The seats are another matter entirely, however: they’re really too soft to be comfortable under any circumstances.
Go Go Cargo Rangers
The Rogue’s true trump card, even though it isn’t number one in its class here, is its cargo capacity. Of course, the rear seats are designed first and foremost to accommodate passengers, but if you need to, you can fold them down and uncover a storage area much bigger than the class average.
The tall vehicle architecture maximizes the use of available space, and the plastic bin under the cargo area ensures even greater versatility.
The rear sill is a little high, though, higher than average, which can complicate things a bit. But it’s not a major problem.
Mechanically Speaking
No surprises in the engine department. The 170-hp, 4-cylinder mill propels this crossover with a certain vigour. You simply have to accept the fact that it’s mated to a continuously variable transmission, whose main mission has nothing to do with driving enjoyment and everything to do with fuel efficiency.
In other words, sometimes it feels like the transmission is struggling, when it’s simply trying to maintain the most efficient engine speed. I have to say that Nissan’s vision of the system is one of the best on the market, even though you have no manual control over the gearbox.
My tester had inherited all-wheel drive, which proved utterly inadequate when presented with any serious challenges but quite satisfactory for urban driving. Remember, the Rogue isn’t your intrepid adventurer. It’s happy running about town looking spiffy.
Go Go Cargo Rangers
The Rogue’s true trump card, even though it isn’t number one in its class here, is its cargo capacity. Of course, the rear seats are designed first and foremost to accommodate passengers, but if you need to, you can fold them down and uncover a storage area much bigger than the class average.
 |
| The Rogue’s true trump card is its cargo capacity. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com) |
The tall vehicle architecture maximizes the use of available space, and the plastic bin under the cargo area ensures even greater versatility.
The rear sill is a little high, though, higher than average, which can complicate things a bit. But it’s not a major problem.
Mechanically Speaking
No surprises in the engine department. The 170-hp, 4-cylinder mill propels this crossover with a certain vigour. You simply have to accept the fact that it’s mated to a continuously variable transmission, whose main mission has nothing to do with driving enjoyment and everything to do with fuel efficiency.
In other words, sometimes it feels like the transmission is struggling, when it’s simply trying to maintain the most efficient engine speed. I have to say that Nissan’s vision of the system is one of the best on the market, even though you have no manual control over the gearbox.
My tester had inherited all-wheel drive, which proved utterly inadequate when presented with any serious challenges but quite satisfactory for urban driving. Remember, the Rogue isn’t your intrepid adventurer. It’s happy running about town looking spiffy.
 |
| The 170-hp, 4-cylinder mill propels this crossover with a certain vigour. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com) |