Overview & Reviews

Like many of the two dozen or so compact crossovers on the market today, the Nissan Rogue seeks to provide the all-weather capability and commanding driving position of an SUV, along with the maneuverability and fuel efficiency of a typical car. It does this quite well, and it also adds bold, son-of-Murano styling to make it desirable for its form as well as its function.

Although the Nissan Rogue has never delivered an especially inspiring engine and transmission combination, performance has always been passable, and the current generation is notable for its stellar fuel economy. The second-generation Rogue also has a spacious interior with a large cargo hold and, rare for this class, an available third row of seating. Earlier Nissan Rogues weren't as roomy, but they were more nimble to drive through turns. Overall, we think a new or used Rogue presents a compelling overall package that merits consideration alongside traditional segment leaders.

Current Nissan Rogue
Completely redesigned for 2014, the current Nissan Rogue is a compact crossover SUV with seating for five or seven, depending on how it's equipped. Compared with the previous Rogue, it offers a much larger backseat, significantly more cargo capacity, higher fuel economy ratings and a longer list of safety features.

All Nissan Rogues are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is standard, and buyers have a choice between front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations. With either drivetrain, fuel economy ratings are above average for this class.

The Rogue is available in three trim levels: S, SV and SL. Standard equipment on the base S includes 17-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, iPod/USB connectivity and a four-speaker sound system. The SV adds 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, keyless entry and ignition, a power-adjustable driver seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, smartphone integration features and a six-speaker sound system. The SL comes with all that plus 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, heated mirrors, leather upholstery, heated front seats, voice controls, a 360-degree parking camera system, a navigation system (with a 7-inch touchscreen) and a nine-speaker sound system.

Key options include a two-passenger third-row seat (S and SV models only), a power liftgate and a panoramic sunroof. Optional safety equipment includes a blind-spot warning system, a lane-departure warning system, a forward collision warning system and "moving object detection" (which works in conjunction with the multi-view parking cameras).

One thing we always liked about the original Nissan Rogue that has carried over to the second generation is the smooth ride quality. Neither the steering nor the handling is particularly sporty, but most buyers will appreciate the Rogue's relaxed demeanor. In reviews, we've found the Nissan's 2.5-liter engine adequate to the task of commuting. During harder acceleration, there's a noticeable growl from the engine as the CVT maintains a constant high engine rpm to provide the motivation needed for passing and merging. This makes for a noisier cabin environment than in some competitors.

Otherwise, the Rogue's cabin is a pretty nice place to be. Materials quality is high, and everything is put together with care. Nissan's available infotainment interface is quite easy to use as well. Seat comfort is excellent in the first two rows, and thanks to 9 inches of fore/aft adjustment, the 40/20/40 second-row seat is adult-friendly. The available third-row bench is a kids-only proposition, but the fact that Nissan offers one at all gives the Rogue a leg up on its rivals from Ford, Honda and Toyota.

Used Nissan Rogue Models
The first-generation Rogue debuted for the 2008 model year and was produced through 2013. After 2013, this Rogue continued on as the Nissan Rogue Select (reviewed separately), which is identical save for its abbreviated options list.

The original Nissan Rogue used the same 170-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine as the current model. All versions were offered in both front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive configurations, and a CVT was standard.

First-generation Nissan Rogues were available in two trim levels: S and SV (known as the SL from 2008-'10). You got the basics with the S, including keyless entry, air-conditioning and full power accessories, along with an iPod interface. However, things like privacy glass, a rearview camera, Bluetooth and satellite radio were available either within an option package or on the SV. Higher-end items like heated leather seats, a navigation system and a Bose sound system were available as options on the SV as well.

Like the current crossover, the first-generation Rogue offered a smooth, comfortable ride. Handling was actually a bit sportier than on the current version, while acceleration was fairly quick for a small four-cylinder crossover. However, engine noise was a persistent annoyance during passing maneuvers, as the CVT kept engine revs high to maximize the available power.

Styling is a subjective matter, of course, but to our eyes, the first-gen Rogue cut a rather dashing profile compared to its compact crossover brethren. Rear visibility consequently suffered, as did cargo capacity and rear-seat accommodations. Although this Rogue represents a good value as a used vehicle, shoppers needing room for child safety seats or a large dog will likely find it short on space.

Changes to the Nissan Rogue were minimal during this generation. It received minor styling updates for 2011, and trim levels and option packages were reshuffled over the years. For 2010-'11, the Rogue was offered in a Krom Edition model, which added larger wheels and cosmetic enhancements, including centrally located exhaust outlets.

