the family car web
East Lansing, Michigan — Gas prices are climbing! We're in a recession! I want a bigger car.
Sounds absurd, right? Well, I have a high-mileage hybrid-electric two-seater that's about the size of a walnut. I'm tall. If I could afford to do so then I'd be willing to trade some mileage for some space. I could go to the far extreme, and try an SUV. I think I would fit nicely in an SUV. But an affordable and economical SUV is, of course, an oxymoron, is it not? In this economy, is there an affordable compromise between comfort and mileage?
The answer is yes, to my surprise. The 2008 Nissan Rogue is an attractive and comfortable little crossover SUV that gets good mileage and is fun to drive. And it's affordable.
The Rogue is Nissan's first foray into the small crossover SUV market, an entry-level car aimed at those in their early 30s who've had to grow up but who still want some fun in their car. “We picture the typical Rogue driver, after he drops the kids off at school, lowering the windows, turning up the Bose audio and heading up the coast or mountains – his briefcase and gear tucked securely in the back – before turning back towards the office,” says Nissan Vice President Bill Bosley in a press release.
Nissan mostly succeeds. If your idea of fun involves winning impromptu races with other drivers, the Rogue's 170 horsepower 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine will feel a bit underpowered. On the other hand, compared to my walnut the Rogue is a big step up, with decent pickup from a full stop, and easy passing on the freeway. I'm not a big fan of overpowered cars, but I do pay attention to safe handling for emergency maneuvers, and the Rogue is agile, stable, and it corners well with very little lean.
With an eye to mileage and comfort, when I got my hands on an all-wheel-drive 2008 Nissan Rogue SL I took it for a 70-mile road trip from East Lansing to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Rogue is no 75-mpg hyper-car, but I was nevertheless impressed. The Rogue gave me 27.7 miles per gallon at 75 miles per hour for 70 miles. On the return trip I got 32.1 miles per gallon at 65 miles per hour. These rather nice numbers were higher than EPA ratings (of 21 in the city, 26 on the highway). Mileage in the city was above 23 miles per gallon, good for a vehicle in the Rogue's class. Nissan attributes this good mileage to their Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission. Even though the Nissan Rogue has a remarkably responsive manual shifting mode, its transmission is really a CVT. Compared to an automatic transmission, the Xtronic is said to provide about a ten percent mileage improvement. It's also smaller, lighter, cheaper to build, less costly to develop, and less prone to failure than other kinds of transmission.
The Rogue's cabin is roomy for a small crossover SUV. I, my height, and my passenger fit well. During the road trip, my passenger reclined her seat and stretched-out for a nap (owners of tiny two-seaters relish this experience), and upon awakening she gave her approval. Visibility forward and to the sides is good and wide. The driver's seat is comfortable, and gauges and controls are generally easy to see and well-placed, although the parking brake is awkwardly high (not a problem during driving), and the center console is a little bit obtrusive.
While the Rogue's cargo area is not huge, we tried transporting a tall, fully assembled bookshelf, and we found that with the Rogue's right front and right rear passenger seats folded flat, the Rogue has plenty of space. While we transported said bookshelf, my passenger sat comfortably in the left rear passenger seat.
You'll appreciate the Rogue if you want some extra space but you're worried about gas prices, and you take the highway every day. Those of you who are willing to pay more might consider investing in a hybrid electric vehicle, but in my experience it's hard to find a comparably priced gasoline-only crossover SUV with better mileage.
Optional convenience features in the Rogue SL are available through a Premium Package, Leather Package, Moonroof Package, and Towing Package. The Premium Package includes a 7-speaker Bose audio system with AM/FM/CD-MP3/XM Satellite radio and subwoofer, paddle shifters, wheel-mounted controls, drive computer, and in the all-wheel-drive model, a Bluetooth hands-free phone system, intelligent key, and xenon headlights. The intelligent key is a wonderful convenience permitting entry and driving without removal of the key from your pocket or purse, and locking the intelligent key in the Rogue is nearly impossible. The Bose audio with speed-sensitive volume control sounds wonderful. Certain amenities are sadly unavailable, and in particular there is no optional navigation system. But then, the Rogue is not a luxury vehicle, and for its cost, the Rogue has a nice line of options.
