How The 2014 Nissan Rogue Has Grown Up

2014 Nissan Rogue.

To fully appreciate the changes to the 2014 Nissan Rogue, it is extremely helpful to read Michael's review of the first-generation Rogue, written a bit more than five years ago.  The pictures tell part of the tale. The new Rogue is much more put-together, more of a mini-Pathfinder than a Versa wagon.

The biggest surprises are that the new Rogue is still using the original 170-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that powered the original half a decade ago, and that, despite gaining 117 pounds, it now gets much better mileage.  That's because of a new Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission that Nissan says generates 40% less friction loss.  Last year's EPA-estimated 23 miles per gallon city and 28 miles per gallon highway is now 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway.

2014 Nissan Rogue.

Prices are still quite reasonable, as well.  The base S trim starts at $22,790.  Our test vehicle was the mid-range  front-wheel drive SV, with a base price of $24,490. That brings with it a long list of standard equipment (click here) and you could stop there and have a nicely equipped Rogue.

But our tester had options, the first of which explains the benefit of the new Rogue: A third-row seat. Families are demanding third-row seating capabilities and the old Rogue (still sold as the Rogue Select) simply was too small. The extra inches of the new Rogue make it possible to carry one more row of people, though they should be small, and cargo capacity shrinks dramatically with those seats in the upright position. Costco runs should be planned for when you have five or fewer aboard.

2014 Nissan Rogue interior (SL trim shown)

The third-row seating is part of the SV Family Package, which also includes run-flat tires and eliminates the spare tire. Getting rid of the spare creates the space in the floorwell to accomodate a fold-flat third row, so if you want one, you get the other.  It costs $940.  Also in or on our Rogue, roof rail cross bars ($290), front and second row floor mats ($135) and the SV Premium Package, which adds the Nissan Connect app and navigation suite, a 7-inch color touch-screen display, voice recognition for navigation and audio, SiriusXM NavTraffic and Travel Link, an AroundView monitor, a power liftgate, heated outside mirrors, blind spot and lane departure warning and moving object detection ($1,420).

With all that, and $860 destination charges, the as-tested price was $28,135. That's almost two thousand dollars less than the front-wheel drive Toyota RAV4 Michael tested recently, and the Rogue gets better gas mileage besides. With these new changes, the Rogue has made itself very attractive and likely extremely competitive in the small crossover segment.