2014 Nissan Rogue

The 2014 Nissan Rogue / X-Trail was unveiled Tuesday at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show with a more aggressive exterior and an interior aimed at providing more utility and comfort. Nissan also announced pricing on the 2014 Rogue compact crossover for the U.S.: A 2014 Nissan Rogue S will start at $23,350, including destination when it goes on sale in November. All-wheel drive is available on every 2014 Rogue trim from the S to the SV and SL, at a cost of $1350.

Nissan Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn introduced the line, which will offer seating for seven, including a sliding second-row seat. Cargo area is easily created by folding the third row flat when necessary.

Ghosn, who said the X-Trail (it will still be badged as the Rogue in the U.S.) will present "class-leading levels of value, performance, and style," also said that powertrain efficiencies mean the crossover will get 20 percent better fuel economy than the models it replaces. It will also earn Nissan's blue "Pure Drive" badge. The 2013 Nissan Rogue gets an EPA-rated 22-23/27-28 mpg city/highway, and Nissan is targeting 33 mpg highway for the 2014 model.


Nissan announced in an accompanying release that the 2014 Rogue will start at $23,350 for the S front-drive model. That represents a price increase of over $2000 compared to the outgoing model. The top of the line will be the all-wheel-drive 2014 Rogue SL, which has a base price of $30,280. The tech available in the Rogue includes NissanConnect with navigation and apps, around-view monitor with moving-object detection, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, and full LED headlights.

The Rogue will be powered by a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 170 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque, the latter a number Nissan cites as being best-in-class.

The exterior has definitely been retuned toward more aggressive front- and back-ends, with LED daytime running lights surrounding the available LED headlights. Muscular ridges around the wheel wells give the Rogue more of a sport-ute appearance rather than the around-town family vehicle many use it as.

Inside, Ghosn said people would find "unexpected comfort and quietness" due to soft-touch materials and engineering focus on NVH.

The NASA-influenced high-comfort driver seat design that debuted in the 2013 Nissan Altima will be picked up for the X-Trail.

The X-Trail / Rogue will be built at nine different plants around the world.

As read on: http://editorial.autos.msn.com/2014-nissan-rogue-gets-tough-in-frankfurt