2008 Nissan Rogue

2008 Nissan Rogue Quick Facts

Base Price:	$19,250
Price as Tested:	$20,300
Horespower:	170 Hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque:	175 lbs.-ft. @ 4400 rpm
0 to 60:	N/A
ABS Brakes:	Standard
Side Curtain Airbags:	Standard
EPA Fuel:	22/27 m.p.g. city/highway
Towing Capability:	No
Off-Road Capability:	No
First-Aid Kit:	Not available
Notes/Additional Info.:	Pricing does not include a $745 destination charge.
Horespower:	332 @ 5100 rpm
Torque:	367 lbs.-ft. @ 4100 rpm
0 to 60:	N/A
ABS Brakes:	Standard
Side Curtain Airbags:	Standard
EPA Fuel:	21/22 m.p.g. city/highway
Towing Capability:	Yes
Off-Road Capability:	No
First-Aid Kit:	Not available

Nissan, a company known for its active lifestyle focus, adds the smartly-styled Rogue to its menu. Unlike the Xterra which is built on a truck platform, the Rogue is basically a car with extra cargo space. Both the S and upscale SL grade come standard with front-wheel drive: all-wheel drive is available as an option.

The test car is the base S model with two options: splash guards ($125) and floor mats ($180). Standard comfort and convenience features include air conditioning, cruise control, a tilt steering column, AM/FM radio with in-dash CD changer, and remote keyless entry. In other words, it's a car the driver can feel comfortable in.

Cruising Around Town

The standard four-cylinder engine, rated at 170 horsepower, isn't exactly a barn burner, but it gets the job done in the critical twenty-to-fifty mile-per-hour range. The Rogue is relatively light for its size: curb weight is just under 3500 pounds. Engineers used high strength steel to make the body robust and minimize weight.

I was able to merge into high speed highway traffic with ease, and pick my way through some especially dense traffic around the FBR Open golf tournament in Scottsdale. The Rogue is small enough to slip into the average parking lot space with room to spare. Except for a blind spot to the rear of the car, parallel parking is not a problem. The wheelbase is close to a mid-sized passenger car: about 106 inches.

A continuously variable transmission makes the most of the engine's available power by closely matching gears to engine load. Best of all, it doesn't hunt as a conventional transmission  paired up with a small engine might. Torque is 175 foot-pounds: not enough to provide much towing capability, but ample for boosting the Rogue's low-end acceleration.

While front-wheel drive cars don't have the off-road capability of four-wheel drive trucks, they yield much better fuel economy. The Rogue S averages about 25 miles-per-gallon. Ground clearance is 8.3 inches: enough to clear sizeable amounts of snow, or navigate the occasional rock-strewn dirt road.

A fully independent suspension gives the Rogue a car-like ride. Front and rear stabilizer bars keep the car from leaning too much in the corners, despite the fact that it has relatively    small wheels. The Rogue's 37.4-foot turning radius makes the occasional U-turn a non-issue.

Power rack-and-pinion steering is responsive at all speeds: the Rogue has a good on-center feel. Braking is firm and linear without being grabby: all models come standard with antilock brakes.

Visibility to the front and sides is pretty good: the back of the car is a different story. Huge D pillars make the exterior look stylish, but they completely obstruct the view out the rear corners, and the mirrors don't do an adequate job of compensating for the blind spots.

Spacious Interior

The Rogue's biggest asset is its interior, which is roomy enough to accommodate five passengers, and easy to configure for hauling large cargo. The 60/40 rear bench seats fold flat by pulling up on a knob on the outside edge of the seatback, creating a large enough load floor for a couple of bicycles with the front tires removed. I was able to load four very large cartons in the back with no problem.

For some reason, the shoulder belt attachment for the center, second-row passenger is anchored in the ceiling. There may be a way to unlatch the belt at the anchor, but it isn't obvious. Moving the belt to the side by looping it around the front of the seat back helps, but it's still an obstruction.

The standard cloth upholstery on the base model is attractive and more practical than leather in this climate of extremely hot summers. It is easy to use the manual seat adjustments to position oneself correctly behind the wheel. A standard tilt steering column allows the driver to adjust the wheel to the proper height.

The controls for the HVAC system and standard AM/FM/CD player are easy to reach from either front seating position and work intuitively. I was sorry to see the ambient temperature display integrated into the optional trip meter: an option that also adds a fuel meter, and distance-to-empty reading. I would rather have it located next to the temperature controls, and as a standard feature on all models.

The front doors have map pockets, but the rear doors do not, and none have molded bottle holders. There are two large cupholders in back of the shift lever that are large enough for bottles, and two large cupholders for the second row that are attached to the back of the center console bin. The bin is deep enough to hold a purse or small pack, and includes a change holder.

A spacious glovebox has a map pocket to keep documents from getting lost. A 12-volt power point in the center stack is handy for recharging cell phones. Buyers who upgrade to the optional Bose seven-speaker audio system get pre-wiring for satellite radio and a MP3 plug-in.

I was impressed by the amount of head and shoulder room in the second-row seats. Leg room is adequate, though not exceptional. An available sunroof allows more ambient light into the back of the car.

Cargo Option Packages

Nissan offers a bunch of cargo organizers as options for the rear and top of the car. A cargo organizer that is stowed beneath the floor adds nets for holding grocery bags. There is a washable tray that fits into the standard under-floor cargo shelf to hold wet or dirty gear or tools. Buyers can also add roof rails with detachable crossbars, and a tonneau cover to hide items stashed in the back of the car.

Towing capability for the Rogue is 1000 pounds: 1500 with a towing prep package. Both fall below our minimum ALV standards.

Safety Features

Nissan incorporated a high level of standard safety features into all models, including antilock brakes, front seat active head restraints, front, side and side curtain airbags. All models come with electronic stability program, traction control and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Affordable Pricing

Base price on the test car is $19,250, not including the $745 destination charge. The sporty Rogue is currently on display at Nissan dealerships nationwide.

2008 Nissan Rogue S 2WD

Likes: A peppy crossover vehicle with a spacious configurable cargo area. The S grade is attractively priced, with enough standard comfort, convenience and safety features to appeal to buyers with active lifestyles.

Dislikes: The rear D pillar obstructs visibility to the rear, and is especially noticeable when parking. The middle shoulder belt for the second-row seats is anchored in the ceiling rather than on the seat, where it would be less obstructive.