2008 Nissan Rogue

websfear

I'm 6' 6" with most of the height in the legs.

Head room was just workable, but at least I wasn't into the opening for the sunroof like I have been in some sedans. Leg room is about the same as the CRV, usable but long hauls will need the cruise control - there goes the gas milage.

Based on the one the dealer got, it might be a hard sell - UGLY Orange with grey interior. I am holding off for a red one with black leather.

jimmysan1

Hello all,

I am about buying my first SUV and I was kind of clear about what car I was going to buy before the Rogue came out. I have been doing some research about the Mazda CX7 GT 2008 which does not require premium gas in contrast to the 2007. However I liked the Rogue since I saw it some days ago and I test drove it today and it was cool but in my opinion the CX7 is more fun to drive than the Rogue. I got a price of ~28K with all included for a Red Rogue SL AWD fully loaded with no leather seats and I got a price of the CX7 GT fully loaded but FWD of ~27K with all included as well... I am in this big dilema: "I don't know what car I should buy"... I need some advice from you all... Any tips might help me a lot.. Thank you very much

jaxs1

Is the Rogue the lowest priced Nissan with stability control?
I think the Altima is cheaper, but it's more expensive after selecting the other mandatory options required with stability control.

mikelevine64

I have not driven the Rogue yet, But on paper the Rogue will get better MPG than the CX7, Both should be reliable, The CX7 still needs Premium gas you will see a lost in HP & MPG without Premium gas.

If you can wait a few months the Rogue will sell under MSRP after Jan.

novice

Rogue is the total package. I was extremely impressed. Drove the only one they had right off the showroom floor--AWD, leather, the works. Great car. Terrific ride. Nice handling. The only slight negative I could cite is the power. It would be nice to have a bit more punch. But on the highway the road and wind noise were really muted. Seats are quite comfortable. Impressive vehicle all around.

valleyca2

Bought Rogue SL 2WD last week, have driven 600 miles so far. Its a fun vehicle to drive- very quiet, superb handling even at 80 MPH. The exterior is very appealing and refreshing better then the compettion RAV/CRV. The interior is very well laid out- the console is well designed. The seconds row seat is comfortable for its class. The brakes are great- pickup is adequate for its class- not at all underpowered. The highway mileage so far has been 27 plus change change on the highway.

mcq1

Hi.How is the rear view? Some say it is minimal. Can you see okay to back up?
I am considering the Rogue but I am doing some research first.
thanks

jaxs1

It will probably be a big problem for many. I almost always park in parking lots and garages and so I rarely ever need to parallel park. This badly obstructed rear view would not be a deal breaker for me if there are no other serious problems with the vehicle.
A nav system with rear camera would solve this problem. Maybe the 2009 models will get nav or else at the 2011 update.

kimkayt

Test drove the Rogue yesterday; hubby loved it, I'm still not 100% sold, the engine roared when taking off from a light, could be because it was brand new and not broken in yet (seem to remember the same thing with my Murano) - I would like a bit more pep, but overall it's a well put together vehicle and really nice looking . . .

cpca

I'd say the size of the rear window might be a concern for some people, but not most, from comments I've read so far and my own experience. Personally, I think the Rogue window is OK and limited vision is usually a concern for me (I had to drive a rented Magnum on a vacation last year and absolutely hated it because of the back window).

brucepower

I picked up my Rogue yesterday and yes it does roar when you floor it but so does an automatic. I found that once you get use to it you won't put your foot into it as much and it doesn't roar. Also because you don't feel it shift you are fooled into thinking it is slow off the mark but actually it is very quick. The gas milage is fantastic makes the Murano look like a gas guzzler.

birdboy

thank you for your post. Kindly share with us what fantastic means when you refer to the gas miles per gallon. Is it the advertised 26-27 or better?so do you have a FW or awd ?

jaxs1

One day is also pretty quick to determine that the gas mileage is "fantastic" unless they are just going by what an MPG display is estimating.
Maybe after a couple tankfuls of gas.

