Used 2017 Nissan Rogue

As the most capable foot soldier in Nissan’s army, the 2017 Nissan Rogue holds its own with strong sales against the class-leading small SUVs, the Honda CR-V (all-new for 2017) and the Toyota RAV4. Refreshed and refined for 2017, Nissan’s compact-crossover SUV adds a very well-mannered and fuel-efficient hybrid model to the mix, and enhances the luxury and safety offerings at the upper trim levels. In addition to front-wheel drive (FWD), the Rogue offers all-wheel drive (AWD) at every level. And while the Rogue doesn’t own hard cornering like a Mazda CX-5, or tow like the new Ford Escape, it more than excels in its day-to-day excellence.

The driving personalities of the two Rogues are fascinatingly similar, though not identical. The new hybrid powertrain’s 176 horsepower isn’t a significant boost over the non-hybrid’s 170, but the immediate response supplied by the Hybrid’s battery gives it crisper low-end performance from stoplights. Both Rogues cruise, play and park with the same ease and unfussiness that’s always made it an easy crossover SUV to own. It should also be noted that the Rogue Hybrid’s city fuel economy is significantly better than the non-hybrid Rogue.

Inside the cabin, sound-absorption improvements make the 2017 Rogue competitive in class at keeping the sounds of the outside world outside. Likewise, the Rogue’s ride quality is a strong suit. Never one to make an art out of corner-carving at quick speeds, Nissan’s small SUV prefers a more relaxed approach to driving, an attitude that’s very consistent with the folks shopping this segment.

The Rogue’s already stylish interior — attractively illuminated instrumentation, quality materials and soft-touch surfaces — is now accented by a thick, fully-adjustable flat-bottom steering wheel and new trim on the dash and door inserts. Its NASA-inspired “Zero Gravity” front seats — leather-clad in SL models — are supportive and comfortable. Legroom and headroom are good in the first and second rows, with an EZ-Flex 40/20/40-split 2nd-row bench seat that tilts and slides fore and aft in non-hybrid models. Cargo room for the non-hybrid Rogue is generous, less so in the hybrid, but the seats fold nearly flat, despite the battery’s location behind the second row.

Exterior changes to the 2017 Rogue maintain its aerodynamic strength and youthful appeal. A meatier “V-motion” grille treatment, edgier headlights and bumper design, along with “boomerang” taillights, give the Rogue a look more in line the rest of the Nissan SUV family. Nissan now offers a motion-activated power rear liftgate with the Rogue. Standard on SL models and optional on SVs, the power liftgate responds to a kick-motion beneath the rear bumper to power the liftgate open or closed.

NEW ROGUE HYBRID
The new Rogue Hybrid boasts fuel-economy numbers that eclipse every other hybrid SUV on the market. Better still, the Rogue Hybrid’s execution results in a summertime pleasant driving experience (as long as you don’t expect V8 performance) that’s easy to roll-on off the line and maintain at freeway speeds.

AROUND VIEW MONITOR
Nissan’s available 360-degree Around View Monitor uses cameras to give you a brilliant bird’s-eye view of your Rogue’s position, helping the driver easily fit into tight parking spots, as well as avoid objects that might otherwise result in a collision.

There are few surprises in the standard equipment of the base Rogue S: basic audio with Bluetooth phone/streaming and USB, a 5-inch color display, a rearview camera, EZ-Flex seating, and the flexible Divide-n-Hide rear-cargo-storage system. Value comes into play on the Rogue SV models. SV highlights include a power-adjust driver’s seat, 6-speaker audio, heated front seats and outside mirrors, dual-zone climate control, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts, plus privacy glass and roof rails. If you can wallet up to a Rogue SL, you’ll enjoy leather seating, Bose audio, NissanConnect with 7-inch touch-screen navigation, the Around View monitor, a heated steering wheel, and the motion-activated power liftgate.

While options for the 2017 Rogue S model are negligible, you can get many of the best standard Rogue SL highlights in SV option packages. Likewise, an SL model can be enhanced with options packages. The SL Premium Package has a power panoramic moonroof, LED headlights and the essential safety of forward emergency braking. Choosing the SL Platinum Package acquires 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels and the peace-of-mind of Intelligent Cruise Control and forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, plus lane-departure warning and prevention. Last and highest, the SL Platinum Reserve Interior reupholsters your Rogue SL in exclusive tan leather with quilted inserts and unique stitching.

Nissan’s adequate 170-horsepower inline-4 carries over in the 2017 Rogue, and is joined by the Rogue Hybrid’s fuel-pinching gasoline/electric hybrid setup. Both configurations send power to the driven wheels via Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable automatic transmission with driver-selectable Normal, Sport and Eco modes. The Rogue Hybrid is capable of automatically shutting off the engine and just running on the SUV’s compact lithium-ion battery in order to keep the vehicle’s fuel-economy numbers healthy.

2.5-liter inline-4
170 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
175 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 26/33 mpg (FWD), 25/32 mpg (AWD)

2.0-liter inline-4 + electric motor (Hybrid)
176 horsepower (peak output with gasoline and electric combined)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 33/35 mpg (FWD), 31/34 mpg (AWD)

Note: Due to changes in EPA testing to more effectively reflect real-world conditions, some 2017 models show slightly lower fuel-economy scores than their 2016 versions.