The new 2015 Nissan Rogue, with a fresh redesign, is a solid crossover with a lot for families to like. Here is my review with all the details on what is different and what you can expect.
My Nissan Rogue 2015 Review
My latest ride for my review series “Behind the Wheel” took me into the new Rogue. It is good looking with some lines actually resembling the small Mercedes cross over. Gone is the cheesy grill and outdated lines. They have been replaced with more conservative yet more contemporary styling. The outside package may not be spectacular but it is sleek and appealing.
2015 Nissan Rogue Interior
Inside the new Rogue is where I really noticed the new changes and a lot of great features. Even though this is on the small side for a cross over (the Ford Edge seems much much larger), there is still a lot of room inside and my 6’2″ frame never felt cramped.
2015 Nissan Rogue 3rd Row
As in most of their vehicles, Nissan gives great seat comfort and the redesign actually found some more room for back-seat passengers in 2015 – in part due to a sliding and reclining second-row seat. A power driver seat is available, but there is still no power option for the front passenger seat – it does however fold down for more cargo space which I found handy for long items. There is a new third row seating option which, in theory, is good but in practicality doesn’t make much sense since it really doesn’t offer much room for anyone other than children.
The Rogue still offers a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 170 horsepower. Even though the power is not on the high end, I never really felt disappointed by the pick up and strength of the engine. It seemed to suit the Nissan just fine. The one complaint is that it is noisy. But you will forget about the noise when you see the performance at the gas pump. Mileage is really good, especially in the FWD version with an estimated 28 mpg combined for city and highway.
Rogue offers and all-independent suspension and electric power steering plus a new, very helpful addition – Active Ride Control. The ARC is designed to smooth the Rogue’s body motions after it crosses a bumpy stretch. Active Trace Control can also apply a brake or adjust torque to an inside wheel to aid in cornering. The steering in the new Rogue now feels tighter and more sturdy.
All Rogues come with standard curtain airbags and stability control, as well as a rearview camera and tire pressure monitors. Nissan’s Easy Fill tire alert is also included. The Rogue also earns federal safety ratings of four and five stars and a Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) status from the insurance-funded IIHS. Safety options include blind-spot monitors, a lane-departure warning system, a forward-collision alert system, and the wonderful a surround-view camera. I absolutely fell in love with the surround view and marveled at how accurate and helpful it was in daily driving. Every vehicle, at every price point, should have this technology.
2015 Nissan Rogue S
The base Rogue S comes with power windows, power locks, and mirrors as well as an AM/FM/CD player with a USB port, Bluetooth with audio streaming, and a rearview camera. Move up to the Rogue SV and you also get 17-inch wheels, a power driver seat, satellite radio, automatic climate control, push button start, and NissanConnect, which enables use of your smartphone apps. One step higher is the Rogue SL which gives you Bose audio, a navigation system, a power tailgate, surround-view cameras, 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, and leather upholstery. Other options include third-row seating, run-flat tires, a panoramic sunroof and LED headlights.
All in all, I really liked this cross over. In a crowded market full of similar vehicles, I think the 2015 Nissan Roque is definitely worth a look.
(My test vehicle was a 2015 Nissan Rogue SV, in Arctic Blue Metallic with an almond cloth interior. Sticker Price with all options cam in at $28,170)
Rob Youngblood is an Emmy Award Winning TV Host, Men’s Life & Style Expert, Keynote Speaker, and Communication Coach. Learn more about him at youngbloodonthecoast.com You can also follow him on Twitter @robyoungblood.
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Uplifting Families says
This is a smaller crossover vehicle and I would probably compare it to the size of the Ford Escape, Hyundai Tuscon, Toyota Rav 4, Kia Sportage. I like that it offers the 3 rd row. It is great option for parents who have young kids and need the third row. I have three kids and we have a Ford Escape and it is pretty cramped. I am not looking to buy a new car at the moment, maybe one day when the wheels fall off my SUV. 😉