2010 NISSAN ROGUE SL AWD

The Tee To Green D-R-I-V-E of the WEEK:

      D -  Drivability:  9.5

What I liked:   The Rogue is a small crossover Sport Utility that feels more car-like than SUV-like.  Easy-to-drive, especially around town.  It's only a 4 cylinder engine, but it's the 2.5 litre four-cylinder, which give the Rogue a little pep.  Good acceleration in traffic, clear sight lines, excellent turn radius.  Responsive handling--also very car-like.  I enjoyed driving it.   

What I didn't like:  The ride was a bit noisy.  It was ok, but not great on the highway.   Not the vehicle you want to take on a long road trip.

       R -  Rideability:  9

What I liked:   Nice cozy ride, kind of like putting on an old pair of gloves.  Easy to read dash and instrument controls.  Good supply of nooks and crannies for keys, cell phone, etc.  Ample leg and headroom up front.  Typical SUV-type storage in the back, where the rear seats fold down.  Adequate room for groceries, toys and of course, the golf clubs.  The Rogue gives you All Wheel Drive, but it's meant more for a daily commute (in bad weather) than for heading to the hills for some weekend off-roading.  Safety features are pretty standard.  Dual front airbags, torso protecting front side airbags and curtain side airbags.  The Rogue comes with ABS brakes and Nissan's electronic stability control with traction control.

What I didn't like:  The backseat ride was a little cramped and the seats were hard.  No government front-seat driver and passenger crash test ratings.  

I -  Image:  9

No problem here.  What you see is what you get.  A small crossover SUV that performs more like a car.  Perfect for young singles, young married couples or older folks without kids who just want a nice, economical, but still cool ride.  The Rogue is a nice fit for young grandkids as well as young children.  It's not sporty, but it is sporty looking and matches up well when it comes to looks with other vehicles in the category.  For 2010, you can add the 360 Degree Value package.  It includes a rear spoiler, 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, privacy glass and a chrome grill.

V -  Value:  8.5

The 2010 Nissan Rogue comes in two trim levels, the S and SL.  Each offers front wheel drive or all wheel drive.   The base model S starts at around 20K.  The Rogue S with AWD starts at 21.5K.  The base SL starts at 22K.  The SL with AWD begins at 23K.  The 360 Degree Value package will add about one-thousand dollars to the overall cost.  You are not adding much upgrading to the SL from the S, but with the SL, you can expand the option list.  Careful, this is where Nissan gets you.  Options, such as the Leather Package or the Premium audio package can run the price close to 30K.  At 20K, the Rogue is a good value.  At close to 30K, it is not.

    E -  Economy: 8.5

22 miles per gallon in the city.  27mpg on the highway.  The AWD models get slightly less.  Not bad, but with a 2.5 litre, 4 cylinder power plant, on an economy car platform, you would expect a little better.  Uses regular gas.

                      TOTAL:  44.5 (out of 50)                     

What it competes against:  Other vehicles in this category are the Ford Escape, Toyota RAV-4, Honda CR-V and the Chevy Equinox