2015 Nissan Rogue

For an MSRP of $22,790, the Rogue brings in a very promising package and goes head to head against some of the more famous vehicles in the segment, namely the 2015 Ford Escape, the 2015 Honda CR-V, and the 2015 Hyundai Tucson. All the crossovers have very strong sales, are very potent on their own, and are backed by massively positive customer feedback.

The 2015 Nissan Rogue can be had in three different trim levels - S, SV, and SL. All the trims come as a 5-seater as standard, while a third-row of seats is optional. The base trim, S, is very well-equipped and has a lot of features to justify its price, while the SV and SL trims add more convenience features to the mix and make the deal even sweeter, albeit increasing the MSRP. 

The options on offer are grouped into various packages. The most famous package for the S and SV trims is the Family package that adds the third-row of seat and a rear privacy glass (for the S trim). The SV Premium is another popular option that includes a bigger touchscreen, heated mirrors, and various driver aids as well. The top trim can also be equipped with the SL Premium package that adds LED headlights and a panoramic sunroof to the mix. 

We recommend

Since the base S trim is very packed and has a lot of amenities on offer, we’d recommend going up a notch and taking a look at the SV because of all the additional features it has on top of the base trim. Also, optioning it with the SV Premium package does add in a lot more value and creature comforts. 

All the 2015 Nissan Rogue trims come as standard with a naturally aspirated 2.5L Inline-4 that produces 170 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque which sends power to the front wheels as standard. All-Wheel Drive is available on all trims and is a $1,350 option. This engine is paired to a CVT as standard, which as the drivers have claimed, is rather noisy and has a strong droning sound that creeps into the cabin whenever the car is driven on a highway. 

The Rogue’s suspension is very soft and is very forgiving on rough patches of road, while the light steering wheel takes care of all the maneuvering happening in the city. The CVT transmission plays a very important role in keeping the drive smooth and the engine isn’t stressed at all, but when on the highway, the CVT is noisy and the engine isn’t able to utilize its power properly. The suspension, however, maintains its smoothness while the steering is relatively sharp and has good feedback. 

Of all the crossovers, the Honda CR-V has the most powerful engine, and hence is also the fastest accelerating one in the segment. The CR-V is then followed by the Tucson and the Rogue, both of which have very similar times. The Ford Escape, on the other hand, is the slowest despite having more output than the Hyundai’s powerplant. When comparing the price range, both Honda and Ford stand at the very top with a price tag of around $23,500.

The 2015 Nissan Rogue is powered by a 2.5L Inline-4 which is paired to a CVT to take care of the fuel economy and be as efficient as possible. That being said, the EPA rates the Rogue at 26 MPG in the city and 33 MPG on the highway for a combined total of 28 MPG from its 14.5-gallon fuel tank. This figure might not be the most efficient out there but is certainly one of the best ones in the competition. 

The Honda CR-V takes the lead here as well, with the highest fuel economy figures in the segment, which is also aided by the big fuel tank to provide the maximum range of all. The next best figures are of the Rogue, which gives more range than the Hyundai despite the latter having a 5.5% bigger fuel tank. Both Ford and Hyundai stand at the very back with a combined range of just 25 MPG combined.

The 2015 Nissan Rogue has a very sophisticated interior that is dashed in leather and soft-touch materials to make the occupants inside comfortable for long journeys. The hard plastics are visible but aren’t as much as to bother people inside. The dashboard carries on a similar level of soft-touch material and has a very stylish design. The center console houses the shift lever and a couple of cup holders, followed by an armrest with storage inside. 

The seats are very comfortable and are donned on leather from the SV trim onwards. The trim is soft, and the stitching adds a layer of visual delight on top of it. The rear seats are as comfortable as the front ones as well, with the availability of rear AC vents and USB ports for the occupants’ convenience. The driver has power-adjustability as standard with power lumbar support, while the front occupant can get power-adjustability via options. 

The Rogue provides the most headroom to the passengers in the front row, while the second-row passengers have very comfortable legroom to them. However, the CR-V and the Tucson have more shoulder room on offer which means that the 5th occupant will not have an issue sitting inside, while the former also gains from a bigger boot. That being said, some of the highlighting interior features include:

• Leather upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Rear privacy glass
• 6-way power driver seat
• Panoramic sunroof (optional)

How intuitive is the infotainment unit?

The 2015 Nissan Rogue comes equipped with a 5-inch color infotainment system as standard which comes with Bluetooth and a 4-speaker system. This system has a CD player and USB ports as well to stream music from. The upper trims get an upgraded 7-inch display that has navigation in-built along with a 360-degree parking camera system and a 6-CD changer. This upgraded system is paired to a premium 8-speaker Bose setup for an even better music experience. Some of the highlighting features of infotainment are:

• 5-/7-inch touchscreen
• Bluetooth
• AM/FM
• Satellite radio
• USB ports
• AUX jack
• Navigation
• 4-speaker system
• Optional 8-speaker Bose audio system

The front of the 2015 Nissan Rogue has the company’s typical corporate face that is rather aggressive looking and is highlighted by the typical ‘V’ design. The hood has very muscular lines and looks very good on a car this size. To the side, the 17-inch alloy wheels complement the overall bulk of the car along with the plastic cladding and the roof rails. The rear of the Rogue looks like any other crossover in the segment with a big rear windshield and LED taillights along with a big body-colored bumper that continues the plastic trim. 

The Rogue is the longest car of all which also has the most width and height. It also has the longest wheelbase which doesn’t pose an issue while negotiating the city streets. The higher ground clearance also makes it very comfortable to negotiate with the rougher patches of the road. That being said, some of the highlighting exterior features are:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• 18-inch alloy wheels
• LED running lights
• Automatic headlights
• Rear privacy glass
• Fog lights
• Heated mirrors
• Power liftgate

The 2015 Nissan Rogue is one of the safer crossovers out there and has a very tried and tested platform that ensures higher strength while reducing the weight for better fuel economy. The crossover comes fit with all the necessary safety features like ABS and EBD along with multiple airbags, while the driver assistance features are rather scarce on the base trim. Upgrading to the higher trims will get you:

• 360-degree parking camera system
• Parking sensors
• blind-spot warning system
• Lane-departure warning system 
• Forward collision warning system
• Moving object detection

The 2015 Nissan Rogue is a very appealing option to one if s/he is looking for a very comfortable interior with plenty of seating space inside for all the occupants while carrying more cargo space than many competitors. If one wants, there is an option for the third row of seats as well, which further sweetens the deal, albeit the loss in boot space. The only downside to the Rogue is its CVT transmission which is very sluggish and doesn’t support the engine enough on the highways. All in all, the 2015 Nissan Rogue makes for a decent option in the segment.