User Reviews:

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  Great SUV - 2017 Nissan Rogue
  By William G - November 5 - 9:44 pm

  First off, the interior of the Rogue looks more like a luxury SUV than a moderately priced one. Nissan did an exceptional job here. The ride comfort is extraordinary and at highway speeds there is basically no wind noise. The only negatives for me - which are extremely minor - are: the switches to turn on the Sport and Eco modes, and the rest of these, are located in a place - lower left hand side of dashboard - which makes it difficult to see when driving. The only other thing is the map graphics for the nav system are a little dated. Other than that, I checked out a good number of SUVs in this general price segment (Honda, Toyota, Mazda and Subaru) and for y money, the Rogue blew the rest of them away. The adjustable configurations for the shelves in the hatchback area are excellent. Sometimes we carry things - like grocery bags - that are long and vertical and would have a difficult time staying vertical when driving. We just configure the back and put the shelves vertical into their holders and voila we have an area that will hold the bags tight and keep them up. We can also put the shelves horizontal and double the storage spaces back there. Fuel economy around time is not great - about 23 MPG - but highway in ECO mode we were getting 32-33 MPG easily. Since we bought the Rogue in Sept 2017 we see ALOT of them on the road, so if you dont like that then buy something else but seeing so many just confirmed for me that this is the best small SUV out there right now....

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  Rogue Review - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By ILRogue - November 2 - 3:36 pm

  So far, the Rogue ownership experience has been positive. Comfortable ride, ample space for 2 adults and 3 kids. Good room in the back. Nice features and price points, which allows you to select how high or low you want to go in the features vs. price debate. The i-AWD feature is great for wet pavement - one can only hope for the same in the snow. Reliability is yet to be determined (too new).

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  Nice, but other better options - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By mike654 - November 1 - 12:50 pm

  I found the interior ergonomics of this vehicle to be quite annoying. The window\doorlock switches on the door armrest sits a few inches too far back and cannot be operated without lifting your arm off of the door rest and reaching back. The side view mirror adjustment switch is literally under the dashboard and requires you to lean forward to operate. The lever to slide the seat forward and back is too far down and recessed. Visibility out of the rear window is worse than most because the window is smaller, slanted, and the rear of the vehicle is higher than drivers position. Cargo room is smaller than RAV4 or Outlander. I have owned other Nissans and loved them, but not the Rogue.

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  Fun Car - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By frank - October 27 - 11:03 am

  A little pricey I guess because its new but so fur it has been a great little fun car.

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  CVT transmission issues - 2010 Nissan Rogue
  By denver13 - October 24 - 1:13 am

  Please google Nissan Rogue CVT transmission issues before considering this vehicle. I used to love my Rogue, but after 2 years of driving it, some serious concerns came up. I had multiple experiences where the transmission overheated, putting the vehicle into safety mode. When it is in safety mode, it DOES NOT GO. This happened to me on the highway, and right after getting off of the highway in the middle of an intersection. This issue has been reported in several instances, so please do research it! Nissan is aware of the reports, but only offered me a solution of changing the transmission fluid. I traded it in, as I found the vehicle too risky and unreliable. Please be careful.

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  Had to have SUV - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By modriver - October 22 - 10:00 pm

  I spent 3mos researching cars and then wrecked my 03 Santa Fe about a week ago. Had to have SUV for AWD in winter. Considered Mit.Outlander, Sub.Forester and Rogue. Decided on Rogue for drive and features. Drove 200mi to pick up. Avg mpg on trip home was 26 on brand new motor!! A little disappointed in ride. Not as smooth as remembered in test drive, but its okay. Got premium and tech pkg so have Bose, Bluetooth, XM, premium seats. Would have liked leather, but couldnt get all pkgd with the color I wanted. (Gotham Grey) Would like more storage in front. Glovebox is huge, but not a lot of space for small things. I havent had long enough to know for sure, but so far I really like it.

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  Exploding Moonroof - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By SPONTANEOUSEXPLODINGMOONROOF - October 12 - 12:26 pm

  The moon roof spontaneously exploded. If you take your car into any Nissan dealership they will tell you that this is unheard of and impossible. They will also try to tell you to go through insurance because Nissan will try to get out of everything and anything so they are not responsible. Nissan needs to advise their service workers and managers to respect their customers and not be so dismissive so quickly when something is IN FACT, THE TRUTH. Clearly there was a defect in the glass of the moon roof because it shattered all on its own. There are plenty of cases and lawsuits against this issue as well so IT IS POSSIBLE AND DOES HAPPEN. Yes, even to you NISSAN!

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  Transmission - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By Daniel Piper - October 10 - 8:30 am

  Transmission is not the best slips in hot weather and gas mileage dropped from 32 miles a gallon 26 and or less terrible in the mountains transmission must cool if too hot driving on hilly ground

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  Very Reliable. - 2009 Nissan Rogue
  By Seba - October 8 - 2:33 pm

  We have owned the Rogue for almost a year and have 12200 miles on it. We have not been in the dealer once except for the regular scheduled maintenance and 3 recalls but all were done at once and during a regular visit so it wasnt a pain at all. This car is very reliable the AWD is great and handles well in snow or rain the ride is pretty comfortable, we take lots of road trips our longest trip was about 450 miles round trip and no problems at all, more room would be nice but it is a crossover. We are very happy with this car.

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  Love my Rogue - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By John - September 28 - 11:53 pm

  I traded in my ford escape for the Rogue. We just got back from a trip of 5000 miles from Az to Fla and back averaged 30.2 mpg, very comfortable to drive. Easy to get in and out. Controls handy, love the paddle shifters, Bose stereo is great! My wife loves the large glove compartment. Engine has plenty of power and the CVT works great.