By James Bergeron
Photo Gallery:
2008 Nissan Rogue SL AWD
 Click Image to Enlarge |
It is no GT-R, but more of a mainstream Nissan vehicle for me this week. Now, I am behind the wheel of the Nissan Rogue. My tester is an SL AWD model with the premium package. This cute-ute was released as a new model late 2007 as a 2008 model, replacing the X-Trail in Canada as Nissan’s smallest SUV.
Looking very much looking like a baby Murano, the Rogue is a much bubblier shape than the outgoing X-Trail. To some, this proved to be a disappointment, as the X-Trail was one of the most versatile small SUVs on the market, with a large cargo area, due to it’s boxy shape.
 Click Image to Enlarge |
But, if perhaps you loved the X-Trail for its cargo capacity, you can’t deny the interior was not the most exciting, and the quirky centre-mounted gauges are a love-it-or-hate-it design. The Rogue is a more traditional offering, built on a unit-body construction: more or less a raised car platform.
The Rogue starts at $23,798 for the S FWD model; my SL AWD tester bumps the price up to $28,398. My tester also sports the premium package, which adds a further $2,300 to the price. This package includes: a power sliding glass moonroof, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with a manual shift mode and paddle shifters, a 6-disc in-dash CD changer and a few other small items.
All Rogue models come with the same engine — a 2.5-litre DOHC four cylinder that produces 170hp and 175lb-ft of torque, and all Rogues are equipped with a CVT as well. The Rogue is one of the most fuel efficient compact SUVs on the market today, with an EnerGuide rating of 9.1/7.2 L/100km (city/hwy) for the front-driver, and only a slightly less efficient 9.4/7.7 L/100km rating for the all-wheel drive variant.
2008 Nissan Rogue SL AWD
MSRP as tested (including destination): $32,333
For more information on Nissan and the Rogue visit Nissan Canada
