Nissan continues ‘Year of the Truck’ with Rogue Sport introduction

DETROIT, Mich. — What do you do when you have the fastest growing nameplate in the industry two years in a row? If you’re Nissan, you cash in on the recognition by bringing another vehicle into the family.

At the North American International Auto Show, Nissan North America announced that it is bringing a new compact SUV to market, slotted under the popular Rogue.

Known as the Qashqai outside of the U.S., this newest “truck” in the Nissan lineup will be called the Rogue Sport here in the states. Though Rogue Sport is all-new to the U.S. market for 2017, Qashqai has been available outside the U.S. since 2006.

Rogue Sport will be smaller than its big brother, with a wheelbase that’s about 2 inches shorter and an overall length that is 12 inches shorter. While this translates into slightly smaller cargo volume, it also means that Rogue Sport will have sportier handling and greater maneuverability.

And that’s exactly the way Nissan wants it, since the vehicles are targeting two very different buyers.

As Michael Bunce, vice president for product planning at Nissan North America, said during the press briefing: The Rogue Sport is perfect for a driver and his stuff, while the Rogue – with its available third row – is better suited to a family and their stuff.

Similar to the Rogue, Rogue Sport have three trim levels – S, SV and SL – and will be available in both front- and all-wheel-drive configurations.

Rogue Sport will also have a lot the available high-end technology that you see on the Rogue, including the Around-View Monitor, push-button start, passive entry, adaptive cruise control and NissanConnect Services.

Why have two vehicles with such similar names? According to Nissan execs, it’s incredibly difficult to launch an all-new nameplate, and since Rogue was the best-selling nameplate in the industry for December 2016 (outside of full-size pickup trucks), it makes sense to stick with a name buyers already know.

Rogue Sport will be available as a 2017 model starting this spring. No pricing has been announced, but Bunce said it will be “extremely” affordable and competitive in the U.S. market. Base price for the Rogue is $24,760.

KEY SPECIFICATIONS:

• Engine: 2.0-liter DOHC 16-valve inline 4-cylinder rated at
• Horsepower: 141
• Torque: 147 pound-feet
• Transmission: Xtronic with Eco Mode
• Drive Configuration: Front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive
• Seating Capacity: 5-passenger
• Wheelbase: 104.2 inches
• Length: 172.4 inches
• Width: 72.3 inches
• Height: 62.5 inches FWD / 63.3 inches AWD
• Cargo Capacity: 22.9 cubic feet with 2nd row upright, 61.1 cubic feet with 2nd row seat folded down