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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  Adequate but disappointing; not a CR-V/RAV4 beater - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By M. McLoughlin - September 10 - 2:35 am

  I bought a 2016 Rogue SL AWD with Premium Package. I sold the Rogue to a Honda dealership five days after I picked it up and bought a CR-V Touring instead. I bought the Rogue because I wanted a blind spot monitor and the forward collision warning/brake assist. I also thought the Around View Monitor would be great to have. Although I thought about other higher-end small SUVs like the upper-trim CR-V and Toyota RAV-4, it seemed like a no-brainer to go with the Nissan because of its more aggressive aesthetic and the fact that you can (and I did) buy a top-of-the-line model for around $26,000 sticker price before taxes and fees, $5-6 k less than youd pay for the others. I liked it during the test drive. I liked it far less once I started driving it 60 miles roundtrip to work two days later. The pros: nice styling, nice materials inside, sliding and reclining rear seat, the Around View Monitor system is FANTASTIC and I wish every car had it, blind spot monitor works well (though the audible warning isnt loud enough to be heard at highway speeds or with the radio on), beautiful dash, a lot of customizable features and settings, gorgeous panoramic moonroof, useful electric lift gate, intuitive infotainment system, and, of course, the very reasonable price. Unfortunately, the cons outweighed these by a lot. First and foremost, the forward collision warning/automatic braking feature did not work. At all. Utterly useless. I took it back to the dealer, which told me everything was "to spec" and my expectations for the system were too high. I said thats fine, but in that case let me take the car for a spin with a Nissan technician who can show me how it works. Which I did. And to the technicians embarrassment, he could not get it to work either and could not explain why, though he did admit that the system as presently constituted was "pretty much useless." I took the car to another, more reputable Nissan dealership 40 miles away, and the very honest service director there told me that hes been getting a lot of complaints from Rogue owners about the same system, and Nissan hasnt come up with a fix yet, let alone acknowledge the problem. That really turned me off to the car, because you dont want to feel like a sucker making monthly payments on a car in which not everything functions properly -- especially something thats advertised as a crucial safety feature that can protect you and your children riding in the back seat. Besides that, the highway MPG was lower than advertised; the acceleration was lousy, even in "sport" mode; the brakes didnt feel powerful enough; the CVT was noisy and idiosyncratic; you could barely feel the seat-heaters; the engine was too loud and whined at highway speeds; the Moving Object Detection system wasnt sensitive and didnt detect half the moving objects that passed the car -- or detected them too late; the steering at low speeds was rough and annoying; there wasnt nearly enough room for my legs (Im 61") and I couldnt find a comfortable position in my seat; there was no automatically dimming rearview mirror despite this being the "top-of-the-line" trim, which makes you feel like you got ripped off; not all of the window buttons on the drivers side are illuminated, which also makes the car feel cheap; and the center console, though it has room for two average size cups, is otherwise useless if you want to lay something flat on it like a cell phone. I knew I would feel like a chump if I kept this car and that I had to sell it before I put any more mileage on it. I went to a bunch of dealers -- Toyota, Honda, Hyundai -- and test drove their compact SUVs. I ultimately bought a CR-V; the Honda dealership bought the Rogue from me. I didnt like the CR-Vs styling as much as I liked the Rogues -- but I liked everything else more. (And in fairness, I miss the Around View Monitor, and always will. Its so cool.) Since my first priority is safety, I have to praise the Hondas Sensing package, which has adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, and a forward collision warning/automatic braking feature that actually works. The engine is peppier and quieter, the ride is better insulated from road noise, the brakes are more powerful, its easier to fold down the rear seats, the infotainment system is more confusing but has more options as well, the steering is secure and well-balanced, the seat heaters really warm you, the keyless entry system is more advanced, and overall it just feels like a higher quality car -- I dont feel like Honda cut any corners or ripped me off on anything to save a buck (e.g., forward collision warning, automatic dimming rearview mirror). I realize that the CR-V trim I ultimately purchased was more expensive than the Rogue. However, you can get a CR-V for roughly the same price as the Rogue with all of these features except navigation and active safety. Do your homework before buying!

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  BAD TRANSMISSIONS - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By jerrius - July 6 - 6:36 am

  If you drive this car long enough, you might run into a transmission problem. Not only has this affected my car, but many other rogues. Hence, the extended transmission warranty Nissan has given for this car. Right now, my car is in the shop with 128,000 miles, needing a completely new transmission. I would highly recommend thinking of other makes or models (especially one that doesnt have the same type of transmission.)

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  BEWARE of Premature Rusting of Rogue - 2016 Nissan Rogue
  By Concerned Customer - May 26 - 6:22 pm

  Do not let sales staff convince you otherwise. do your homework and Google it... Nissan hid behind the letter of the warranty and not the spirit of it.. --shame

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  At 60K miles I need a new transmission - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By Nupsie Exantus - May 19 - 11:42 am

