SUVs & Trucks

2017 Nissan Rogue Sport: American Qashqai Is Finally Introduced

Nissan’s small crossover has been officially introduced to the US public at the 2017 NAIAS, but in contrast to the European model that is known as Qashqai, we will get the 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport. Until now, “Sport” was standing for the more powerful, performance-oriented cars, yet, in this case, it signifies smaller proportions and nothing else. This philosophy has Mitsubishi with the Outlander and Outlander Sport, so it appears that Nissan borrowed the idea from their new partners.

Still, regardless the fact it’s shorter for around 12 inches from the regular Rogue, you won’t notice that inside. This is because the smaller brother lacks around two inches between the wheels, so the interior space seems almost identical. On the other hand, with 172.4 inches in length, the Rogue Sport will be the better option for city drive without any doubt.  After all, the crossover provides more space than the new Honda HR-V and Kia Soul, which are basically the biggest rivals.

The 2017 Nisan Rogue Sport share the platform with the regular version, so it gets the strut front and multilink-rear suspension setups. Still, it features shorter overhangs (both front and rear), which makes it more attractive and dynamic. Of course, the vehicle provides less cargo space. You will find around 23 cubic feet instead of 32 cubic feet that offer the standard model. The second row can be folded down, which enables 61 cubic feet.  As for the design, we can’t find anything essentially different (inside or out) from the regular Rogue.

The smaller footprint also means fewer pounds, but this doesn’t mean that the 2017 Rogue Sport could make any impressive acceleration with the engine. The crossover gets a single option under the hood, more precisely a 2.0-liter inline-4 and CVT. The powertrain delivers 141 horsepower and 147 pound-feet of torque. The small SUV comes with a standard front-wheel drive and an optional all-wheel drive.

Just like the standard model, the Nissan Rogue Sport also has S, SV, and SL trim levels, so you will be able to choose the equipment. For instance, the base S model offers USB port, Bluetooth, a backup camera, and satellite radio, while the SV adds dual-zone automatic climate control, proximity entry and push-button start, as well as 17-inch wheels and automatic headlights. The topping trim has standard 19-inch wheels, leather upholstery, heated seats and steering wheel, fog lamps, and a 360-degree-view camera. It also sports pretty great safety features as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning, and automatic emergency braking. There is a lane-departure warning, but this will cost you extra.

The US Qashqai will become available this spring, but the carmaker hasn’t announced the price. However, since the standard Rogue starts at $24K, the smaller Sport model should cost around $20K.