The 2014 Nissan Rogue also sold as the X-Trail in other parts of the world has been gaining a following and after spending some time with it this week we are beginning to see why.
For this year it was restyled from the ground up with sharper and crisper lines. A more chiseled appearance and angular proportions define the shape more distinctly than last year’s model. Integrated roof rails look clean while offering the utility buyers come for.
LED daytime running lamps make for eye catching signature lighting up front now along with a more pronounced chrome grille. At the rear, a sportier C-pillar with integrated roof spoiler gives a taller silhouette than before.
The 2014 Nissan Rogue grew in size slightly, the wheelbase increased by 0.6” and the overall height by 1.2”. Rear doors have been designed with a wider 77 degree opening for easier entry and exit to the rear passenger space which now offers an optional third-row seat.
While the optional third-row seating does eliminate the handy under-floor Divide and Hide storage system in the Nissan Rogue, when all seats are folded you get the same wide open and flat cargo floor to carry large items easily.
Moving onto the rest of the cabin the interior of our SV was simple in design and down to business. Nissan has been well known for form following function and this interior continues this theme. Controls are well laid out, easy to reach and easy to use.
The optioned touchscreen audio and navigation system in our tester responds well to your touch. Menu intuitiveness is okay but I still wish Nissan would place station information on their radio preset buttons instead of just numbers, making it easier to choose while behind the wheel.
Part of the Premium package on our Nissan Rogue is the Around-View monitor which takes the back-up camera a step further by offering a true bird’s eye view of your entire surroundings. I hope someone got their Christmas bonus for this one as its a feature worth buying the vehicle for.
Switchgear is of a high quality as are the materials and fit of all the parts. While not leather wrapped in this trim level, the steering wheel has a nice texture and a full spread of redundant audio controls and for the instrument cluster displays.
Under the hood is a 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower teamed up with Nissan’s latest generation Xtronic CVT constantly variable transmission. This gives the Rogue an EPA rated 26 mpg city, 33 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined.
In our testing this week we achieved 26 mpg combined which is a bit less than the EPA estimates but it’s summer in Arizona and our air-conditioning often crashes the party for fuel economy. And as you can see, we’re in the mountains too.
The Nissan Rogue has a number of dynamic technologies including Active Engine Braking. The CVT helps slow the vehicle as you brake, resulting in less brake effort. There’s also Active Ride Control which automatically applies the brakes and adjusts engine torque after the vehicle hits a bump which is supposed to reduce pitching on rougher roads.
Our Nissan Rogue SV was front-wheel drive but a more robust intuitive All-Wheel Drive system with standard Hill Descent Control is an available option for those who need traction for cold weather or occasional off-roading.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates the 2014 Nissan Rogue with their highest Top Safety Pick + status because it earned a Good rating in all crash testing categories and is available with a crash prevention system.
