Autoblog

click above image to view high-res gallery of the 2008 Nissan Rogue S

Crossovers. Every automaker either has one or has one in the works. Nissan has perhaps the first CUV in the Murano, and now it's joined by the Sentra-based Rogue. Let's start with that name. We're pretty sure Nissan intended to invoke thoughts of rebelliousness and individuality. But the word can also be used to indicate someone who is a cheat, a swindler, disobedient and savage. Nissan's Rogue is none of these, which is neither bad nor good. The Rogue is pretty much a tall Sentra wagon, and we think perhaps Sentra Wagon might have been a much more honest name.

On the outside, there's little to get excited about. Our base model Rogue's monochrome exterior could have benefited greatly from some chrome door guards, handles or mirrors – just something shiny to break up that expanse of Venom Red. The Rogue's face gets a little shiny nose sandwiched between two egg-crate Venom-red nostrils that lead down to, again, a Venom Red air dam. Those two creases seem lost in the hood, and do little to give the car any visual excitement. Out back Nissan continued the monochrome theme and we're surprised they didn't find a way to fit a body-color exhaust tip. We've seen photos of a chrome roof-rack equipped Rogue that proves brightwork can be a good thing. Nissan, meet chrome. It can be your friend.

Continue reading about our first encounter with Nissan's new Rogue after the jump.



Live Photos Copyright ©2007 Chris Tutor / Weblogs, Inc.

When Nissan's small CUV, the Rogue, goes on sale in just a couple of weeks, it'll carry a sub-$20,000 base MSRP. That just undercuts the popular Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, which are right in the Rogue's crosshairs.

Based on the Sentra platform, the Rogue is a few inches longer than both the Toyota and Honda, but offers less interior room. Rogue's 2.5 liter 4-cylinder will be paired with a CVT to counter the CR-V's 2.4 liter and RAV4's 2.4 liter base engine. No 6-cylinder is planned, Automotive News reports.

[Source: Automotive News via Winding Road]

UPDATE: Check out the first review we found of the 2008 Nissan Rogue over at Cars.com.