For Small Urban Families, Nissan Rogue is Your Ride

There's always been something about compact sport-utes that makes them great companions for errand running in town. Whether it's their urban-friendly size and excellent visibility, the cargo area that's much larger than you'll find in the average compact station wagon or sedan, or simply the ability to drive over curbs if you want to, the urban jungle has always been a good habitat for the smallest SUVs.

For that reason, it's not a surprise that many of the smallest SUVs have evolved into urban-friendly crossover vehicles, shedding their dual-range, all-wheel drive, and skid plates for more pavement-friendly options like DVD entertainment systems and Bluetooth. The all-new Nissan Rogue is a solid example of this new breed of compact crossover; it may look like an SUV, but the Rogue's much more closely related to the Nissan Sentra than to any of the brand's trucks. So is it still, technically, an SUV? I'm not getting into that.

Whatever you want to call it, the Rogue's design works. It's smaller than it looks. The design details, like the grille and greenhouse are high up, giving the impression of size, but really this is kind of a tall compact wagon. The dramatically rounded body brings to mind a dry-clean only Murano that someone put in the dryer. The Rogue is tall, but like Nissan's larger crossover, it's clear from a glance that this one's not intended to go off-road. The Rogue has soft curves that belie its hard-edged name. The lack of obvious front and rear bumpers gives it an ultra-modern, almost egg-shaped look that wouldn't fare well among the rocks and tree stumps of the backcountry. The pinched rear greenhouse doesn't crop visibility as much as it seems like it should. Up front, man-on-the-street opinions of the body-colored egg crate grille were mixed.

The modern interior sports a tall console and satin-silver accents everywhere, from the round air vents to the cup holders. The seating position is tall, of course, and it's just right for slipping in and out of quickly and with minimal effort. There's also more legroom in the rear than in other small crossovers, thanks to a relatively long 2690 mm wheelbase. With the front passenger seat folded down, the Rogue can carry objects eight and a half feet long. A pop-up organizer or a wet-gear tray are available for the 1639 litre cargo hold.

Standard equipment includes side and side-curtain airbags. Heated seats, Nissan's Intelligent Key keyless entry and ignition system, Bluetooth connectivity, and a thumpin' Bose sound system are all on the options list.

A surprisingly torquey 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is the standard powerplant. Dual overhead cam, 16-valve construction is used for decent acceleration from a stop. It produces 170 horsepower and returns decent fuel economy as well, thanks to Nissan's Xtronic continuously variable transmission, also standard equipment. Two-wheel drive Rogues can get up to 7.7 L/100 km on the freeway. Around town it's a delight, with ample power from the four-cylinder and great, smooth response from the CVT. All-wheel drive is available, of course.

The Rogue drives more like a car than an SUV, as befits its car-like fully independent suspension. Using coil springs with independent struts up front and a multi-link rear, the Rogue is never wobbly or ponderous around town, though it's also not a big fan of large potholes. Going around corners, the Rogue doesn't distinguish itself, but also won't scare you to death. Nissan's Vehicle Dynamic Control stability control is on hand to mitigate any wobbliness caused by the Rogue's high-riding stance, and electronic power steering provides quick, responsive handling at low speeds and good feedback on the freeway. Antilock brakes are standard.

For small families in urban areas, this is your ride. It's affordable without being too low-rent. Rogue pricing starts at CDN$24,998 for a two-wheel drive S model. All-wheel drive starts at CDN$34,898, which puts the well-equipped little vehicle close to the middle of the market, whether that's a "crossover" or a "compact SUV." When considering what a car-based crossover SUV should be, the Rogue hits a lot of the agreed-upon marks. Whatever you want to call it, it works.

This article is courtesy of www.car-data.com