Muscular wheel arches and flowing character lines give the Nissan Rogue a more sophisticated look for 2014. (photo: NIssan Canada)
By Neil Moore,
Metroland Media -
I couldn’t have asked for crappier weather.
Snow pounded the big glass panes at Montreal-Trudeau airport, where I awaited the arrival of my fellow journalists enroute to the 2014 Nissan Rogue preview in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec.
Their flights were delayed, thanks to equally abysmal weather in Toronto, but VIA rail – the more civilized way to travel – got me here refreshed, and on time.
I hoped my luck would continue on the drive route; set to begin just outside and eventually zigzagging northwest through some of the province’s most scenic terrain.
But the roads were an expected mess, culminating in a 47-car pileup that closed Hwy 15 and backed up traffic for miles.
Upholstered in leather, Nissan’s “zero gravity” seats help ease pressure during long road trips.
Nestled inside our 2014 Rogue, with the available heated leather seats warming our backsides, and balmy air blowing through multiple vents, we comfortably endured the minus-30 wind chill until such time we could put the new vehicle’s handling to the test.
An hour or so later we were back up to speed, with the area’s twisty and snow-covered roads, which include numerous elevation changes, making for what could have been a white-knuckle experience. And they did initially, at least until I learned to trust the new model’s driver tech, like Active Trace Control, to keep the wheels pointed where I’m steering.
More on that later.
I’d like to say that I carefully examined the 2014 Rogue’s new sheet metal, with its flowing character lines, muscular wheel arches and other nice touches like standard-equipped LED daytime running lights, roof rails, rear spoiler and body-colour heated mirrors with integrated turn signals. But the bitterly cold winds made my eyeballs hurt, so the walkaround was brief. Much of my gawking involved a comfy chair and a laptop.
Abundant soft touch materials, chrome accents, piano black trim and attractively laid out instruments and controls give the all-new 2014 Rogue a more upscale passenger cabin.
At first glance, the 2014 model appears larger than the one it replaces. This is partially true, with a 40 mm bump in width and 30 mm in height, not to mention a larger passenger cabin.
But with its shorter front and rear overhangs and wheels pushed more to the corners, it gives up 25mm in overall length. Nissan engineers have simply been more efficient at carving out interior volume, aided by a longer wheelbase and other tweaks like optimizing headrest and seat shapes, repositioning the centre console, lowering door trim and implementing the new sliding/reclining second-row seat design.
Which results in the compact Rogue now offering a third row. It’s ideal for the “sandwich generation” who, like me, has young kids along with aging parents. Grandma and Grandpa get the comfy second row, which offers a generous 963 mm of legroom. And the kids get the much tighter back seats.
There’s plenty of seat travel mid-ship to make room for those sentenced to the back, but it’s still a tight fit. Nissan admits that it’s only for occasional use.
My eight- and 11-year-old kids, however, would probably love it.
This 50/50 split bench in back provides tight quarters and is best for occasional use only. It is available on SV models with the Family Tech package.
This 50/50 split bench, which is only available on the mid-trim SV model, has 266 litres of cargo space behind – enough for several grocery bags – but folds flat to enlarge this to 906 litres. That’s up from 818 in the previous model.
Drop the reclining 40/20/40 second-row, which includes a centre pass-through, and cargo space maxes out at 1,982 litres (up from 1,639).
Keeping boxes, bags and all manner of sports paraphernalia neatly organized is Nissan’s Divide ‘N Hide cargo system.
It’s a two-piece divider, included in all five-passenger models, and can be positioned 18 ways to create multiple levels, or as the name suggests, to divide and/or hide your stuff. It’s also a great way to separate clean, dry items from mucky boots and other gear.
And although my time poking around outside the vehicle was limited, thanks to Montreal-area traffic, I had plenty of opportunity to check out the new interior.
Features like Active Trace Control and Vehicle Dynamic Control helped keep the 2014 Nissan Rogue well composed and pointed in the right direction while doing laps on the Mecaglisse ice track, about 90 minutes north of Montreal.
Of course, much of what you get depends on trim level, which begins with the S model (FWD $23,498, AWD $25,498), moving to the SV (FWD $26,748, AWD$28,748) and topping out with the SL AWD at $30,498. The Family Tech package adds $2,050 to SV models, and the Premium package adds $2,600 to the SL.
All Rogue passenger cabins benefit from more soft-touch materials, chrome finishers, low-gloss micro graining for less glare, and other nice touches like piano black surrounds on the centre stack and around the gear selector.
The Advanced Driver Assist Display is a five-inch, full colour TFT monitor (with 3D rendering) between the speedo and tach. It provides info on everything from tire pressure, to fuel economy, audio, driver aid settings and more.
Also standard is NissanConnect, a cloud-connected system that uses a smart phone and vehicle display to control music, stay on top of your social network, and perform hands-free texting. You can even email your destination to the nav system, rather than typing in the address.
The 40/20/40 middle row can recline or fold individually, and has plenty of fore/aft travel. There’s a pass-through in the middle for longer objects.
The base model also includes air conditioning, power windows and locks, Bluetooth, rearview monitor, tilt/telescopic steering with audio and cruise controls, and a four-speaker AM/FM/Sat/CD/MP3 audio system.
SV and SL trim adds such niceties as heated front seats with power adjust for the driver, moonroof, upgraded audio, smart key, 17- and 18-inch alloys instead of steel wheels, and more.
All models are powered by Nissan’s proven 2.5-litre DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder that produces 170 hp and 175 lb/ft of torque. This is mated to the Xtronic CVT with sport mode.
I remember the launch of the first-generation Rogue, and the CVT that droned under hard acceleration, not to mention its “rubber-band” feel. Such complaints are a thing of the past.
And with the above-mentioned Active Trace Control, which carefully applies inner and outer brakes to help your turn, and Vehicle Dynamic Control, which kicks in when the former just isn’t enough, the Rogue tracks confidently on ice and snow-covered roads.
Add in Active Engine Braking, which may cost a few drops of gasoline but improves control while decelerating, and Active Ride Control that uses braking and engine torque to help offset the pitch from uneven pavement, and your sense of confidence and composure rises to a level unexpected in this segment.
Despite an aging model, Rogue has been the number one selling vehicle in Nissan’s lineup.
With the improvements in style and packaging – and the leap in handling – I’d expect that to continue.
Check out the 2014 Nissan Rogue on the Mecaglisse ice track.
Nissan Rogue 2014 at a glance
BODY STYLE: compact SUV
DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, FWD or AWD, Xtronic CVT
ENGINE: 2.5-litre DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder (170 hp and 175 lb/ft of torque)
FUEL ECONOMY: FWD 7.9/6.0/7.1 L/100km (city/hwy/comb); AWD 8.2/6.2/7.3 L/100km (city/hwy/comb)
CARGO CAPACITY: 266 litres behind available third row, 906 litres behind second row, 1,982 litres max
TOWING: 454 kg (1,000 lbs) when properly equipped
PRICE: base S (FWD $23,498, AWD $25,498), SV (FWD $26,748, AWD$28,748), AWD at $30,498; Family Tech package adds $2,050 to SV models; Premium package adds $2,600 to the SL.
WEBSITE: www.nissan.ca
