2011 Nissan Rogue

All the trims come with different features to cater to different types of buyers. It faces competition from the likes of Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V

The 2011 Rogue is available in three trims namely the S, SV and S w/ Krom Edition. All the trims come with a good set of features and hold good value as a family car. The trims come with FWD as standard and are available with optional AWD configurations as well. 

Which trim should you buy?

The SV trim comes with all the features you could ask for at this price point. It comes with many useful features like a 4.3-inch display with premium audio system, rear view monitor, power adjustable driver seats, 17-inch alloy wheels etc. So the SV trim is a better value for money. The S Krom trim adds some visually attractive elements in the car and costs a little over $500 more than the SV trim.

The 2011 Rogue is powered by a 2.5L inline four engine producing 170 hp and 161 lb-ft of torque. It is mated to a CVT transmission and the overall response from it is not exciting and could have been better. It comes in a FWD configuration and an AWD configuration is optional. The performance is okay for daily routine travel but don’t expect it to bring a grin on your face. We believe that a better tuning of the CVT could have worked well. It does a 0-60 sprint in about 8.5 seconds and a quarter mile drag is done in 16 seconds.

All the SUVs in the competition are equipped with similar sized engines and offer similar power output figures. The Nissan Rogue is the fastest in the acceleration game and the Toyota RAV4 is the slowest. The CR-V offers better top speed than others. All the SUVs in the competition are equipped with an automatic transmission and the Rogue is equipped with a CVT. 

The 2011 Nissan Rogue offers decent fuel economy for its class. It offers about 22 mpg, 28 mpg and 25 mpg, in the city, on the highways and in mixed driving conditions. With a fuel tank capacity of 15.9 gallons it can travel up to 365 miles, 445 miles and 397 miles, in the city, on the highways and in mixed driving conditions.

The Equinox is the most fuel efficient SUV of the lot and is also equipped with a larger fuel tank of 18.8 gallons. It offers 26 mpg and can travel upto 432 miles in mixed driving conditions, on a full tank of gas. The RAV4 and CR-V offer the same fuel efficiency but the RAV4 gets a marginally bigger tank and offers slightly better range than the CR-V. 

The 2011 Rogue gets a well laid out interior. All the controls are within easy reach of the driver. The centre console has been updated to accommodate a display for the navigation system. The plastic trim used inside the cabin is of good quality. The seats are comfortable in general but due to thin padding, might not be comfortable overlong journeys. 

The front passenger seat can fold to accommodate longer goods in the cargo compartment. The NVH levels are well controlled but sometimes on bumpy roads you might hear some rattling here and there. The cargo capacity is good and its floor is deep and flat. Overall, there is nothing much to complain about in the interior department.

The Rogue offers about 35.9 cu-ft of cargo space behind the second row. The competitors offer better cargo space, the RAV4 being the best in this department. The second row legroom in the Rouge is quite less when compared with the Equinox. The RAV4 and CR-V offer good legroom for the second row passengers. The rear seats can be folded in every SUV to further extend the cargo capacity. 

Some of the standout infotainment features of the 2011 Rogue are:

• 6-way power adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support 
• Fold-down front-passenger’s seat
• 60/40-split fold-down rear seatbacks
• Premium cloth seat trim
• Leather-appointed seats (SL package)
• Heated front seats (SL package)

How intuitive is the 2011 Rogue’s infotainment system?

The 2011 Rogue gets an easy to use and intuitive infotainment system. The features like AM/FM/CD audio system, MP3/WMA CD playback capability, auxiliary audio input jack, radio data system, interface system for iPod and four speakers as standard. As you climb up the trim ladder or opt for available packages, you get access to features like digital Bose audio system, XM satellite radio, USB connection, six-speakers. If you need 8-speakers and Nd Richbass subwoofer, you need to opt for the SL package. 

Some of the standout infotainment features of the 2011 Rogue are:

• Premium audio system with 4.3-inch display (SV)
• Digital Bose audio system (SL package)
• 4/6-speakers
• Eight speakers, including Nd Richbass woofer(SL package)
• Illuminated steering mounted controls

The 2011 Rogue received an updated styling and most of the work was done on its front fascia. The Rogue looks like a hybrid of a wagon and a SUV. The front V-shaped chrome grille with Nissan logo on it and new headlamps complement its styling well. The sides are a plain affair and the roof rails grant a rugged appeal. The rear profile gets a roof mounted spoiler with integrated stop lamp and a vertical opening liftgate. The S Krom edition gets some quirky updates like a new bumper with fog lamps, chrome accents etc. 

The Rogue gets a higher ground clearance of 8.3-inches and the competitors lag behind it. It is also the lightest in the competition and with a shorter wheelbase, it is easily maneuverable on the city streets. The Equinox sits on a longer wheelbase and also gets better second row legroom as well. The Rogue, RAV4 and CR-V come with similar wheelbases. 

Some of the standout exterior features of the 2011 Rogue are:

• HID Xenon headlamps (SL package)
• Power sliding glass moonroof (SL package)
• Roof rails with silver accents
• Rear privacy glass 
• Center exit sport-tuned exhaust (S Krom Edition)

The 2011 Nissan Rogue is equipped with active and passive safety features to ensure the safety of the passengers. The body structure of the Rogue incorporates many crumple zones and side impact door beams to ensure safety. The NHTSA has given it an overall 4-star safety rating in various tests performed by it and the IIHS has rated it as “Good” in most test scenarios while the roof strength gets an “Acceptable” tag. Nissan offers many safety features as standard across all the trims and many standout features are

• Hood-buckling creases
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Vehicle Security System
• LATCH System 
• Side impact door beams
• Energy-absorbing steering column

The 2011 Rogue is a well balanced car and not a perfect one. It comes with many features and good reliability as standard which helps consumers over many years of ownership with lower maintenance costs. It also has better interior space and ride quality but owing to a lacklustre CVT transmission, all the excitement gets dull. The list of standard safety features across all the trims is reasonably good too.