~ Auto Buzz ~: 2014 Nissan Rogue

Thursday 21 April 2016

2014 Nissan Rogue



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Compact SUV; Built in
  • 4-door wagon
  • transverse front-engine/front- or all-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $18,800 – $24,100*


2014 Nissan Rogue


2014 Nissan Rogue


2014 Nissan Rogue


2014 Nissan Rogue

Pros:
  • Passenger and cargo room
  • Quietness
Cons:
  • Automatic-transmission performance

Overall, Rogue impresses as a refined (less the “quietness” part), roomy, versatile, competent compact SUV at a very reasonable price. If you’re shopping for one of the larger vehicles in this class (as opposed to the new crop of smaller ones coming this year), it would be a mistake not to visit your Nissan dealer to check out a Rogue.

Overview

Nissan’s compact SUV was been redesigned for 2014 and newly offered 3rd-row seating for seven. A power liftgate, a 2nd-row seat that slid fore and aft, and a host of newly available technology features were also part of the redesign. The Nissan Rogue and Mitsubishi Outlander were the only vehicles in the compact SUV class that offered a 3rd-row seat, but not surprisingly, that seat was too small for most adults to sit in comfort. The engine was a modified version of the 2.5-liter four used previously, though it still delivered the same 170 horsepower as before. The CVT automatic transmission was likewise carried over with a few changes. Rogue’s acceleration was a bit sluggish, but its classy interior trimmings and outstanding cargo versatility ranked among the best in its class. In addition to the expected safety features, there were some advanced safety options, that included blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, and Nissan’s Moving Object Detection.

Note that the original generation Rogue continued to be sold as a 2014 model called Rogue Select (see separate report).

Yearly Updates

2014 Rogue

Engines

transverse front-engine/front- or all-wheel drive

The engine is a 2.5-liter 4 cylinder that delivers 170 horsepower and is mated to a CVT automatic transmission. Front- or all-wheel drive are available.

dohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 2.5/153
Engine HP 170
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 175
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
CVT automatic 25/32 22

Road Test

Rogue’s CVT automatic transmission is probably a boon to fuel economy, and perhaps acceleration, but it may feel strange to those used to a conventional automatic. In normal driving there’s little difference, but under spirited acceleration, it lets the engine rev up and then holds it there, whereas engine revs rise and fall with gear changes in a conventional automatic. This is the case with virtually all CVTs, but Nissan does them as well as anyone. Nail the gas, and the Rogue’s 170-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine provides a good jump from a stop, but then acceleration slows a bit until picking up again. Hitting the throttle while underway results in a fairly quick “kickdown” and decent passing power. Employing the Sport mode (via a button on the lower left of the dash) keeps engine revs a bit higher under cruise, which makes the vehicle slightly more responsive to throttle inputs, but doesn’t help fuel economy any.

The EPA rates the AWD Rogue at 25 mpg city and 32 mpg highway. Over 298 miles, Consumer Guide’s Rogue SL AWD averaged 21.6 mpg with a 60% city and 40% highway mix.

A well-damped suspension kept the ride fairly serene.

Steering is light and handling is nimble, with moderate cornering lean. Braking was prompt and easily modulated.

Except when pushed hard, the engine is generally smooth and quiet, and even when roused it is not especially noisy as it seeks cruising mode. On anything but glass-smooth surfaces, there was a slight “rumbling” that could be both heard and felt.

Big gauges greet the driver. Climate controls were easy to reach and use, as were audio settings accessed through the 7-inch color touchscreen that also served the SL’s standard navigation system. In addition to the voice-command-capable nav system, the included NissanConnect infotainment set-up includes satellite radio and traffic information, and an app suite. Bluetooth hands-free phone and text-messaging capability is standard in all Rogues.

Our test car was brightly turned out in tan upholstery, with black on the tops of the dash and doors. Metallic panels on the dash and doors added a little sparkle. The lower dash panel was hard plastic that was nonetheless nicely grained to harmonize with the look of the other materials. Interior materials are near top-of-the-class, as is the overall look.

Rogue offers a high, commanding driving position. Visibility is decent to the front corners, unusually good to the sides, but really poor to the rear corners.

Rear passengers will find excellent seating space and comfort. Three can sit in the back, thanks to a fairly broad rear seat. There’s a slightly raised driveline tunnel in the floor, but it can be worked around. The folding 40/20/40 seats also have a 60/40 fore-aft adjustment. Entry and exit are uncomplicated.

The optional 3rd row is really sized for teens or smaller folks.

Passengers are served by a large glove box, a moderately sized console cubby with an electric power point within, two open console cup holders, and a couple of shallow bins, including one under the dash with a USB port and another power plug-in. Rear passengers have pouches in the seat backs ahead of them, plus a pull-down center arm rest with two cup holders molded in. All four doors have pockets with bottle holders in them.

Even with the rear seats up there is an ample cargo floor. For longer items, the seats fold almost—but not fully—flat. The cargo floor’s clever secret is that it is made up of panels that can be removed and slipped into slots molded into the interior sidewalls that allow for multilevel storage or divided areas to keep things that shouldn’t mingle from bumping into one another. Nissan calls this cargo-management system “Divide-N-Hide.”

Ratings

Model Tested: 2014 AWD Rogue SL

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 5
Fuel Economy - 6
Ride Quality - 6
Steering/Handling - 6
Quietness - 4

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 8
Room/Comfort Front - 6
Room/Comfort Rear - 5
Cargo Room - 8

Other

Value - 7

Total: 61

Specifications

4-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
106.5 182.3 72.4 66.3
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
70.0 14.5 7.0
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
41.6 38.5 43.0 37.9
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 2014 Rogue 4-door wagon

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 3
Front Passenger Injury - 2

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - 5
Rear Passenger Injury - 5

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Suspension problems
Description: A popping noise when turning could mean that front coil springs and strut bearings need to be replaced.

Recall History

2014 Rogue
Description: A faulty fuel pump could fail and stall the engine.
2014 Rogue
Description: The front-wheel hub assembly fasteners may not have been properly tightened. The brake caliper could separate from the wheel assembly causing a reduction in braking performance or reduced steering control.
2014 Rogue
Description: The right-side wheels might have a loose lug nut. The lug nut could fall off and the other lug nuts could become loose, possibly resulting in wheel separation.
2014 Rogue
Description: An incorrect bolt could have been used to connect the intermediate shaft to the upper steering assembly. The bolt could fall out, resulting in loss of vehicle control.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

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