asa

I wish Nissan offered Rogue with a 5 or 6-Speed manual tranny.

brucepower

Well I put 200 Kilometers on it and it is only down 1/4 tank gas. My X-trial with the same motor and auto couldn't do that, and it got good mileage.

brucepower

Get over it, the CVT does as good as a standard so why have a standard?

ticmxman

I bought a Gotham Grey SL 2wd and I agree if you drive it normaly I have noticed no difference than any other vehicle that you "put your foot into" and if you check your speed or the rearview mirror you will understand why when you put your foot into the throttle the Rogue roars, it is quick out of the hole.

I'm 6'3 and I have no problem what so ever with rear window visibility, it is better than the RAV or CRV of course these are just my opinions but I did own a RAV for 2 years.

sunbu95

Drove one of two on the local dealer's lot today. Both black, premium package, moonroof, awd. Cloth interior. About what I need. Compared to my Murano, the Rogue has less power and is more jiggly on bumps. But it has better rear view vision, and is smaller, so less likely to kiss the sides of my garage. I will probably buy one this year, depending on reviews and price breaks. Maybe get extended warranty since it's a new model.

nissanjohn

My 15 year old son and I drove one for the 1st time today, looking at a car for him. I have an altima(2.5sl) and my wife a rav4(4 cylinder, limited).
I like the interior, looks and feels like the altima. Drives smoother and quieter than the rav4. Exterior looks are good, (with a name like Rogue, I was expecting it to be more masculine.)
Unless we see some major flaws develope, we'll probably get one next year.

barnowl

I stopped in at a dealer and took a look at the Rogue; ....liked what I saw. It's what I thought the re-designed CR-V would have been. ( I prefer the electronically controlled AWD on the Rogue);

Does anyone know if the Rogue has 5MPH bumpers....where can you find this info ?

mcq1

I went to take a look at the Rogue in Clear Lake, Texas. I saw three Sl models 2wd. My first upclose look. We loved it. It just sort of grabs you. Looks like a little rocket with lots of attitude. I am definitely buying one. We didn't even test drive one. The are getting some AWD in a couple of weeks. I am in LOVE.

barnowl

Hi Edmunds!

A couple of questions about your recent Mini-SUV Comparison Test;

When discussing the Rogue's AWD you state that:
"The Nissan Rogue employs a similarly intelligent system, but it cannot be manipulated. " ,

but when I was at the dealership recently I noticed that there is an "AWD LOCK" button on the Dashboard!! ....its very low on the dashboard and might be overlooked, but it's there right next to the Stability Control On/Off Switch....

...how does the Rogue's AWD LOCK feature work ? ...is it a AWD center-diff front/rear lock like the RAV4 (50%/50%) up to a certain speed ???

Also your Comparison test makes mention of spending a day at an Off-Road test facility and yet in the write-up there is no mention of each Vehicle's performance ...except to say that the CR-V was the only one to fail to negotiate a steep trail.....how did the other vehicles perform ?

I think SUV-Reviews spend far more time evaluating the Radio than actually describing how the AWD works and how it actually behaves in real life testing.

annacar

I just bought a rogue, I love it. I personally don't like the CRV because it has no power at all, and I'm not a fan of a tire attached to the back of a car - so I didn't bother with the RAV4. The rogue is goergeous, I got the Iridium Graphite color.

You can't compare a Rogue to a Murano. My parents have a Murano and it's the ultimate SUV (In my option), I call my Rogue a "baby murano" It drives very similar to it's parent. You won't be sorry if you purchase one.

brucepower

I also bought the Iridium Graphite color and agree that the Murano is the ultimate SUV but the Rogue is a great runner up. for a lot less money. I alos didn't care for the CRV and RAV4 for the very same reasons. There is no way you would be sorrty for buying a Rogue.

mcq1

You bought the color I like. Did you get the gray leather interior?
I am waiting for an AWD so I can go test drive it since that is what i want.
Congrats.

