2013 Nissan Rogue S AWD: Practical Utility In A Plain Wrapper

Compact crossover vehicles are intended to bridge the gap between sedans and larger SUVs for families that require additional cargo space and roomier interior than is typically available in mid-size sedan, without having to pay too much of a premium at the gas pump. The criteria used to judge a small crossover are both simple and nuanced at the same time: yes, the vehicle has to tick all of the family-friendly boxes and offer excellent practicality, but increasingly automakers are pushing to give their entry-level offerings a little something extra to distinguish them from the competition. This additional injection of personality can take the form of extroverted styling, high tech features and options, or even improved performance.

The 2013 Nissan Rogue has managed to capture an audience based on its relatively lively driving dynamics compared to some of the other vehicles in its class, as well as its generous interior dimensions. With a crush of new models breathing down its neck, and a redesign on the horizon, how much longer can the current Rogue continue to successfully carry the compact crossover torch for Nissan?

Plain, But Useful

The 2013 Nissan Rogue doesn't exactly win a lot of styling points when it comes to either its sheet metal or its interior trappings. The Rogue is by no means unattractive at first blush, but it simply doesn't offer enough verve to grow on you over the course of ownership, and when parked at the mall in a sea of other family haulers one could conceivable walk right by the crossover without realizing that this was, in fact, your vehicle.

The passenger compartment of the Rogue is, for the most part, an ergonomic success, with our S AWD model (featuring the Special Edition package) offering big, easy-to-use knobs to handle the climate control and a significant number of buttons on the steering wheel to interact with the stereo system. The actual entertainment features that come with the Special Edition Rogue are quite limited - our tester could play CD's, line-in an AUX device, and pull in terrestrial radio, but that's it. According to the window sticker, it could also link to mobile phones over Bluetooth, but we were completely incapable of figuring out how to make this happen using the tiny line-of-text interface that served as the Rogue's sound system screen. This had us feeling like the Rogue hailed from a bygone era where LCD screens (available on higher trim levels) had yet to be invented, and we found the issue surprising given our overwhelmingly positive experiences with other Nissan entertainment and communications interface designs.

From a passenger room perspective, the Rogue scored big up front and not too badly in the second row, although the bench was fixed firmly to the floor and didn't offer any adjustments for back seat passengers. Cargo space was also excellent, with just under 60 cubic feet on tap with the rear row folded forward and a very useful amount available with that same seatback in place. There's no doubt that the Rogue has a lot to offer families seeking to haul a hefty amount of gear with them, even when the vehicle is already fully-loaded with passengers.

Well-Implemented CVT

The 2013 Nissan Rogue comes with a continuously-variable automatic as its only available transmission, but true to Nissan's past performance in developing these special, 'gearless' gearboxes, the unit feels well matched to the 170 horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that is standard with the small crossover. Also capable of generating 175 lb-ft of torque, the motor-and-tranny combo did a commendable job of helping the Rogue surge forward with relative ease, and despite some buzzing at higher rpms we never found ourselves wishing for a conventional transmission in place of the CVT (although we would have liked it if the 'Sport' button on the center console had made a measurable impact on performance).

The Nissan Rogue's handling was much more responsive than expect from such a family-focused crossover, bringing to mind the dynamics of a smaller sedan rather than a tall-riding SUV. We wouldn't take the Rogue to the track, but we could see ourselves being much happier behind the wheel of the Nissan as compared to several of its rivals when piloting the crossover down country roads for a weekend at the cottage or a trip to the ski hill.

The Rogue's all-wheel drive system also gave us confidence that any snowy winter travel would be a cinch. The system itself is front-wheel biased, which means that under normal driving conditions engine torque is routed to the front of the crossover in order to keep fuel consumption reasonable. Once traction starts to get scarce, power is automatically diverted to the Rogue's rear wheels to balance things out and prevent slippage. During a particularly snow-filled week in Montreal we were happy with how the Nissan handled itself on the streets and in parking lots, although we found ourselves frequently using the AWD Lock feature in order to maintain a steady power split between front and rear and avoid fish-tailing around corners.

All-Around Prowess

The 2013 Nissan Rogue is a compact crossover that can best be described as 'competent.' Its cargo and family-friendly interior go a long way towards giving it excellent credibility amongst those shopping for a vehicle that can give them considerably more utility than a comparably-priced sedan or hatchback, and when pushed just a little bit out on the road the Rogue's chassis is willing to play along with enthusiastic drivers.

These two characteristics, combined with the good amount of usable power produced by its four-cylinder engine, are balanced by a design that just doesn't turn heads and the absence of advanced comfort and convenience features on its order sheet. If you absolutely need to purchase a small crossover vehicle right now, then the Nissan Rogue should be on your list of potential candidates. If you are able to wait until the upcoming next-generation Rogue hits the streets, then you are virtually guaranteed to be more impressed by a much more modern iteration of the vehicle.