2013 Nissan Rogue

The 2013 Nissan Rogue comes equipped with a 2.5L four-cylinder engine, which is the only engine on offer, and that might be a disappointing factor for people who wished for a V6 option. For 2013, some minor changes took place in the options list of the Rogue, whereas everything else remains the same. Pricing starts at $20,310 for the 2013 Rogue, and it competes with the 2013 Mazda CX-5, 2013 Hyundai Tucson, and the 2013 Honda CR-V LX.

The 2013 Nissan Rogue is offered in two main trim options, which are S and SV. The S trim is offered with an optional Special Edition package, while the SV trim gets two package options, which are the Premium Edition package and the SL Package, which makes it the top-end model. All trims come with the same powertrain combo. The Special Edition and Premium Edition sub-trims offer some important features over the respective trims, whereas the SL package offers a plethora of extra features and luxury so that we have listed it along with the main trims in the table below.

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The SV trim with the Premium Package equipped would be the ideal choice. The SV trim already offers a lot more features over the base trim. However, the Premium Package further adds features, including a larger infotainment unit, a premium audio system from Bose, a glass moonroof, and automatic climate control along with other features. All of this makes this the ideal choice.

All trims of the 2013 Nissan Rogue are equipped with the same 2.5L Inline-4 engine mated to a CVT transmission, which is the only powertrain available. This engine puts out a strong 170 hp and 175 b-ft of maximum power and torque. The Rogue is offered in an FWD configuration as standard, while AWD is available for every trim. 

The CVT transmission, however, doesn’t match very well with the strong four-cylinder engine. The Rogue takes 8.6 seconds to reach a speed of 60 mph and it crosses the quarter-mile in 16.7 seconds. These figures are actually very good in this segment, but with the better transmission, the Rogue could have performed even better above this already good performance. 

The 2013 Honda CR-V and the Nissan Rogue stand at the forefront performing similarly in acceleration. The fact that these machines along with great power also offer superb handling makes the duo more desirable. The Honda, however, is the most powerful, putting out 185 hp, followed by the Nissan. The Rogue, as we can see, is a superb option in terms of performance. 

For a vehicle that comes with a CVT transmission, the Rogue doesn’t satisfy in terms of fuel efficiency. The 2013 Nissan Rogue outputs a fuel efficiency of 23 mpg in the city, 28 on the highway, and a combined efficiency of 25 mpg. However, the higher 15.9-gallon of fuel tank capacity of the Rogue ensures that it provides a respectable combined range of just below 400 miles.

The 2013 Mazda CX-5 outperforms every other car in this competition by delivering the most efficiency at 29 mpg combined. It also can travel the most distance as it offers a combined range of 429 miles. The Honda CR-V, however, performs slightly better than the Rogue and the Tucson, which output the least efficient mpg figures. Hyundai Tucson, apart from offering least efficiency, also offers the least range in the competition. 

The 2013 Nissan Rogue comes with a great-looking cabin made up of high-quality materials. The controls are laid out ergonomically, and everything is at the reach of your hand. However, the cabin looks a bit outdated. When it comes to space, the Rogue offers a spacious cabin with plenty of room in the front row. However, the second row lacks legroom significantly and so does the cargo capacity.

The seats are comfortable and offer great support. They are covered in cloth and premium cloth in the lower and mid-level trims, respectively, whereas the highest end trim comes with leather-covered upholstery. The high-end SL model also comes with heated seats and a leather-covered steering wheel. The SUV manages to offer a cargo capacity of 28.9 cubic feet, which is decent for the segment.

The Hyundai Tucson and the Honda CR-V have better-looking interiors than the Rogue with a much more updated dashboard and cabin design. The Honda and the Mazda are the most spacious in which the CX-5 offers more second-row legroom while the CR-V offers more cargo space. The Rogue is the least spacious, while the Hyundai has the smallest cargo area. The following are the most important interior features of the 2013 Nissan Rogue-

• Leather-appointed seats
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Heated front seats
• Heated outside mirror with timer
• Automatic Temperature Control (ATC)
• 6-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support

How intuitive is the 2013 Nissan Rogue’s infotainment unit?

The 2013 Rogue comes with a 4.3-inch infotainment display which could be upgraded to a 5-inch touchscreen unit via opting for packages. The touchscreen unit, however, is not the most responsive or the most intuitive one in the segment, but it does the job fairly well. The lower trim gets 4-speaker to which two more gets added in the mid-level trim, while the top-end model features a seven-speaker plus subwoofer setup from Bose. The following are the prominent infotainment features-

• Bose audio system with seven speakers, plus Nd Richbass subwoofer
• Premium AM/FM/CD audio system with 4.3" color display
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio
• USB connection port for iPod interface and other compatible devices
• Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System

The 2013 Nissan Rogue can be said to have a distinct design language that might not seem appealing to many, or it can be just said that the Rogue looks ugly. It has this sort of round-shaped design language all around the vehicle along with a weird shaped grille and headlamps, all contribute to making people look away from it. Overall it is not a crossover anyone would wish for just by seeing from the outside. 

The rear end of the Rogue, although not as ugly as the front, is still not the best looking. The base trim of the Rogue features steel wheels with covers that are 16-inches in size, which gets upgraded to 17 and 18-inch alloys of different styles as we go up the trim lineup. The Rogue offers a decent ground clearance of 8.3-inches, which is practical and offroad-friendly.

The Mazda CX-5 looks the best among all of these, followed by the Tucson and the CR-V, while the Nissan is the worst looking one. The Honda CR-V is the heaviest one, while the Nissan is the longest. The Mazda CX-5 and the Nissan Rogue are the most practical offerings as they offer the most ground clearance. The following are the most important exterior features-

• 18" Aluminum-alloy wheels
• High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Xenon headlights
• Automatic on/off headlights
• Fog lights
• Power sliding glass moonroof 
• Rear privacy glass

The 2013 Nissan Rogue has been tested and rated by both NHTSA as well as IIHS, and it gets good scores and ratings from both. NHTSA has awarded it with an overall rating of 4-stars, and it also gets all 5-star ratings for every side crash test. IIHS has also given the 2013 Rogue respectable crash test scores. All of this ensures that the 2013 Nissan Rogue is a safe vehicle. It comes with a set of advanced safety features including the ones listed below-

• Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
• Traction Control System (TCS)
• Brake Assist/EBD
• Brake Override Technology
• Zone Body construction with front and rear crumple zones
• Hood-buckling creases
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

The 2013 Nissan Rogue is truly a capable crossover and is definitely worth the price paid. It has a powerful engine along with a high-quality interior and superb handling. However, the Honda CR-V dominates the Rogue in many aspects. It is similarly efficient as the Rogue but also offers a lot more second-row space as well as cargo capacity. All of these factors combined with a very similarly powerful engine and capable handling make the Honda CR-V the obvious choice in this segment over the Rogue.