The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

34 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday November 28, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com 2008 Rogue a scoundrel in name only By Neil Moore OAKVILLE BEAVER Nissan is on a roll. In 2006, the company launched the subcompact Versa, an all-new Sentra and Altima Sedan, as well as a refreshed Maxima. They followed up in `07 with the Altima Coupe and Hybrid, not to mention several updates to their truck and SUV lineup. It's an aggressive agenda and its success is reflected in the company's numbers. Year-over-year sales through September are up 22.7 per cent and passenger car volume is up a whopping 67 per cent. Rogue is Nissan's latest entry, replacing the boxy X-Trail in the hot, small crossover market. It's a segment the company doesn't take lightly, as it is, overall, poised to do over 200,000 units in 2007. That's 40 per cent more than the compact van. The Rogue hit dealer showrooms in late September. What I like about it ­ which are characteristics shared by big-brother Murano ­ are its wide track, aggressive silhouette and absence of body trim or cladding. The Rogue's slippery lines are further complemented by large wheel openings and powerful rear shoulder lines. You would think that going from square to sleek would mean a noticeable loss of utility, but the Rogue has only 1.6 cu. ft. less interior volume than the X-Trail. This is mostly due to the Rogue's gain in length (7.5 inches) and wheelbase (2.6 inches). Where the look of the X-Trail screamed utility, the Rogue ­ despite its name ­ is more about sophistication. And the vehicle's interior reflects that change in attitude, looking more sports sedan than small truck. The driver cockpit features a sporty instrument panel that includes a silver-ringed speedo and tach with reddishorange illumination, flanking an available multi-mode display. Readings include average fuel consumption and speed, distance-to-empty and outside temperature. Available steering wheel-mounted controls are housed in a metallic faceplate, complementing the optional paddle shifters. There's an abundance of silver and brightwork, breaking up an otherwise monochromatic interior. Leather seating is available as are heated front seats, in both cloth and leather. Opt for one of the higher trim levels and you can also get a fold-flat front passenger seat that, with rear seats dropped, would allow you to carry an 8.5-foot ladder. Also up front is a 16-litre partitioned glove box that can hold up to 34 CDs along with your user's manual, and is deep enough to swallow most of my arm. Rear passenger comfort is surprisingly good for a small CUV offering 24 inches of knee room. Even with tall occupants up front, I found plenty of room in back. Behind the 60/40 split-fold rear bench seat is a pop-up cargo organizer that reveals an underfloor compartment. While in the `up' position, it can be subdivided with cargo nets and is ideal for bags of groceries or anything you don't want rolling around while you drive. It's also great for muddy sports equipment, as the plastic bin can be removed and hosed clean. When folded flat, the compartment is ideal for hiding valuables. Some additional standard equipment includes keyless entry with integrated key, heated power mirrors, A/C, power locks, power windows, and cruise control. The large centre console is cleverly designed with a removable tray, cell phone holder, cupholders for both 20-oz and 32-oz containers, coin holder, additional spots for a pen, business cards and memo pad. For entertainment, there's a standard AM/FM/CD 2DIN audio system, as well as an available Bose audio system with 6-CD in-dash changer, MP3 capability, seven speakers, subwoofer and XM satellite radio. I had the opportunity to dial up the Bose system, and it did not disappoint. With two models (the S and SL), both available in AWD and FWD, not to mention three packages (Premium, Leather, Technology), there are plenty of ways to configure a Rogue. For a more complete rundown of standard features and options, check out www.nissan.ca. All Rogues come with a 2.5-liter DOHC 16-valve inline 4cylinder that is rated at 170 horsepower and 175 lb-ft torque. This is a few horses (and foot-pounds) higher than its main competitors, Toyota RAV4 (4-cyl) and Honda CR-V. There's only one transmission: Nissan's Xtronic CVT (continuously variable transmission) with adaptive logic. It works reasonably well with the 2.5, although I would rate acceleration more leisurely than lively. The Rogue's curb weight is around 3,300 to 3,400 lbs, which is a lot to push for a non-turbo four. My other minor gripe is with the CVT. Under hard acceleration, it climbs quickly to around 6,000 revs and stays there until you ease off the pedal. The company explained that for optimum acceleration the engine should be spinning at its peak power, which for the 2.5-litre is at 6,000 rpm. While this is going on, the CVT is constantly changing gear ratios to match vehicle speed and maximize torque at the drive wheels. From an engineering standpoint, it makes sense, but it's a bit noisy nonetheless. Rogue's four-wheel independent suspension offers a carlike ride ­ fairly flat and stable in the corners, with plenty of damping over bumpy surfaces. Up front, this is accomplished with independent struts with coil springs, high-performance shocks with rebound springs, and a large-diameter stabilizer bar. In back there's a multi-link suspension that includes high-performance shock absorbers with rebound springs and stabilizer bar. All Rogues come with Vehicle Dynamic Control with Traction Control. If you order the AWD, you get yaw moment control as well. Together, these systems work with the engine and brakes to correct understeer and oversteer, helping you maintain stability on slippery surfaces. With only one day behind the wheel, and on a dry road, I had no opportunity to test the Rogue's foul weather handling, but hope to do so after the snow flies. Another area where this vehicle shines is fuel economy. With front drive, the Rogue is rated at 9.1 litres/100 km city and 7.2 litres/100 km highway. With AWD, the figures are 9.5 and 7.7. In Ontario, both Rogues are exempt from the provincial "gas guzzler" charge that applies to SUVs rated at 8.0 litres/100 km or more on the highway. Pricing begins at $24,998 for the FWD base model Rogue S and $27,798 for AWD. The SL starts at $27,598 for FWD and $29,598 for AWD. In addition to the basic package, the SL gives you some additional content that includes 17-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, power mirrors, tailpipe finisher, sixway manual driver's seat and a 12-volt power outlet. Opt for the Premium Package (SL only) and you pay an additional $2,300 for features such as paddle shifters, power moonroof, upgraded audio system with steering wheel controls, multi-function display and more. Leather Package adds $4,600 to the SL AWD, giving you (in addition to Premium) Bose audio, leather seating surfaces, six-way power driver's seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter. A $700 Technology Package (Intelligent Key keyless entry, Bluetooth, XM Satellite Radio) is also available for the SL AWD. More refined than roguish, this crossover has plenty to offer those looking for passenger comfort and small SUV utility, without sacrificing fuel economy. And at a time where the highway patrol ­ not to mention gas prices ­ discourage any kind of spirited motoring, the Rogue may be just the `ticket' to avoid one.