However, if you choose the basic Rogue S instead of the higher trim level SL, you'll be disappointed by the available options: there are almost none. Nevertheless, dashboard surfaces are soft, and the cloth of seats has a dense and pleasant texture, giving an impression of good quality. I should add that I liked the dashboard air conditioning and heater vents: they swivel and point in pretty much any direction you might like, and they can also be completely sealed, in a very flexible and simple arrangement. This arrangement was new to me, however, and I had to toy with them to figure out how they worked. A dash-top diffusing vent disperses conditioned air without blowing. This would be nice for drivers who are tired of cold hands.
Nissan went to great lengths on standard Rogue safety features. With antilock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, traction control, and vehicle dynamic control, the Rogue sticks to the road. The all-wheel drive models also provides yaw control for added directional stability. On the basis of this safety feature I recommend choosing an all-wheel drive Rogue. The Rogue has front-passenger side airbags and curtain airbags in the front and rear passenger seats, and the Rogue has earned 4 and 5 stars in each of its crash test ratings.
The Rogue's exterior is stylish and sleek, and is very nice to look at. I'm aware that there's no such color as candy apple blue, but the Rogue I drove was that color. Unfortunately, while the tapering of its rear windows to closed points gives the Rogue a dramatic look, it also presents wide blind spots.
All in all, the Rogue is the nicest of several small crossover SUVs I've tried, a good balance between features and cost, and between comfort and economy. With the rising cost of gas, I've heard rumors of the death of the SUV, but the Nissan Rogue demonstrates otherwise.
Prices: the base model front-wheel drive 2008 Nissan Rogue S has a suggested retail price of $20,210, including destination. Well-optioned models are priced in the $30,000 range.
Basic warranty: three years or 36,000 miles with a five-year, 60,000 mile drivetrain warranty
Sounds absurd, right? Well, I have a high-mileage hybrid-electric two-seater that's about the size of a walnut. I'm tall. If I could afford to do so then I'd be willing to trade some mileage for some space. I could go to the far extreme, and try an SUV. I think I would fit nicely in an SUV. But an affordable and economical SUV is, of course, an oxymoron, is it not? In this economy, is there an affordable compromise between comfort and mileage?
The answer is yes, to my surprise. The 2008 Nissan Rogue is an attractive and comfortable little crossover SUV that gets good mileage and is fun to drive. And it's affordable.
The Rogue is Nissan's first foray into the small crossover SUV market, an entry-level car aimed at those in their early 30s who've had to grow up but who still want some fun in their car. “We picture the typical Rogue driver, after he drops the kids off at school, lowering the windows, turning up the Bose audio and heading up the coast or mountains – his briefcase and gear tucked securely in the back – before turning back towards the office,” says Nissan Vice President Bill Bosley in a press release.
Nissan mostly succeeds. If your idea of fun involves winning impromptu races with other drivers, the Rogue's 170 horsepower 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine will feel a bit underpowered. On the other hand, compared to my walnut the Rogue is a big step up, with decent pickup from a full stop, and easy passing on the freeway. I'm not a big fan of overpowered cars, but I do pay attention to safe handling for emergency maneuvers, and the Rogue is agile, stable, and it corners well with very little lean.
With an eye to mileage and comfort, when I got my hands on an all-wheel-drive 2008 Nissan Rogue SL I took it for a 70-mile road trip from East Lansing to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Rogue is no 75-mpg hyper-car, but I was nevertheless impressed. The Rogue gave me 27.7 miles per gallon at 75 miles per hour for 70 miles. On the return trip I got 32.1 miles per gallon at 65 miles per hour. These rather nice numbers were higher than EPA ratings (of 21 in the city, 26 on the highway). Mileage in the city was above 23 miles per gallon, good for a vehicle in the Rogue's class. Nissan attributes this good mileage to their Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission. Even though the Nissan Rogue has a remarkably responsive manual shifting mode, its transmission is really a CVT. Compared to an automatic transmission, the Xtronic is said to provide about a ten percent mileage improvement. It's also smaller, lighter, cheaper to build, less costly to develop, and less prone to failure than other kinds of transmission.
