2017 Nissan Rogue Sport – The Rogue Less Traveled?

Houston, the 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport has landed. The automaker’s best-selling model in Europe has 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 is currently Nissan’s volume leader. The Rogue Sport is the slightly smaller sister that’s about to give its big sister 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 in Europe) quietly garnering fans across the Atlantic since 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 to be 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, including Bluetooth connectivity, a rearview monitor and cruise control. There’s only one powertrain offered throughout the Rogue Sport line-up, 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 (surprisingly) 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 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 rear seat passengers, although there isn’t a whole lot of room behind the rear seat for cargo. 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 largely to the sharp exterior and the affordable price. It’s a great entry vehicle for Nissan to bring to their dealerships, giving them an alternative for buyers that can’t afford the larger, less ‘sporty’ Rogue.