by Cheryl Eldridge
With its excellent fuel economy, premium character and available three-row seating, the all-new Nissan Rogue is an excellent choice for shoppers desiring a comfortable and functional small crossover SUV.
There is an upscale look and feel; great fuel economy; optional third-row seating; advanced safety options; and versatile interior storage.
The 2015 Rogue’s cabin is typically Nissan, with attractively illuminated instrumentation, quality materials, soft-touch surfaces and several infotainment and connectivity features. The front seats – leather-clad in SL models – are supportive and comfortable. Front-seat legroom and headroom are good even for tall drivers, and rear-seat legroom has expanded over past models. Two-row Rogues can seat five passengers, while 3-row setups can seat seven. Nissan refers to the 3rd-row perch as “occasional seating,” but I’d lean toward “never,” at least for adults. It’s extremely tight back there. Storage space is ample and includes the slick cargo-system option mentioned above.
With the new suit it slipped on last year, the 2nd-generation Nissan Rogue has a more eye-catching, sophisticated design than its predecessor (which is still available for sale as the less-expensive Rogue Select). The new Rogue stands out with bright metal trim surrounding the side windows, a distinctive V-shaped grille carrying the floating Nissan badge, and even premium-look taillights. Aerodynamics has also improved over the previous model, which contributes to better fuel economy. As a whole, the Rogue’s good looks make it a worthy little brother to the larger and also-dapper Pathfinder 3-row midsize SUV.
The 2015 Nissan Rogue is a compact crossover offered in three trim levels: S, SV and SL. Two-row seating is standard, while a third-row seat is available on S and SV models.
The S starts with 17-inch steel wheels, LED running lights, power mirrors with LED turn signal indicators, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, air-conditioning with rear climate vents, a 5-inch color infotainment display, a rearview camera, a height-adjustable driver seat, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and a four-speaker sound system with iPod/USB connectivity and an auxiliary audio input.
My tester, the SV adds 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, rear privacy glass, keyless entry/ignition, a six-way power driver seat (with power lumbar), dual-zone automatic climate control, NissanConnect smartphone integration (including Pandora, Facebook and Twitter preparation) and a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio.
The SL gets standard 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, heated mirrors, roof rails, leather upholstery, heated front seats, voice controls, a 360-degree parking camera system (Around View), a 7-inch touchscreen display, a navigation system and a nine-speaker Bose audio system.
Options are mainly grouped into packages. The Family package adds the third-row seat and run-flat tires (deleting the spare tire) to either the S or SV trim, along with rear privacy glass for the S. The SV Premium package adds the SL’s standard navigation system and 360-degree camera system, and also contributes heated mirrors, a power liftgate, a blind-spot warning system, a lane-departure warning system, a forward collision warning system and “moving object detection” (in conjunction with the 360-degree parking cameras). The SL Premium package features LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof and the safety features from the SV Premium package. The panoramic sunroof is a stand-alone option on the SV.
The 2015 Nissan Rogue is motivated by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 170 hp and 175 pound-feet of torque. A CVT is standard, as is front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional. In Edmunds testing, a Rogue SL AWD hit 60 mph in 9.3 seconds. That’s about average for a compact crossover with the base engine.
Rogues with front-wheel drive return a laudable 28 mpg combined (26 mpg city/33 mpg highway), according to the EPA. Adding all-wheel drive nets the same 28 mpg combined (25 mpg city/32 mpg highway).
On the Safety side, the Rogue comes standard with stability and traction control, four-wheel antilock disc brakes, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags, a rearview camera and hill-start assist. The all-wheel-drive system adds hill descent control.
Optional safety features (bundled in packages) include a blind-spot warning system, a lane-departure warning system, a forward collision warning system and the Around View camera system. The latter (standard on the SL) provides a top-down 360-degree view of the Rogue’s surroundings when parking, and it can be upgraded with a warning system that notifies you when moving objects enter the camera system’s view.
During Edmunds track testing, a Rogue SL AWD came to a stop from 60 mph in 124 feet, an average performance for this segment.
The 2015 Rogue’s interior is notable for its soft-touch materials, generously padded armrests and mature, almost elegant dashboard layout. As on the Altima sedan, Nissan says the Rogue’s front seats are a NASA-inspired “zero gravity” design, and yes, they’re quite comfortable. The second-row seats are split 40/20/40 for greater versatility and feature a full nine inches of fore/aft travel, with reclining seatbacks for further adjustability and comfort. Although the cramped optional third-row seat is only for small children, that’s true of any comparably sized crossover, and the third row gives the Rogue a competitive advantage over most direct rivals.
If you opt for a two-row Rogue, you’ll enjoy a useful cargo dividing system, which includes an adjustable rear cargo area with storage compartments, multilevel shelving capability and a claimed 18 different cargo-carrying configurations. The three-row models aren’t eligible for it, though. Cargo space dwindles to 9.4 cubic feet behind the third row, but both rear seating rows fold flat to open up the Rogue’s maximum 70-cubic-foot hauling capacity, which is one of the bigger capacities you’ll find in this class.
The cost of my tester was $28,170.
Until next week, drive safe and buckle up, it’s the law.
