The 2017 Nissan Rogue is ready to step up and compete with the rest of the little guys.
It may be a compact crossover, but there are some big changes in store for the 2017 Nissan Rogue, starting with an all-new hybrid powertrain option.
Riding high as sales of compact CUVs surge to record levels, Nissan wants to build on momentum and gain more ground against key domestic and import rivals. Its plans include not only that new hybrid, but also additional safety features and a variety of interior and exterior design updates.
“For 2017, we’re turning up the heat on the competition with enhancements designed to keep Rogue at the top of compact SUV buyers’ wish lists,” Jose Munoz, the CEO of Nissan North America, said during a preview of the Rogue at the Miami Auto Show.
The addition of the hybrid as Rogue’s second powertrain package is easily the big news for 2017. The system is based around a 2.0-liter, 16-valve inline-4 gas engine paired with a 30 kilowatt electric motor drawing power from a lithium-ion battery pack. The combination yields a 5 mpg advantage over the carryover 2.5-liter gas package, the hybrid getting an EPA rating of 33 mpg City, 35 Highway and 34 Combined on front-drive models. The all-wheel-drive package is rated at 31/34/31.
The new Rogue compact crossover features a new hybrid: one of just two in the segment.
The Rogue, incidentally, becomes only the second small ute with a hybrid option, alongside the Toyota RAV4. Ford dropped the hybrid version of its Escape when it redesigned that model a few years ago.
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Visually, the changes to the 2017 Nissan Rogue are relatively modest. Outside, look for a tweaked version of the familiar Nissan V-Motion grille, new integrated foglights, and new taillamps. There’s also an optional new liftgate that can be opened with a waggle of the foot under the bumper.
Interior updates include a redesigned center console, a flat-bottom steering wheel – with an optional heat feature – memory seats and new finishes.
Picking up on a fast-growing industry trend, Nissan is offering its Safety Shield technology suite on the Rogue at an affordable price. The package includes such smart features as intelligent cruise control, forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, land keep assist and lane departure warning. The Safety Shield suite is standard on top line models, optional on lower grades.
There’s also an optional new liftgate that can be opened with a waggle of the foot under the bumper.
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There will be three trim levels, as before, and each will be available in either front or all-wheel-drive.
There’s good reason for Nissan to be trying to enhance the appeal of the Rogue. The industry is in the midst of one of the most dramatic shifts in decades. Toyota is a great example. Where Camry and Corolla have long been that brand’s top sellers, company officials say it is on course for the RAV4 to become the lead model.
As things stand now, Rogue could very well do the same upending at Nissan, taking the place of the current king-of-the-hill Altima.
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Noted Nissan boss Munoz, “Following three straight years of consecutive growth, we project Rogue will approach 300,000 units in the current fiscal year, nearly doubling sales since 2012.”