALSO CONSIDER
Buick Encore, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com