Posted on Sep 30, 2017 in
AUTO REVIEW
absolutely! AUTO REVIEW | By Steve Kursar –
Houston, the 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport has landed. The automaker’s best-selling model in Europe has thankfully crossed the pond and is now available at your local dealership. But don’t be confused. This is not the Rogue that’s been around since 2007 and currently holds the distinction of being Nissan’s best selling model. The Rogue Sport is the slightly smaller sister that’s about to give big sister Rogue some serious competition.
Compact crossovers are the hottest selling segment, and every carmaker is quickly bringing out models to capitalize on the trend. Luckily for Nissan, they had the perfect model (called the Qashqai) quietly garnering fans across the Atlantic in 2006. Due to the high price of fuel, Nissan developed a fuel efficient vehicle that’s also peppy and nimble. American drivers will find the new Rogue Sport a stylish crossover that’s exciting to drive.
Smaller vehicles also bring smaller price tags. The base Rogue Sport enters the market with an MSRP of only $21,420 and comes standard with a lot of features such as Bluetooth connectivity, a rearview monitor and cruise control. There’s only one powertrain offered throughout the Rogue Sport line-up and that’s a 141 hp, 2.0 liter inline 4-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). EPA fuel economy estimates of 25 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway are surprising slightly worse than it’s big sister, the Rogue, even though the Sport is smaller and lighter. It’s available in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive.
The exterior is very sharp and eye-catching, especially when matched with a couple of the new in-your-face colors offered to Rogue Sport buyers. Monarch Orange and Nitro Lime will definitely get your new Sport noticed.
The interior is roomy for both front and back rear passengers although there isn’t a whole lot of room behind the back seat. The dashboard seems more than a little dated when compared to the competition but that’s probably where the Nissan designers decided to save money. The info screen is noticeably small and the sound system needs an upgrade.
The new Rogue Sport will be sure to attract a lot of younger, less affluent car buyers looking for a trendy crossover due to the sharp exterior and the affordable price. It’s a great entry-level vehicle for Nissan dealerships as an alternative for buyers that can’t afford the big sister Rogue.