annacar

Congratulations bruce, enjoy your new vehicle Are you getting a lot of people looking at the car on the road? Because there's not many out yet, i've got people admiring my car. It's kind of nice !! I have the cloth interior mcq, it said black cloth, but it came a two tone, black on the outside and a soft dark gray on the inside of the seat - it's very classy looking. I have not seen the leather.

brucepower

I have the SL AWD with Leather awd Premium Package. In Canada we can only get the Black leather interior with Iridium Graphite

birdboy

Today I test drove the SL AWD. I took it for an extensive drive up and down hills on a winding road in the Catskills upstate NY. The ride was solid, quiet and very impressive.It took about 20 minutes for me to get used to the loud noise from the CVT when accelerating. I found when I used the paddle shifters, that the noise was less. The power was good for a 4cylinder, however not like my 200hp 2.0 T Passat engine.
I found the drivers seat to be a bit uncomfortable in my lumbar area. There was no adjustment for it . I am hoping that the leather pack will offer an adjustment that will make the seat comfy for me as I drive upstate every weekend and it can be a 3.5 hour drive at times. I also found that the arm rest was a bit short to comfortably rest my elbow on and use the shifter. I guess thats where the paddles come in. I would have liked the console arm rest to have been adjustable.
The Rogue drove effortlessly and with confidence. I believe that I will buy it in the near future as soon as I see what real time MPG people are reporting.This is very important to me as you can understand.
Visibility was good with the large side mirrors..Glad that they fold in and also back.

mcq1

I read this on Edmunds. Is the CVT as noisy as they describe it?

The Rogue returns the best observed fuel economy of the test at over 22 mpg, with one tank returning 27 mpg. Frugal, but unfortunately not invigorating. Acceleration from a stop feels like it takes an eternity, even though the Nissan nearly caught the Mitsubishi with its 9.2-second sprint to 60 mph. The CVT feels like it has some components made from elastic, and it's not a feeling you can get away from, since the CVT and 170-hp 2.4-liter inline-4 is the only available powertrain.

We like the long-stroke engine with its balance shaft to reduce vibration, but would rather experience it firsthand than through the bland-o-nator CVT. This is just not the right technology for a small engine when more than a fuel-efficient commute is called for, and it's necessary to use the shift paddles to not only make back roads more interesting but also to soothe the ears.

brucepower

I have not noticed any noise and I wonder what they are talking about. As a matter of fact it is one of the least noisy cars I have driven.

ticmxman

No the Rougue is quieter than the RAV4 and the CRV, once up to speed. There is less road and wing noise.

The CVT works differently you do hear the motor during acceleration more than the RAV or CRV but the DB level is similar. The CVT holds the motor RPMs into the accleration to the speed you are asking for without any of the shifts and RPM changes of the tradtional automatics,therefore the CVT/motor combo might seem to make more noise but I don't think it actully does it's just different. The Rogue gets up to speed as quick as or quicker than any 4 cyl RAV or CRV.
IMO the Rougue is quieter than the RAV or CRV both wind and Road noise and I owned a 06 RAV and a 02 CRV.

ticmxman

I could not agree more! Rogue owner for one week today, Gotham Gray SL 2wd

Drive one and you will see, and if has the Bose XM.. turn it up, it makes the CRV radio sound like it has one speaker.

jaxs1

This is what CVT acceleration looks like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXokc-lMqm0

ticmxman

Yeah that is what it sounds like if you are doing a 0-80 mph test. But in normal driving it is not so dramatic.

brucepower

Have you floored a conventional automatic lately, they rev to the red line and than shift hard and rev to the red line again and that is not quite at all either.

ticmxman

Sometimes people dislike change and will find a fault in change no matter what. That maybe what is going on with some of the negative opinouns on the CVT in the Rogue. I like to think in reverse sometimes with technology... what if the CVT was fist and had been around for years would we now be finding fault with the frequent noticable gear changes of the 5 and 6 speed automatic transmisions. CVT is just different. I'm sure at an extreme aka towing, racing etc... the tradtional automatic may have its advantages but for a crossover I see no issues so far. Time will tell.

