2017 Nissan Rogue

Description

2017 Nissan Rogue

The verdict: Nissan’s host of updates to the 2017 Nissan Rogue has more style than substance, but the compact SUV’s core strengths—practicality and driveability—remain.

Facing the competition: The Rogue is Cars.com’s reigning pick for small families, and even as the current generation enters its fourth model year, it remains a must-have for buyers in this competitive class.

Major changes to the 2017 Nissan Rogue include revised styling, interior updates, and sound insulation. Compare the 2017 and Nissan rogue price 2017 here. The SUV comes in S, SV, and SL trim levels, all with front- or all-wheel drive (compare trim levels here). On a separate page, we cover the Rogue Hybrid, new for the 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport

Exterior and style

Slapped with the same V-Motion grille that graces nearly every Nissan these days, the Rogue’s mass of chrome bars, bumper lines, piano-black frame, and LED headlight accents look busier than a double oven on Thanksgiving morning. I much prefer the simpler face from last year. Less has changed in the rear, where the Rogue’s taillights still mimic a mid-2000s Lexus RX. That’s okay.

How to drive

Like most of its peers, the Nissan rogue sv 2017 2.5-liter four-cylinder has adequate power. The standard continuously variable automatic transmission does have some telltale nonlinearity. You hit the accelerator, and it takes a while for the engine to rev up, which is typical of a CVT. But push the throttle harder, and it mimics a conventional automatic transmission with upshift and downshift feel—gimmicks to make it look less like a CVT, but convincingly executed.

Nissan rogue sl 2017 doesn’t offer a punchier engine option as some competitors do. Likewise, more than its 1,000-pound towing capacity is needed if you plan on doing a lot of towing. If you want more hustle, compact SUVs from Ford, GM, Hyundai-Kia, Subaru, and Volkswagen have V-6 or turbo four-cylinder options, and some tow considerably more. Some (particularly the Ford Escape) also outperform the Rogue, which has average dynamics and lazy but low-effort steering.

Inside

Enhanced for 2017 with a new steering wheel and better cabin trim, the new Nissan rogue interior 2017 is quality for its class. Materials are luxurious where they count, with generous soft-touch surfaces in all arm and elbow areas, attractive double-stitched dash accents, piano black accents, and even some knee pads along the center console on higher trim levels. I’m less taken with the SL’s optional quilted leather seats, which lack much thigh support and, in many areas, don’t even feel like real leather. The optional power driver’s seat lacks lower cushion angle adjustment, and the Rogue still doesn’t offer a power passenger seat, a feature increasingly available among its rivals.

All versions have a rear seat like a Swiss Army knife, which folds down in a 40/20/40 split, reclines, and slide fore and aft. Taller passengers will appreciate that the bench sits high and leaves decent headroom. A two-seat third row is optional, but we must still test it. So is a foot-activated power liftgate and a panoramic sunroof.

Charging and Storage

On models without the third row, the Nissan Rogue’s Divide-N-Hide storage system provides an ingenious method to arrange the 32 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seat. With two partitions and 18 adjustable settings, you can maximize cargo height, maintain a flat cargo floor, set up a rack to stack cargo on two levels, or even create a free-standing box that hides items from view. Fold the seats down, and the Rogue has a competitive 70 cubic feet maximum cargo space. Models with the third row have a slim 9.4 cubic feet behind them.

Ergonomics and Electronics

A 5-inch screen with a rearview camera, satellite radio, Bluetooth phone, and streaming audio is standard, but media options beyond that are generally underwhelming. The optional 7-inch screen is small when competitors push 8-inches or larger units.