Nissan Rogue 2015 Negation Have Traffic Updates?

Is the 2014 Nissan Rogue a truthful winter warrior?

We put the new all-wheel-drive crossover to the exam on the icy Mecaglisse excursion

New and Used Car Reviews • Comparisons and News | Driving

January 30, 2014 • May 20, 2021 • 4 minute read • Bring together the conversation

The 2015 Nissan Rogue gets put through its paces on the snowy and icy Mecaglisse circuit as well every bit the Laurentian mountains.

In its latest Canadian-market television ad, the new 2014 Nissan Rogue is driven in a large city where information technology bashes an army of menacing zombie-like snowmen with the driver finally "rescuing" half dozen passengers that are stranded in some other vehicle.

Information technology'south very constructive in touting both the available all-bike-drive drivetrain and the new seven-passenger configuration of Nissan's mid-size crossover, only is the Rogue actually a "winter warrior" as the TV advertisement implies?

The Rogue's part-time all-wheel-drive system performed well on the icy circuit. — The Rogue's office-time all-wheel-drive system performed well on the icy circuit.

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To discover out if the Rogue tin handle the cold and white stuff, we drove it in Quebec'southward Laurentian mountains too every bit on the Mecaglisse excursion, a purpose-built 700-acre all-season motorsports facility located in Notre-Matriarch-de-la-Merci featuring three winter driving tracks covered in snow and ice. However, it is important to point out that the Rogues used on the Mecaglisse circuit were equipped with studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta seven winter tires, while those used on public roads were running on standard studless winter tires.

The all-wheel-drive arrangement on the Rogue is not permanent but rather "on demand". But put, the front wheels always bulldoze the vehicle and when they begin to slip the all-wheel-drive system kicks in sending torque to the rear wheels also. It is, however, possible to press the "lock" push button to engage all iv wheels for maximum grip when taking off on a slippery surface, but this characteristic is express to speeds beneath 40 kilometers per hour. Ane of the features of the new Rogue is its "Active Trace Control" system that uses vehicle sensors to monitor steering angle likewise as throttle position and can apply brake pressure to individual wheels to finer prevent the vehicle from nether-steering in a curve. It proved to be quite effective on the icy track where information technology was easier to steer the vehicle with the organisation on than with the arrangement turned off. A clever use of technology that felt unobtrusive.

Where the Rogue lacks in driving dynamics, it makes up for it in spades in the comfort department thanks to luxurious touches in the cabin. — Where the Rogue lacks in driving dynamics, it makes upwardly for it in spades in the comfort department thank you to luxurious touches in the motel.

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The one major downside of the new Rogue is that, while the vehicle is all-new, the engine is carried over from the previous generation. That means the 2.5-litre 170-horsepower four-cylinder has to pull the added weight (49 boosted kilos over the previous model) of the now larger and heavier Rogue. This kind of power-to-weight ratio has a negative impact on the fun-to-drive gene as power is simply adequate at best with two people on board. Also, Nissan favors CVT transmissions (Continuously Variable Transmission) in order to run across its fuel efficiency targets and, while it'southward true that a CVT is more efficient than an automatic gearbox, it is nowhere near equally enjoyable to drive as the engine noise is very present at full-throttle dispatch earlier the revs settle down as the pulleys in the transmission adapt to increase the vehicle's speed. Nether light-throttle applications, this downside is not as present but you volition be reminded of it at every freeway on-ramp or at every passing maneuver on a secondary road when additional power is required. It is articulate that the Rogue has not been engineered to please car enthusiasts or and then-called "gearheads". If you fit in that group, cheque out the Mazda CX-5, which is the benchmark in the segment for driving dynamics.

By tweaking the engine and the CVT, Nissan engineers claim to have improved fuel efficiency by eighteen% over the previous model. The company also says the new Rogue beats the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Toyota Rav4 by a margin varying from 0.four to i.0 litres per 100 kilometres, depending on which vehicle you compare it to, with the all-wheel-drive Rogue rated at eight.2 L/100 km in city driving and 6.2 on the highway. However, our "real-earth" winter driving fuel consumption was much higher with a recorded 10.4 L/100 km average on a mix of secondary roads and multi-lane highways. As fuel consumption is ever college in winter, no matter what the vehicle, we look this number will be lower in warmer conditions.

The Rogue's AWD drivetrain is not as sophisticated as other full-time all-wheel-drive systems like the one found in the Subaru Forester. The Rogue is, nonetheless, a very winter-capable crossover. — The Rogue'due south AWD drivetrain is not every bit sophisticated as other full-fourth dimension all-bike-bulldoze systems similar the i establish in the Subaru Forester. The Rogue is, nonetheless, a very winter-capable crossover.

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The Rogue does score major points for its roomy cabin. The rear seats tin slide frontwards or back within a nine-inch range of travel so it is easy to reach good rear-seat legroom and the seatbacks can even be reclined for more condolement. However, the optional third row seats (office of the Family Tech option on the mid-level SV trim) are for occasional use merely. Merely the most striking aspect of the new Rogue is the fact that you lot feel you are riding aboard a more "premium" vehicle when compared to key competitors like the CR-V and the Rav4. Soft-touch materials abound in the cabin, the front seats are very comfortable, and a panoramic moonroof is standard on mid-level trims and up (SV and SL). It all adds up to create a more upscale and comfy surround. Pricing starts at $23,498 for the S front-wheel-drive model and climbs to $33,098 for a fully-equipped all-wheel-drive SL model.

To reply our initial question, aye the Rogue can confidently handle winter driving atmospheric condition with ease, fifty-fifty if its part-time all-wheel-drive system is not as sophisticated every bit the total-time all-wheel-drive setup found on the Subaru Forester. It delivers very well in the areas of comfort, convenience and even luxury in the meaty SUV grade, only falls brusk in the surface area of driving dynamics. However, as almost buyers in this segment tend to favour condolement over performance, the new Rogue should practise very well for Nissan in Canada.