Going Rogue

Nissan soldiers on with compact SUV

The tie-in between the 2017 Nissan Rogue and recently released film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a natural, certainly more so for the automaker than the movie studio. With commercial collaboration and Star Wars badging on select Rogues, you are certain to get the connection, even if the sport-utility vehicle does not wind up in the cinematic feature.

Where Rogues do surface is on the streets and highways of America. The compact SUV is now one of the three most popular in the segment (along with the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4) and has become Nissan’s No. 1 attraction.

Rogues come in three trims — S, SV and SL — with front-wheel and all-wheel drive available in each. Prices start at $24,760 for the FWD S and rise through the AWD SL for $32,250. Also new this year is a hybrid version. While a third-row seat is an option in the S and SV trims, be realistic in the interior space you are working with, even though the Rogue, at 15-and-a quarter feet in length, is four inches longer than the CR-V. Two rows for five passengers likely works best. We reviewed the midlevel SV with all-wheel drive.

The engine is a 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter 4-cylinder. Paired with a continuously variable transmission, the Rogue does not fare favorably with more inspiring competitors. The tradeoff is EPA mileage ratings for 32 mpg/highway and 25 mpg/city — good marks by any standard. The ride on 17-inch tires is OK and seat comfort is quite good, which puts the Rogue more into family-friendly territory than adventurous weekend marauding.

Versatility is a plus for the Rogue with a good-sized cargo area (39.3 cubic feet) in addition to the passenger compartment. The second-row bench folds and reclines in 40/20/40 fashion to allow for 70 cubic feet of cargo and even slides.

The type of ease-of-operation functions, from either remote engine start or push-button start to hill-start assist to Nissan’s Divide-N-Hide Cargo System pump up the amenities list.

Our tester came with a $1,380 Premium Package that provided excellent value for features that included navigation, 7-inch touch-screen display (replacing a 5-inch audio display), motion-activated liftgate, heated leather wrapped steering wheel and moving object detection.

And that Rogue One Star Wars Limited Edition, of which 5,000 are produced for the U.S.? It comes with an actual Death Trooper helmet. Now, that’s a keeper.

David Mikesell is a free-lance automotive reviewer based in Indianapolis.


2017 NISSAN ROGUE SV AWD

  • Price/As-tested price………………… $26,590/$229,095
  • Mileage…………………………………… 25 mpg/city; 32 mpg/hwy
  • Engine……………………………………… 2.5-liter 4-cylinder
  • Horsepower…………………………… 170 hp/175 lbs.-ft.
  • Transmission……………………………………… Continuously variable
  • Drive wheels……………………………………… All-wheel drive
  • Final assembly point……………………………………… Smyrna, Tenn.

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