Road Test: 2016 Nissan Rogue SV FWD

Now a Seven-Passenger Family Hauler

When Clean Fleet Report reviewed the 2015 Nissan Rogue we gave it high marks as one of the best compact SUVs on the market. As Nissan’s second best-selling vehicle, the 2016 Nissan Rogue adds new technology features to make it even more appealing.

Drivetrain

The 2016 Nissan Rogue SV comes in either FWD or AWD, with both versions using the same 2.5-liter, 16-valve, inline four-cylinder engine with sequential multiport electronic fuel injection. Running on unleaded regular, it puts-out 170 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque through Nissan’s Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), and is rated at 25 mpg city/ 33 highway/ 28 combined for the FWD, and 25/32/28 for the AWD. In 300 miles of 70-percent highway/ 30-percent city driving, we averaged 28.5 mpg.

Driving Experience: On the Road

The five-door (four passenger doors plus a power liftgate) Rogue, weighing in at 3,422 lbs., has a 58/42 front-to-rear weight distribution, making it easy to maneuver. The electric power-assisted and speed-sensitive steering gave a good road feel and handling was confident, with little body roll through all speeds and situations. The handling and ride elements include 225/65R17 all-season run-flat tires (these are an option and part of the SV Family Package) on 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, Active Ride Control, front independent struts, coil springs and stabilizer bar; and a rear independent multi-link set-up with twin-tube shocks and a stabilizer bar. Towing is rated at 1,000 lbs.

The CVT-equipped Rogue was, as I have found with other cars using CVT transmissions, an overall good driving experience. Nissan’s continued development of CVT technology has resulted in a

transmission with no shift-points (because there are no gears to shift) and helps deliver increased fuel economy through a reduction in friction and changes to pulleys and other internal CVT workings. The CVT and the 2.5L four-cylinder combination ran smoothly, but under extremely hard or labored (as in uphill, pedal-to-the-metal) acceleration, there was an engine/transmission noise—more like a drone—that was noticeable in the cockpit. Once at the desired speed, it cruised and kept up with traffic easily. To get the most performance from the engine, you have choices of ECO and Sport settings. ECO should be used on long stretches of road to squeeze-out every last drop of fuel, with Sport being activated to hold the transmission in each rev band a bit longer for more power when needed.

Clean Fleet Report’s 2016 Nissan Rogue SV had solid and consistent stops with a braking system consisting of vented front and rear discs, an anti-lock brake system (ABS), brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), which adjusts brake proportioning to compensate for added weight from passengers or cargo, and even adjusts as fuel is consumed. Nissan’s Active Engine Braking works in-conjunction with the CVT, to slow the Rogue when braking, so there is less braking effort needed by the driver.

Driving Experience: Exterior

The Rogue is recognizable with a sporty and pleasantly aggressive stance highlighted by the sculpted front end and a sloping windshield. The LED daytime running lights and Halogen headlights, plus the LED turn signals in the exterior mirrors, all added to a clean design. Nissan has worked on the aerodynamics to achieve a 0.33 drag co-efficient,sculpting the outside mirror shapes, rear roof and side spoilers and combination rear lights that seem to be all one, smooth piece with the fenders and rear hatch. A concerted effort was made to have the Rogue design be devoid of any unnecessary cladding or chrome. There is just enough brightwork to play against the body color, which in our case was a very contemporary Gun Metallic gray.

Driving Experience: Interior

I was immediately impressed with the ease of finding a comfortable seating position thanks to the six-way, cloth, heated, power driver seat, with power lumbar and the manually adjusted steering column. The front passenger seat is four-way manually adjustable with both front seats having Nissan’s Zero Gravity design where their articulated shape provides continuous support for comfort and reduced driver fatigue.

Clean Fleet Report’s 2016 Nissan Rogue SV came with the optional Family Package that added a third row for seven-passenger seating. Nissan’s rear EZ Flex seating system is quite

accommodating as the complete three-passenger second row, a 60/40 seat, slides and folds. Having a center pass through as part of the folding armrest gives 40/20/40 flexibility. Make sure to put the rear seat through its paces when at your dealer. At this point we usually suggest the rear seat really is only good for two adults, but this isn’t the case with the Rogue. With the rear seat slid-back the full 9-inches, rear seat passengers have a very generous 37.9-inches of legroom. Nissan’s nifty Divide-N-Hide Cargo System can create a flat cargo area and, when the rear-most floorboard is lowered, a deep cargo well is created to transport taller objects. With access through the power liftgate, it is pretty clear you will not have any issues hauling people or cargo with so many well thought-out seating and storage options.

