The transmission, of course, is super smooth, as CVTs tend to be. There are no gears to step through, just a continuous increase or decrease of engine speeds, and the appropriate amount of torque to match your requirements. Journalists tend not to like CVT gearboxes (complaining that they make the engine moan and groan and are not sporty), but Nissan’s had a lot of experience with them, and I think that for most consumers, the differences between a CVT gearbox and a conventional multi-speed, torque-converted automatic transmission will largely go unnoticed.
Seating is very comfortable and supportive in the Rogue, although the seat heaters – welcome as they are – are slow to activate. No heated steering wheel in this vehicle, unfortunately.
Rear-seat legroom is very generous and, as mentioned above, the second-row seat is multi-adjustable. The power liftgate is a feature that owners will warm to right away.
   2014 Nissan Rogue SL. Click image to enlarge |
The 2014 Nissan Rogue with SL Premium Package is fitted with several desirable safety and convenience technologies, including a Blind Spot system and Lane Departure System. Nissan has been quick to adopt the use of this type of technology in its vehicles, and it’s great to see it available in a mainstream crossover like the Rogue. Likewise the Around-View Monitor enables the driver to have a 360-degree view around the vehicle via four tiny cameras, which can be a great help when maneuvering in tight spaces.
The navigation system is easy to operate, but the display is a little small. The Sirius XM Traffic utility is a must-have for city and long-distance driving. It warns you of congestion and closures ahead, enabling you to reroute around them. It’s like having a bird’s-eye view of the upcoming terrain.
The driver interface, by the way, is conventional and easy to use. Basically it’s knobs and buttons rather than a more sophisticated (and sometimes inscrutable) software-based system. It’s a common sense interface, in other words, with the high-resolution white-on-black gauges easy to read at night.
It’s not often that I comment on sun visors, but big as they are in the Rogue, they don’t stay in place. Move them into position to block the sun, and they drop a good three or four centimetres. Obstinate devices that won’t cooperate!
 2014 Nissan Rogue SL. Click image to enlarge |
My Rogue returned about 10.6 L/100 km in the city and 8.6 L/100 km on the highway. These numbers are obviously not as spectacular as the “official” estimates above but they are extremely good for a generously proportioned, all-wheel-drive SUV operating in very cold temperatures (subzero temperatures can increase fuel consumption anywhere from 12 to 22 percent, according to the US Department of Energy). Really, I think this is superb fuel economy from the 2014 Nissan Rogue.
However, there are a couple of areas where the 2014 Nissan Rogue may underperform for some consumers. Ground clearance is reduced by almost 25 mm to 188 mm, making it mid-pack among the competition when it used to be closer to the segment leading Subaru Forester (221 mm). Ford Escape and Honda CR-V have also reduced ground clearance in their latest models, with fuel economy and more car-like handling the likely motivation.
Secondly, the Rogue doesn’t tow, or at least, with a 454 kg (1,000 lb) maximum, it’s not rated to haul your house trailer or hobby car.
And an unfortunate omission is the lack of cargo area remote pulls to drop the second-row seat. Many competitors now include this useful feature.
That said, I think the 2014 Nissan Rogue SL is a very competent family vehicle, easy to drive and to park, stable and responsive on the road, well equipped, well priced, and with the new styling, a more appealing vehicle than the outgoing generation. Even with its reduced ground clearance, it still rides much higher than a car, making it much better able to handle the rugged conditions caused by the ice and potholes endured during our test. Definitely worth a look!
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Pricing: 2014 Nissan Rogue SL
Base price (SL): $30,498
Options: Midnight Jade paint – $135; SL Premium Package – $2,600
Destination & PDI: $1,630
A/C Tax: $100
Price as tested: $34,963
Competitors:
Ford Escape
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Mazda CX-5
Honda CRV
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
