2014 Nissan Rogue

2014 Nissan Rogue

Episode 3324
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

After what has to be one of the longest life cycles for a compact crossover, six model years, the second generation of the nissan rogue has finally arrived for 2014. But there’s nothing wrong with taking your time, if the result is worth the wait. Especially if you bring something unexpected to the party. And that’s exactly what the new rogue does. 

It may have taken awhile for the 2nd generation, 2014 Nissan Rogue to arrive, but its arrival will not go unnoticed by the rest of the compact crossover segment as Nissan is making a serious attempt to grab a much bigger piece of the market. And we can all agree that in order for that greedy sales grab to take place, the Rogue will need to stand out more than before; so Nissan has brought about much change.

This is an all new chassis, one that will be sold globally; and while the overall length is actually down an inch to 182.3-inches, wheelbase, width, and height are all up. The upgraded looks feature lots of flowing lines and substantial wheel arches; all very reminiscent of the Rogue’s big brother Pathfinder.  But the Rogue’s grille with its narrowed U shape is all its own.

And that slick new shape not only looks great but cuts through the air even better and works with an uprated CVT transmission to raise all-wheel-drive Government Fuel Economy Ratings to 25-City, 32-Highway, and 28-Combined. The Energy Impact Score is also very good for a crossover at 11.8-barrels of annual oil consumption with yearly CO2 emissions of 5.3-tons. 

And while few mainstream compact crossovers deliver notable driving enjoyment, and none provide extreme levels of comfort, the Rogue has enough of both to keep your commute enjoyable and vacation time very pleasant. Active Trace Control uses selective braking to mitigate understeer and Active Ride Control goes one step further by using brakes and engine torque to reduce both vehicle vibration and body motion. 

And there was a definite attempt by Nissan to go more premium on the inside, with very good material quality as well as more features like Nissan Connect. 

But the most unexpected surprise by far is a new 3rd row option for 7-passenger seating. Access is aided by the EZ Flex sliding second row. But, as Rogue is still a compact, 3rd row space is expectedly tight, best fit for small children. Still, most rivals don’t offer comparable versatility. And, even with the 3rd row in place there’s 9.4 cubic-ft. of luggage space. Capacity behind the second row is 32.0 cubic-ft. 

And with both rows folded, there’s a mid-size like 70.0 cubic-ft.  And a trick divide-‘n-hide cargo management system helps you keep things organized. Working our way forward, new Zero Gravity front seats offer excellent comfort for drives both long and short. 

But the newness doesn’t make it all the way forward however, as under the hood is the same QR25DE 2.5-liter I4 as before. There are updates in the name of efficiency, but horsepower and torque are unchanged at 170 and 175 lb-ft. And the usual excessive engine noise that accompanies a CVT is on full display as you work your way from a stop light, or in our case, down a drag strip.

Power is a tad soft at launch, but once those RPM’s reach their steady peak it feels fairly decent. The simulated shifts feel more like bouncing off a rev limiter and don’t really seem to help times. 0-60 takes a leisurely 8.9-seconds, with a slow quarter mile of 16.9-seconds at 83 miles-per-hour.  

The fully independent front and rear suspension with stabilizer bars and  twin tube shocks performs above average, provided you keep inputs smooth thus keeping the aggressive traction control from engaging. Except for some pretty hard nose dive, braking performance is also good, with stops averaging 126-feet. 

Safety conscious families can opt for one of the two Premium packages to add a Blind Spot Warning system, as well as Lane Departure Warning and Moving Object detection. 

As for prices, they slot in nicely against compact CUV rivals, starting at just $23,350. Top level SL trim begins at $28,930; and all-wheel-drive can be added to any Rogue for 13-hundred-50 dollars more. 

While it was definitely long overdue for a re-design, it looks to have been worth the wait; as the 2014 Nissan Rogue appears to be a much more serious player in the segment.  That’s good news for Nissan and good news for buyers looking for unexpected largess in a compact crossover. 

