Review: Nissan Rogue S AWD

[SVT_Power]

So my boss rented this car but can't drive it, so I've had it for a few days now. Probably will have it for a couple more at least.

This was my first time with a CVT, 2nd crossover, and I don't remember the last time I drove a small SUV.

Powertrain: With its 3,500+ lb curb weight and 170hp engine, I expected this to be pretty sluggish. However the CVT made it a little bit more livable. Without the CVT though, I think this car would feel like it's very much down on power. However the CVT also had a funny negative impact. With light throttle input, the CVT would have the engine spinning at approximately 1,300-1,400 rpm and the engine would feel like it was lugging (if it were a manual car). I'm not sure how to describe this exactly, but it had that sound and vibration that comes from lugging a engine in a manual car.

Ride/Handling: I'm late to the whole crossover party, but like the GLK I drove before, this Rogue impressed me with its nimble handling. The steering's a little too light and uncommunicative but this is a SUV after all. The penalty for the handling is a rather harsh ride. Granted, this car initially felt very comfortable coming from my car but after a while I got used to it and realized this is rather stiff.

Interior: This was pretty standard fare Nissan inside. Lots of black plastics, not much else. Other than the center console and the piece surrounding the gauges, everything was soft touch plastic. Not exactly Lexus-grade soft touch plastic, but this car isn't at that price range. The radio display is completely illuminated in orange, which seems like a slightly brighter shade than BMW's. I thought that display was a little too bright for night driving, but it's not a big issue. The seats feel decent, and the fabric feels durable as well. I don't know if it's just me, but I couldn't find how to adjust the height on the driver's seat. Whatever height it was at, I found it acceptable and there was a TON of headroom. I'm only 5'8, but I was in a comfortable position and there was probably 6 inches or so of headroom left.

Other notes: The biggest downside I personally saw in this car was the visibility. The rear hatch glass is small, and the windows on the side of the trunk are oddly shaped and very small. The side mirrors are rather tall but not very wide, almost square-ish. I'm finding it a little hard to check blind spots.

[WookieOnRitalin]

SVT, I noticed many of the same things about the Rogue's ride. Very harsh. The plastics are okay and those rear windows are atrocious. The only SUV that executes the rear glass worse than the Rogue is the Subaru Tribeca. I remember parking it and thinking what an absolute disaster. Backing a car up into a parking spot in a Tribeca is a chore. The Rogue did better, but not by much. Yuck.

[SVT_Power]

SVT, I noticed many of the same things about the Rogue's ride. Very harsh. The plastics are okay and those rear windows are atrocious. The only SUV that executes the rear glass worse than the Rogue is the Subaru Tribeca. I remember parking it and thinking what an absolute disaster. Backing a car up into a parking spot in a Tribeca is a chore. The Rogue did better, but not by much. Yuck.

At least the car's nice and easy to park. Very tight turning radius, short overhangs. Took me just two tries to parallel park this thing for the first time.

[nickdrinkwater]

Interesting read.  It sounds quite similar to a model we have here called the Qashqai