jaxs1

I just posted a link to a video showing what acceleration looks like with a CVT. I didn't comment that it was good or bad or worse than an automatic.

ticmxman

I feel like my Rogue has plenty of power. One thing I did notice is a pretty major difference in the 0- 60 mph times from Edmunds test vs Motortrends Rogue test shown below, maybe some bad gas in the Edmunds Rogue
TEST DATA
Acceleration to mph
0-30 3.0 sec
0-40 4.4
0-50 6.1
0-60 8.2 (Edmunds= 9.2)
0-70 10.8
0-80 14.2
0-90 18.3
Quarter mile 16.4 sec @ 85.5 mph (Edmunds 16.9, 83.4 mph)
Braking, 60-0 mph 124 ft
Lateral acceleration 0.80 g avg
MT figure eight 28.8 sec @ 0.56 g avg
Top-gear revs @ 60 mph 2000 rpm

mcq1

I wonder myself because most of the reviews say the car is quiet in comparison with others. Well you would know more than anybody else because you drive it everyday. Thanks for your input.
I won't be buying mine until next year for now I am listening to the owners and what they are encountering.

nishaw

We just bought our Rogue last night and love it. We had a Murano but I was in a wreck about 2 weeks ago. We really loved our Murano but this little Rogue is nice. I'm with a few other posts and the name I'm not that thrilled about but I love it. The ride is really smooth and of course with the CVT it makes it so much better similar to the Murano.

jaxs1

AWD and FWD models do not have the same performance.

mcq1

Please explain...

mcq1

Thanks. Hey I think I like it. I sort of hate waiting for the automatic to shift anyway. I have a jeep and sometimes I have to wait for it to shift when I just want to go. Yeah change sometimes is hard for some people.

flightnurse

Well have bought a Versa back in July 06, my Versa has the Bluetooth and Intelli-key, and on the Rouge you have to get it in the SL AWD, but I want a SL FWD, I think Nissan missed the mark on this one. I'm going to wait for 09 and see if Nissan offers them in the SL FWD, if not, then I'll get a leftover 08 Murano..

cpca

The difference in the 0-60 ET and quarter-mile ET is because Motortrend tested a 2WD model, while Edmunds tested an AWD model that's 200 pounds heavier ...

mcq1

Thanks. I want the AWD....because it has all the extra's I want plus I want a crossover that can handle all I throw to it.

asa

For those of us who love a clutch pedal, nothing seems as exciting or responsive as a manual tranny. They're simply a lot of fun. I'm a dying breed in the U.S.. It's fun to cruise the European auto websites, as just about everything is available with a stick in that part of the world. Oh well, Santa Fe, Forester, Mazda5, Xterra, Tucson, Sportage, Escape and Element are still offered with a stick for the time being.

birdboy

Brucepower..from what you recall , was the initial cvt acceleration noise the same in the murano as well? After my test drive I questioned the salesperson and she said that all the Nissan models like Murano, Altima.. that have the cvt , all amke that initial noise that I am not sure I like , however I do understand the reasons for it. I plan to test drive a few more times. If I am not completely sold on it, then I will wait until June for the new VW Tiquan with 200 turbo HP, 4 cyl, est. 29mpg using premium gas.

ticmxman

Good catch I missed the 2wd vs 4wd difference. I guess if you drive in snow and ice the 4wd is a better fit.

shado4

Well have bought a Versa back in July 06, my Versa has the Bluetooth and Intelli-key, and on the Rouge...

Sorry, flightnurse, but I just have to bring this to your attention. It makes me laugh every time I see it.

Every post you write you refer to the vehicle as the Rouge. It's the Rogue, as in rascal or scoundrel. Rouge to me sounds like a shade of red lipstick. Or maybe you've been thinking of the Moulin Rouge?

Just a friendly heads up.