Specifications

  • Engine: 2.5-liter I4
  • Horsepower: 170
  • Torque: 175 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 8.9-seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 16.9 seconds @ 83 mph
  • EPA: 25 mpg city/ 32 mpg highway
  • Energy Impact: 11.8 barrels of oil/yr
  • CO2 Emissions: 5.3 tons/yr
2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid

2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid

Crossed Up Corolla Gets More Efficient

Episode 4313
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Toyota offers a hybrid powertrain in just about everything they make, so it did seem odd that last year, when they debuted an all-new SUV version of their long-time best-selling Corolla, a hybrid was nowhere to be found. Well, it didn’t take long for Toyota to correct that situation, delivering this Corolla Cross Hybrid for 2023.

With prices for everything seemingly going up daily, we can all use a little more cost efficiency in our lives. That’s a mission that Toyota has been undertaking for some time now and continues to do it with this 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.

The Alabama-built Corolla Cross arrived just last year as Toyota’s attempt to bring their best-selling nameplate into the SUV era, and give them an additional entry into the most popular automotive segment going right now, small crossovers.

There are some RAV4 styling cues here, but the Corolla Cross is mostly its own deal, and the Hybrid is more than just a fuel efficient option, it has added performance too. So, it’s offered only in Toyota’s S line of trims S, SE, and XSE, where the standard Corolla Cross is available in base L, LE, and XLE.

There are some differences outside, most notably unique front and rear fasicas; the front with a much more aggressive look, with larger grille and blacked-out trim.

Black trim and logos in back too, along with a redesigned bumper; plus, you can optionally go 2-tone by adding black paint to the roof.

Great packaging has it feeling roomier inside than most small 5-seat utes, straddling the line between subcompact and compact. And seats are way more comfortable than your typical urban-minded utility.

In fact, the entire interior feels quite upscale, and the layout will be very familiar to those stepping up from an actual Corolla.

Those who put off buying a Corolla Cross until now will be rewarded with upgraded infotainment, as all Hybrid’s will come with Toyota’s latest 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system standard.

The Hybrid’s small battery is located under the rear seat, so there’s minimal loss of rom, with a good 21.5 cubic-ft. of cargo space available; expanding to 61.8 with rear seatbacks folded.

Getting to the heart of the matter, the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s fuel-sipping ways are courtesy of the 5th generation of Toyota’s Hybrid System which outputs a combined 196-horsepower through its trio of electric motors and naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine. One of those motors operating strictly the rear axle for standard all-wheel-drive.

At our test track, there was a nice little chirp of the tires off the line, but that’s where the excitement ended.

So while a 7.5-second trip to 60 may not raise your blood pressure, it’s a full 3-seconds quicker than the standard Corolla Cross we tested last year. We’ll take that!

CVT automatic means engine revs and engine noise both hang relatively high throughout the whole ¼-mile, which took us 15.6-seconds to complete, finishing at a reasonable 90 miles-per-hour.

The Hybrid also gets a “sport-tuned” suspension, and indeed it felt light and nimble through our cone course, very neutral too, with no noticeable understeer or oversteer. Steering was light but still provided good feedback. With some grippier tires, this would certainly give the best handlers in the segment a run for their money.

But the real reward comes in Government Fuel Economy Ratings which are 45-City, 38-Highway, and 42-Combined. We averaged a great 43.3 miles-per-gallon of Regular; that’s a 40% increase over the 30.9 miles-per-gallon we averaged in the standard Corolla Cross last year.

But, that does come at a cost, though it’s difficult to make direct comparisons with separate trim families, but pricing starts at $29,320 for the Hybrid, about 3-grand over a base all-wheel-drive non-hybrid. Top XSE comes in at $32,400.

As influential as Toyota is in spreading the hybrid doctrine, it was indeed odd that the Corolla Cross arrived last year without a hybrid option. Smartly, it didn’t take them long to right that wrong, as it was always part of the plan, and the Corolla Cross has benefitted from it greatly. The 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is not just more efficient, it’s more capable, and a much better small utility all around.

Specifications

  • Engine: 2.0-liter 4-cylinder
  • Horsepower: 196
  • 0-60 mph: 7.5-seconds
  • MW Fuel Economy: 43.3 MPG (Regular)
  • Transmission: e-CVT
  • Torque: 139 lb-ft
  • 1/4 Mile: 15.6-seconds at 90 mph
  • EPA: 45-City, 38-Highway, and 42-Combined