As Nissan’s “Year of the Truck” continues, it’s now starting to pad out the soft-roader lineup as well. The company has unveiled the newly-refreshed 2017 Rogue crossover to join the Pathfinder, Armada, and Titan. Sales of crossovers continue to balloon, and Nissan is anticipating that this revised Rogue will become the company’s top-selling vehicle once it hits dealership lots later this year. To help propel that forward momentum, at the 2016 Miami auto show Nissan is additionally unveiling a new hybrid option, a first for the Rogue lineup.
In addition to the standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 170 horsepower in the gas-powered Rogue, the Rogue Hybrid will receive a 141-hp version of the same engine to pair with its 40-hp electric motor. Total output for the hybrid system is rated at 176 hp. Customers will have the choice to choose either between a hybrid front-wheel and all-wheel drive, without much effect on fuel economy.
According to Nissan, the newly announced hybrid drivetrain offers owners an estimated 33 mpg city, 35 mpg highway and a combined 34 mpg in the front-wheel drive configuration. The all-wheel-drive hybrid Rogue will get an estimated 31 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined. Nissan’s hybrid Rogue will also feature an Idle Start/Stop system and Intelligent Regenerative Braking similar to the system you find in other hybrid vehicles. It won’t however get the snowmobile tracks treatment unfortunately.
“The crowning achievement is the addition of the new Rogue Hybrid, which increases fuel efficiency without compromising passenger roominess or cargo utility,” says Michael Bunce, vice president, Product Planning, Nissan North America.
Nissan also has taken the time and revised both the exterior and interior of the 2017 Rogue. In the front, the 2017 Rogue features a new front fascia with integrated fog lamps, a new bumper, the divisive Nissan “V-Motion” grille, and revised LED daytime running lights. In the back, Nissan restyled the bumper, added new tail-lamps, chrome trim and finished it off with a set of aggressive 19-inch aluminum wheels available on SL models.
Inside the 2017 Rogue, there’s a new D-shaped steering wheel, leather adorned shifter, available heated steering wheel, new door and instrument panel finishes, a new shift knob design, and a revised center console. However, in the new hybrid models, Nissan’s Divide-N-Hide Cargo system isn’t available as the battery packs take up the space where the system is normally placed.
Top-trim SL models get heated leather seats, a Bose nine-speaker audio system, navigation with NissanConnect services, 360-degree camera, high-beam assist, and more. Safety systems like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are available on the Rogue SV and above.
Pricing on the 2017 Rogue has yet to be announced, but don’t expect a huge bump from the $24,230 starting price for the front-wheel-drive 2016 Nissan Rogue S. Expect a premium of a few thousand bucks for the Rogue Hybrid.
The post First Look: 2017 Nissan Rogue Hybrid appeared first on Automobile Magazine.
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