2018 Nissan Rogue SUV

Driving Impression

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The Rogue accelerates from zero to sixty in about eight seconds, a long time nowadays. It’s noisy and hits an end to progress in the acceleration too soon, meaning it gets even slower from 60 to 80 mph. And that’s not even in the Eco mode, which dulls the throttle and keeps the engine from revving high.

The Rogue is blown away by the turbocharged fours of the Ford Escape EcoBoost, and Hyundai Santa Fe.

The CVT is programmed to imitate an automatic transmission with gears, and it’s quick and smooth, although nothing like that of the outstanding Subaru Forester.

The Rogue’s ride is calm and composed, quite comfortable on the independent suspension, not too firm, as the tall all-season tires absorb freeway roughness.

The Rogue doesn’t wander over grooved concrete, and it responds smoothly, but it’s kind of slow and not very communicative. It would be an understatement to say the steering and handling lacks the vivid feedback of a Mazda CX-5 or Ford Escape.

Nissan is clever in how the Rogue uses its stability control, by cutting the throttle to smooth bumps (preventing surging over them, like coasting over speed bumps), and braking the inside front wheel to sharpen cornering lines by rotating the car. You can’t consciously feel these things, but you can feel the more comfortable results.

Walk Around

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The Rogue got a light tweak for 2017, including a V-neck grille with LED running lamps in front and LED taillamps in back.

The shape is handsome and proportions good, but the styling is conservative and benign. It’s almost un-Nissan-like. There’s no wild sculpting like on the Nissan Juke. It looks like any other similar-sized SUV.

Interior Overview

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The interior is handsomely finished with high-quality materials, low-gloss plastics and metallic trim. It’s simply laid out with round knobs and a centerstack with LCD monitor. There’s a cowl over the gauges and slim vents in the center.

Like the Altima sedan, the front seats are very comfortable, with dense foam and great shaping. Manual adjustment standard in the S model, power in the rest; heating is optional. The driving position is good, although the non-adjustable steering wheel (reshaped in 2017) is raked a bit flat, like a bus.

One excellent feature is the flat-folding front passenger seat, increasing cargo versatility. And the cabin is fairly quiet, with more sound insulation added in 2017.

The second row slides on a nine-inch track to expand the legroom, reclining for long-distance comfort, and tucking behind the front seats for cargo. When the rear is folded, there’s a sizeable 70 cubic feet of cargo space.

In the back, where the optional third row used to be, there are panels with stowage boxes and bins in the back. They’re great for things like tools, coolers, or muddy boots.

They’ve turned the Rogue into a terrible car for transporting large dogs, however. When the dog steps on one of the panels forming the cargo floor, the panel flips up and the dog falls into the bin, which could cause an injury to the dog.

The rearward visibility is obstructed a bit by the pillars, so we like the surround-view camera that’s standard on the SL and optional (in a package) on the SV. It presents a composite 360-degree view from four cameras and provides great security when parking not only in reverse, but in tight side and even forward spaces.

Summary

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The Rogue is a dated product and competition is strong. The engine is weak. The CVT is fairly quick, but not nearly as sharp as that of the Subaru Forester. Nice ride, but soft handling. Look for deals.

Sam Moses contributed to this review, with New Car Test Drive editor Mitch McCullough reporting from New Jersey, and staff reports.

Model Lineup

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Rogue S ($24,680), Rogue SV ($25,900), and Rogue SL ($31,060) come with the 2.5-liter engine. (Prices are MSRP and do not include destination charge.)

Rogue S includes climate control; Bluetooth with audio streaming; rearview camera; 17-inch wheels and all-season tires; tire pressure monitor; and an AM/FM/XM/CD audio with a USB port and four speakers. Options include blind-spot monitors, a lane-departure warning system, and a forward-collision warning system with emergency automatic braking for the SL Premium.

Rogue SV adds satellite radio; alloy wheels; automatic headlights; a power driver’s seat; keyless ignition, and NissanConnect, which enables the use of smartphone apps like Pandora. A Premium Package for the SV comes with a 7.0-inch touchscreen; voice-activated navigation; real-time traffic and weather data; a surround-view camera system; a power liftgate; heated cloth seats; blind-spot monitors; and a lane-departure warning system.

Rogue SL gets leather upholstery, heated front seats, Bose audio, NissanConnect, Siri Eyes Free, navigation, power tailgate, surround-view camera, 18-inch wheels. A Premium Package for the SL adds a panoramic sunroof, LED headlights, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Options include that ProPilot Assist, plus run-flat tires, a panoramic sunroof, those advanced-safety features, and LED headlamps to go with the standard LED running lights and taillamps.