The dash layout is simple, starting with the analog tachometer and speedometer gauges, which are easy-to-read with white lettering on a black background, and the vehicle information center all under a covered hood to reduce glare. Operating the sound system was easy and met Clean Fleet Report’s minimum requirement for a driver-friendly system as it had knobs for the channel and volume functions. Our 2016 Rogue SV, as part of the Premium Package, came with the seven-inch HD color touch-screen with voice recognition navigation, mobile apps, and Nissan’s wonderful Around View Monitor, which gives a 360-degree virtual bird’s-eye view as if looking down on the Rogue. The 2016 Rogue’s NissanConnect system offers new features: Siri Eyes Free, automatic collision notification, emergency call, stolen vehicle locator, and dealer service scheduling and maintenance alerts. And, for the caring parent, customized alerts can be set such as speed, curfew and boundary notifications. Watch it, kids!

The audio system came with six speakers and SiriusXM (three-month trial subscription), AM/FM/HD/CD/MP3/WMA, USB port with iPod connectivity, Aux-in jacks and Bluetooth streaming audio, text messaging assistant and voice recognition, with many of these controlled by the multi-function steering wheel.

 Adding to the interior comfort and convenience was remote keyless entry, push button start, cruise control, dual zone automatic temperature control with second row A/C vents, power windows with one-touch up/down, power door locks, power heated outside mirrors, carpeted floor mats and a cargo area protector (option), day/night rearview mirror, outside temperature display, map lights, multiple beverage holders and three 12-volt accessory outlets.

Safety and Convenience

The 2016 Nissan Rogue SV FWD came with safety and convenience features, including 8 air bags, blind spot warning (BSW), moving object detection (MOD), Around View Monitor (AVM), tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), electronic stability control (ESC), traction control system (TCS), hill start assist (HAS), Active Trace Control (ATC), Active Engine Braking (AEB), Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) and anti-theft vehicle immobilizer.

All 2016 Rogues have earned a US Government National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 4-Star Overall Vehicle Score, where five Stars is the highest safety rating, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Rogue its Top Safety Pick.

Clean Fleet Report’s 2016 Rogue SV FWD had a MRSP of $27,360 that included the optional Floor Mat, Cargo Protector, Premium and Family Packages, which made-up $2,770 of the MSRP. 2016 Rogue pricing, excluding the $885 Destination Charge:

S FWD         $23,290

SV FWD       $24,740

SL FWD       $28,690

S AWD         $24,640

SV AWD       $26,090

SL AWD       $30,040

Warranties

The 2016 Nisan Rogue comes with these warranties:

• Basic – Three-year/36,000-mile
• Powertrain – Five-year/60,000-mile
• Anti-Perforation – Five-year/Unlimited-mile

Observations: 2016 Nissan Rogue SV FWD

The 2016 Nissan Rogue offers clean styling, a spacious interior with convenient and desirable seating and storage flexibility. The Nissan SUV now seats five passengers and has a seven-passenger option. Having both a front wheel and all-wheel drive option on the 2016 Rogue is a selling point for Nissan as it means everyone looking for a compact SUV or CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle) could be their customer.

Nissan’s direct competition for the Rogue are the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester. The Rogue holds up well against all these fine cars, making it worthy of your consideration.

My overall impression of the 2016 Nissan Rogue is that I felt safe and in control at all times and would have no problem taking it on a cross-country road trip. I think you will agree.

Whatever you buy, Happy Driving!

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Road Test: 2015 Nissan Rogue

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Road Test: 2015 Honda CR-V

Road Test: 2015 Ford Escape

Road Test: 2015 Mazda CX-5

Disclosure:

Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle, which does not address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology, during which we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements. Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class or are among the top mpg vehicles on the market. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.