  When i first started car searching for a pre owned car, my dream car was the Nissan Rogue...which was completely out of my price range. I was, at the time, looking for a 5k-8k car....after many failed attempts at purchasing a liable car, I decided to finance a car at Napoli Nissan in Milford CT. Of course, I purchased the Rogue. I was estatic! Loved my choice... A few months into it, it was driving a little weird so I was told it may be my tires. I bought 4 Brand new tires....No big deal. Not long after, the weird feeling came back...brought it back to Napoli...they told me it was my TRANSMISSION....at this point my car only had about 60k miles....Napoli told me it would be costly and advised me to reach out to NISSAN Headquarters for support. MY NISSAN ROGUE IS A 2012 WITH 60K MILES. I reached out to Nissan on several occasion, asking for any financial support - I was turned down because my car was a few miles off of warranty and BECAUSE they said, I never brought my car to NAPOLI for any services... so I was not a "loyal customer Sorry mam, theres nothing I can do. 25 year old female with a Nissan Rogue for about 6-7 months and in need of new TRANSMISSION... for the record, I got my new tires at NAPOLI, bought it back and left it on 2 different occasions for service needs but SHE CLAIMED i was not a "loyal customer" and therefor, could not be helped.... NISSAN used to be my dream car, not its just a headache sitting in my sisters driveway because a new transmission will cost me about $3500... I work with under served High school students who read at a grade 3 or 4 level...$3500 is a lot of money that I do not have... especially when I just spent nearly $500 to get new brakes. I bought the car back to Napoli a 3rd time, begging for help...they told me all they could do is trade it in....I have student loans already...they trade in value was crap...they ran my credit 11 times without my permission and I left there with my car and no solution. I have no intention of going back to NAPOLI INDOORs nor do I ever plan on buying another Nissan after getting rid of this...thank you so much.

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  2 "Rouge" Transmissions @ 145,500 miles - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By bp35209@gmail.com - March 12 - 4:59 am

  I have had two transmissions put in and the car is at 145,000 miles and it needs a 3rd one. Nissan is not going to replace. All they tell me it is out of warranty. The 2nd Transmission was put in December 2014 with 90,000 miles. Previous years have the same issues with the transmission and Nissan will not own up to the problem with them being made by hand and there is a human error when building the transmission. I even told them I would pay for the labor if they payed for the transmission. But they are not changing there mind. I am about to go drop the car off in Franklin, TN at there office with a TV Crew with me. Then they may do something when media gets involved.

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  Paint Problem with Pearl White - 2012 Nissan Rogue
  By rough61 - September 16 - 8:42 pm

  I bought 2012 Rogue in Dec.2011. Now I only drove 10,000km. I noticed there are so many yellow dots under the paint and all over the car body. When you touch it, the surfact is smooth and you are unable to wash it way. even with Wax. I call dealer and booked an appointment tomorrow.

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  Nothing but issues - would never purchase a nissan again - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By melanie30 - August 30 - 11:57 pm

  Purchased used from Alta Nissan late 2011. Found out it wasnt reconditioned from Orangeville Nissan who checked it. Returned to Alta for them to rectify, then there was transmission issue, could not get out of park without the shift lock. All this within the same month of purchase. They adjusted the gears rather than replacement. Never fully solved the issue as in winter it acts up. Had to replace drive shaft, tie rods, door handles, wheel bearings continually. These are Nissan parts yet fail miserably. All highway driven and not abused but yet now 40K outside the increased 200K warranty for the KNOWN CVT transmission issue the transmission is gone. They will not fix it under good will..

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  HeLLOOOOO Nissan- Can you hear us? - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Anne Luchetti - July 26 - 9:08 am

  I have same frustration and negative review of CVT as most owners here...I have owned this vehicle from 0 to current 128,000 miles. I had NO indication of a problem with the transmission. Yesterday I got in the car, put the car in gear and it will not move. Like it is in neutral. The engine just raced. Towed to Nissan. Service manager says "its your trannie--it will be $3,952 to install a rebuilt one." Seriously! Dealer said that was the best he could do. How can there be so many problems with this particular CVT Transmission and Nissan not have a better plan to deal with this particular defect. I then had it towed to a transmission shop....since it is NOT covered under warranty anyhow I am going to give them a shot. At least they are offering a 12 month warranty on their job! When you take care of your vehicle It should not fail in this manner.

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  OMG What have I done! - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By Dawn B - June 24 - 9:46 am

  I have had my Rogue for 2 weeks! It has been in the shop twice and I have to bring it in again and leave it for a day and a half. 2 days after buying it the AC died and turned into heat that still came through the vents when off and this was during a heat wave! Then the tire function light came on, then the rattle under the driver side when I start it. Called the dealership, brought it in. (I live over an hour away- my stupidity) The tech came out after 2 hours of waiting to tell me they figured out what was wrong but the parts wouldnt be in for a couple days. Now there is another noise from the CVT, it hesitates on acceleration and is wheezing. Thank God my husband is paranoid and we bought the extra coverage. So what do we do? Havent even made a payment yet! I am disabled and we traded my Rav for the Rogue~ I drive to PT twice a week, an hour each way. I need a dependable vehicle that im not going to get heatstroke in while driving. I live in Mass so I have the Lemon law on my side to a point. Im going through all the complaints, making a list, checking recalls, making sure they have been taken care of against my vehicle. When I go in to drop it off I will be armed with all this info and just may demand another vehicle. I should of checked here before shopping, Im so P/Od!

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  CVT failed for us too! Never buy Nissan! - 2008 Nissan Rogue
  By darehauf - October 6 - 7:31 pm

  We bought our 2008 Nissan Rogue SL new at the dealership and the transmission failed at 50K miles. It was replaced under warranty. Since then, our warranty has expired (130K miles now). Now, the new CVT has also failed and we have to pay out of pocket to fix it. The drive shaft also failed as did the A/C compressor. Weve put over $5K into this car in repairs since hitting 120K miles. Save yourself the money and frustration and dont buy this car or any Nissan for that matter. If you already own one, sell it before you lose all your money. This thing is a piece of junk with a warranty that conveniently expires shortly before the CVT fails for good. Argh.