The Rogue's cabin is roomy for a small crossover SUV. I, my height, and my passenger fit well. During the road trip, my passenger reclined her seat and stretched-out for a nap (owners of tiny two-seaters relish this experience), and upon awakening she gave her approval. Visibility forward and to the sides is good and wide. The driver's seat is comfortable, and gauges and controls are generally easy to see and well-placed, although the parking brake is awkwardly high (not a problem during driving), and the center console is a little bit obtrusive.
While the Rogue's cargo area is not huge, we tried transporting a tall, fully assembled bookshelf, and we found that with the Rogue's right front and right rear passenger seats folded flat, the Rogue has plenty of space. While we transported said bookshelf, my passenger sat comfortably in the left rear passenger seat.
You'll appreciate the Rogue if you want some extra space but you're worried about gas prices, and you take the highway every day. Those of you who are willing to pay more might consider investing in a hybrid electric vehicle, but in my experience it's hard to find a comparably priced gasoline-only crossover SUV with better mileage.
Optional convenience features in the Rogue SL are available through a Premium Package, Leather Package, Moonroof Package, and Towing Package. The Premium Package includes a 7-speaker Bose audio system with AM/FM/CD-MP3/XM Satellite radio and subwoofer, paddle shifters, wheel-mounted controls, drive computer, and in the all-wheel-drive model, a Bluetooth hands-free phone system, intelligent key, and xenon headlights. The intelligent key is a wonderful convenience permitting entry and driving without removal of the key from your pocket or purse, and locking the intelligent key in the Rogue is nearly impossible. The Bose audio with speed-sensitive volume control sounds wonderful. Certain amenities are sadly unavailable, and in particular there is no optional navigation system. But then, the Rogue is not a luxury vehicle, and for its cost, the Rogue has a nice line of options.
However, if you choose the basic Rogue S instead of the higher trim level SL, you'll be disappointed by the available options: there are almost none. Nevertheless, dashboard surfaces are soft, and the cloth of seats has a dense and pleasant texture, giving an impression of good quality. I should add that I liked the dashboard air conditioning and heater vents: they swivel and point in pretty much any direction you might like, and they can also be completely sealed, in a very flexible and simple arrangement. This arrangement was new to me, however, and I had to toy with them to figure out how they worked. A dash-top diffusing vent disperses conditioned air without blowing. This would be nice for drivers who are tired of cold hands.
Nissan went to great lengths on standard Rogue safety features. With antilock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, traction control, and vehicle dynamic control, the Rogue sticks to the road. The all-wheel drive models also provides yaw control for added directional stability. On the basis of this safety feature I recommend choosing an all-wheel drive Rogue. The Rogue has front-passenger side airbags and curtain airbags in the front and rear passenger seats, and the Rogue has earned 4 and 5 stars in each of its crash test ratings.
The Rogue's exterior is stylish and sleek, and is very nice to look at. I'm aware that there's no such color as candy apple blue, but the Rogue I drove was that color. Unfortunately, while the tapering of its rear windows to closed points gives the Rogue a dramatic look, it also presents wide blind spots.
All in all, the Rogue is the nicest of several small crossover SUVs I've tried, a good balance between features and cost, and between comfort and economy. With the rising cost of gas, I've heard rumors of the death of the SUV, but the Nissan Rogue demonstrates otherwise.
Prices: the base model front-wheel drive 2008 Nissan Rogue S has a suggested retail price of $20,210, including destination. Well-optioned models are priced in the $30,000 range.
Basic warranty: three years or 36,000 miles with a five-year, 60,000 mile drivetrain warranty
