Legroom up front is generous, but with the front seats pushed to the end of their travel, rear seat passengers have precious little room to spare. Nissan’s provides the Rogue a set of well-bolstered front seats, which are heated and covered in leather when the SL Package is ordered. The cargo compartment features mesh dividers and plastic lining perfect for carrying wet or dirty gear. The Rogue features an abundance of storage space including an oversized glove compartment and a hidden cargo compartment behind the rear seat. For ease of use, steering wheel mounted controls for the cruise and audio are logically placed within easy reach. Circular themes repeat across the dashboard, from the protruding circular dash vents to the large round instrument gauges and HVAC dials.
The Rogue’s simple and efficient interior exhibits a sporty attitude that permeates all Nissan products. We found that winding, curving back-country roads were easy to negotiate, thanks to the electric power-assisted steering, and the suspension kept body roll well under control.
VDC helps keep the vehicle headed the direction the driver intends and thus reduces the chances of losing control on slick surfaces. Also beneficial in such conditions is the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with traction control. Nissan’s "Intuitive" AWD (as Nissan calls it), distributes the driving torque between the front and rear wheels as needed, and should prove particularly helpful in areas of bad weather and slippery conditions. Only under wide open throttle, when the engine’s rpms are held steady as the vehicle accelerates, did the CVT reveal itself by causing the engine to sound harsh. Although the CVT is a gearless transmission, Nissan builds in artificial shift points that mimic a standard transmission. Acceleration was aided by Nissan’s Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) which provided smooth and consistent shifts in all driving conditions. We spent a few days testing the Rogue SV with all-wheel-drive and the SL Package and found that the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine provided plenty of pep. But, Nissan loyalists have always been on the cutting edge of style and performance, and they represent a larger audience the Rogue might yet have a chance to win over. With heavy hitters such as the Subaru Forester, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4 already well established, and new comers like the all-new Kia Sportage, and Hyundai Tucson, the Rogue will have its work cut out. Under the new skin, the same fuel efficient four-cylinder engine and CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) provide plenty of pep, and the available all-wheel drive model is ideal for snowy climes.
For 2011, Nissan has traded up, giving the Rogue a new look, a new interior and far more in the way of affordable creature comforts. With its introduction in 2008, the Rogue earned mixed reviews mainly for its polarizing styling and somewhat Spartan interior. While Nissan is well known for its mid-size and full-size SUVs, they have only recently entered into the red-hot compact crossover SUV market.