Instrument Flight Rules - 2014 Nissan Rogue SL AWD Long-Term Road Test
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Instrument Flight Rules - 2014 Nissan Rogue SL AWD Long-Term Road Test
The 2014 Nissan Rogue is a nice, roomy crossover, but small windows and large swaths of plastic make it needlessly hard to see out the back.
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Cars these days all have thick pillars and narrow windows, partly for safety reasons, but I suspect Hummer and Chrysler 300 are the real culprits
I love my 2001 Camry's greenhouse. Very open, thin pillars, and gobs of outward visibility.
Welcome to the wonderful, low visibility of the modern SUV. For me the original CRV is the acme of small SUV design. Light, spacious, practical shape, and outstanding visibility. Now its tiny c windows and sloping roof and rising belt lines.
Damn these new young SUVs with their thick, airbag filled pillars and high belt line doors with crash protection technologies. Get off my lawn! My old RAV4/CRV was so good that no one has ever lived through a serious accident with these cars to say otherwise!
I've searched a fair amount and never found anything saying that high belt lines help with crash protection. All the actual articles (not random forum posts) I've seen only reference to it as a design feature: http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewdepaula/2011/04/27/design-disasters-3-ways-cars-are-getting-worse/ and http://www.caranddriver.com/features/taking-the-hit-how-pedestrian-protection-regs-make-cars-fatter-feature
The reinforcements added to the doors aren't up at the top of the door and the metal that is up higher isn't high strength or thick anyways. Plus on a CUV like the Rouge the belt line is already higher due to the higher stance of the car. Also the small rear side windows swooping up is another feature that doesn't seem to add anything except styling and does a great deal to reduce visibility. Having the belt line move higher towards the rear of the vehicle is just for styling. Nobody wants to drive a Pacer or Pope-mobile styled car anymore so they are going to extremes to make the cars look sleeker by shrinking the windows.
It's not really fair to single out the Rogue, since pretty much the entire class is guilty of this. That is why the Fiat 500L is really attractive to me. No, wait, I'm serious -- that car looks like a fun little family-hauler, and I consider the incredible field of view to be one of its strongest selling points.
The Rogue does not have a lousy transmission!! Its my 1st cvt and Ive only had it for a month but I love it. Your not driving a sports car, for a compact suv it runs great. Of course you have to approach a cvt with n open mind. I wish I could get rid of the fake gear changes. Now as far as visibility out the back goes.... well yes its not great, but none Ive tried are. The birds eye-view camera is awesome for in close parking and maneuvering. When changing lanes I 1st thought there was a big blind spot, but the more I drive the smaller it gets. Quick check over the shoulder with trained eye and I can see fine. Besides, I drive fast and not really an issue.lol.