The 2024 Nissan Rogue isn’t a automobile for people such as you and me. We’re extra into issues that lights our souls on hearth, makes us fizz or some other variety of cliches, however stuff like that isn’t necessary to the overwhelming majority of automobile consumers. Most consumers simply need one thing that’s fairly priced, effectively thought out and has simply sufficient creature comforts to make you are feeling like life is value dwelling. That’s precisely the place the Nissan Rogue is available in, and it’s why the compact crossover was the ninth best-selling automobile (and third-best in section) in America final 12 months.
It is sensible. I imply, the 2024 Rogue Platinum is nice wanting sufficient, has a complete lot of stable tech, a effectively appointed cabin and an excellent — for at present’s requirements — worth level at $45,190 (together with vacation spot). Nonetheless, the Rogue doesn’t actually do something for me, and I doubt it does something for you. Due to that, we’re going to placed on our NPC caps and try simply what makes the Nissan Rogue so goddamn interesting to so many individuals.
Full Disclosure: Nissan lent me a 2024 Rogue with a full tank of fuel to do with as I happy for every week.
We’ve obtained to start out out the place most driving-agnostic automobile consumers begin: worth, options and worth for cash. That is actually the place the Rogue, even in Platinum trim, excels. The highest-of-the-line Rogue nonetheless prices hundreds of {dollars} lower than the common new automobile, and I guess it’s obtained a nicer inside and higher tech than numerous these vehicles. For that $45,000-ish worth you get each trendy luxurious comfort you would really need, like wi-fi cellphone connectivity, leather-ish seats, a mess of screens and a complete suite of driver aids. When you have been to try to get all the things this Rogue has on one thing like a BMW X3, you’d be pushing 60 grand. That kind of stuff is essential to your common purchaser.
What makes the Rogue actually interesting, although, isn’t that it has all of this stuff — it’s that all of them work fairly effectively. The highest-spec Rogue Platinum has two most important screens and a head-up show. Each the 12.3-inch Google-based infotainment display screen and 12-inch digital gauge cluster are simple to make use of, customizable and crisp. That’s actually all an on a regular basis automobile purchaser desires. Apple CarPlay hooks up simply, you will get as little or as a lot info as you need within the gauge cluster, and the head-up show is complete whereas nonetheless not terribly distracting. On high of all of that, you get a pleasant mixture of buttons for core radio features and the local weather management system. Every part is precisely the place you’d anticipate it to be on this automobile, from the amount knob and drive mode selector to the controls for the gauge cluster and digi-stick gear selector. It’s simple to get into the Rogue and instantly turn into acquainted with the way it works. You actually can’t ask for rather more.
Other than an intuitive inside, of us who contemplate vehicles like the Nissan Rogue actually care about security, and that’s elsewhere it excels. Not solely does it have a five-star security ranking from NHTSA, however its suite of driver help and security programs are extraordinarily good, particularly for a automobile on this worth vary. You get a 360-degree digicam setup, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot displays, automated emergency braking and extra. It additionally comes with adaptive cruise management and a lane-keeping system that Nissan dubbed ProPilot Help; each work very effectively and show you how to cruise down the street with as few ideas in your thoughts as attainable. I’ll be trustworthy, I didn’t suppose Nissan had it in them to pack this a lot stable tech right into a cheap-ish automobile just like the Rogue.
Since Nissan is a enterprise, and companies must make cash to remain open, the Rogue isn’t with out its cost-cutting measures. There are some kind of questionable supplies inside, laborious plastics and what have you ever. I imply, that’s not precisely surprising. Designers have to save cash someplace. The quilted leather-based and stitching contained in the Rogue wasn’t precisely fabulous-feeling, both. There was a sure smoothness to the leather-based that provides the sensation of vinyl in vehicles from the mid-90s. That being stated, it did look very good. The tester I had was fitted with a black inside with white distinction stitching. It appears very premium, and leagues above something Toyota is providing on the RAV4 or Honda with its CR-V.
The general design of the Rogue, each inside and outside, is fairly good-looking, too. It’s not groundbreaking or something, nevertheless it’s a really clear design. It’s inoffensive, and that’s actually all individuals need out of an equipment just like the Rogue. In fact, the Platinum trim will get some extra premium-looking design parts like a floating-ish roof, 19-inch wheels (which I actually dig the design of) and extra chrome trim. This can be a automobile for People, in spite of everything. Though it’s been on sale for a number of years it nonetheless appears recent, particularly in comparison with a few of its historical competitors just like the Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape.
Jalopnik is, after all, an fanatic publication, so it might be fallacious to utterly ignore how the Rogue Platinum drives. Let’s simply say it’s… uninspired. Nobody has ever actually had enjoyable behind the wheel of a crossover like this except there are some extra-curriculars taking place. It’s deeply boring, however that’s kind of the purpose. Energy is provided by a nifty little turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder motor, and it goes down the street with zero fuss. For essentially the most half the motor falls to the background, however while you push it, the little engine makes a really cute little grumble noise. You possibly can even hear the turbo whistle now and again! It sends a wholesome 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque to all 4 wheels (when you get the optionally available part-time AWD) courtesy of a CVT. It’ll pretend shift each occasionally when you’re caning it — which you shouldn’t — however in any other case it’s lethal critical concerning the activity at hand. Regardless of which of the 5 drive modes you set the Rogue Platinum in, it’s not going to be a enjoyable driving expertise. I didn’t get an opportunity to drive it off street in any respect, however I’m certain it’ll be advantageous for no matter filth path a Rogue proprietor by chance takes it down.
Is that this all a bit boring to you? Good, that is sensible. That’s precisely what the Rogue is meant to be. It’s a pod to switch you and no matter you carry alongside to your vacation spot with as little stress and bother as attainable. In that regard, the Rogue Platinum excels. It’s very a lot not a automobile for fanatics such as you and me. It’s an equipment, and that’s OK, as a result of it’s a rattling good equipment. If automakers solely catered to fanatics, there wouldn’t be any automakers left as a result of they’d have all gone bankrupt. Automobiles just like the Rogue, which make automakers untold billions of {dollars}, permit them to construct the sporty vehicles we like. Due to that, we shouldn’t beguile the Rogue and its ilk. It’s extremely necessary.
