Nissan Rogue is a winner inside and out

• December
• 13

7:03 am Trucks, Vehicles

Nissan’s all-new 2008 Rogue “crossover” compact SUV hit the ground running, picking up its first major award before the new car smell had worn off.

The September introduction was just in time to enter the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada annual Test Fest where about 70 automotive journalists review the new crop of cars, trucks, minivans and SUVs for the 2008 model year.

As a previous president of AJAC, I can assure you that the four-day testing process is one of the most rigorous in the world and the results are arguably the most credible in North America.

The Nissan Rogue beat out strong challenges from Toyota RAV4 and Honda CRV to take the award for the Best SUV/CUV under $35,000.

It’s also a good bet to take the overall crown as Best Truck/SUV of the Year. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Based on the same platform as the Sentra, the Rogue replaces the X-Trail and moves away from the rugged, truck-based design of early SUVs for a more car-like unibody construction.

Nissan engineers have managed to squeeze a little more width and length out of the Sentra platform and raised the roof by 147 millimetres, allowing for a significantly roomier cabin and 1,639 litres of cargo space (with rear seats folded).

The Rogue comes with either front-wheel drive (2WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD) in S or SL trim.

Our tester was the Rogue AWD SL finished in Glacier Pearl with black leather upholstery (optional leather package).

Nissan stylists have managed to bring a family resemblance to the whole lineup and the Rogue picks up obvious design cues from its big brother the Murano.

The short hood slopes down into the two-piece, egg-crate grille above the wide-mouth air intake. Halogen headlamps integrated into the flared front fenders lead the eye back along a rising waistline, just like the Murano. Five-spoke, 17-inch cast aluminum-alloy rims (SL models) fill the wheel wells giving the Rogue a muscular look.

When it comes to the powertrain, Nissan is definitely marching to a different drummer. Muscle is provided by a DOHC 2.5-litre, four-cylinder producing 170 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. More powerful than the fours in Toyota’s RAV4, Honda’s CRV or the Saturn Vue, it feeds the power to the front wheels or with Intuitive All-Wheel Drive to all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission.

Unlike traditional transmissions that have mechanical stepped gears, the CVT uses a combination of belts and pulleys to provide a seamless progression determined by forward motion and engine revs. Simpler and smoother than conventional transmissions, it also produces better fuel economy. The paddle shifters (SL Premium Package) mounted on the steering wheel give you the option of manually selecting from six specific gears as you see fit . . . very useful for steady climbing and descending on the Malahat.

Traction Control and Vehicle Dynamic Control are standard on all models. The Rogue is quick out of the blocks, reaching 50 km/h in

3.6 seconds and getting up to highway speed in less than nine seconds. The fully independent suspension provides a firm but compliant ride and the electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is quick and light at low speeds, firming up at highway speeds for a strong on-centre feel.