2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD Review: Tougher Than It Looks

Instead of another straight-up test drive, we put the Nissan Rogue through the paces in downtown Toronto with hundreds of pounds of precious liquid in the back. Evidently, it was up for the task.

I recently started a new job with Big Rig Brewery—a craft brewery based in Ottawa—overseeing marketing and sales in their Toronto market.

(In less than three years Big Rig has done incredibly well. They won New Brewery of the Year at the 2013 Ontario Brewing Awards, nine medals at the 2014 Ontario Brewing Awards and one gold at the 2014 Canadian Brewing Awards. And, in case that wasn’t enough, they decided to open a full-fledged production facility last year and a new restaurant this year.)

2015 Nissan Rogue rear shot parked on airport strip
2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD

They’re busy, to say the least, and hoping to carry that momentum into the Toronto market. And it’s nice for me to drop into this position just as they’re ramping up to release a new product into the LCBO—Release the Hounds Black IPA, which won two gold medals.

Everything sounds great on paper: beer, a growing company and I spend most of my time on the road. I love the latter, but it’s not always the best when it’s inside a cramped cargo van.

When I had a chance to test drive the 2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD compact SUV, I ditched the company van in a hot second and opted for the relative luxury of this crossover SUV.

Nissan Rogue SL Interior and Rogue Cargo Capacity

2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD Review interior
2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD. Photo: Nissan
Interior DimensionsDetails
Seating Capacity5 passengers
Front Headroom41.6 inches
Front Legroom43.0 inches
Front Hip Room54.0 inches
Front Shoulder Room56.6 inches
Rear Headroom38.3 inches
Rear Legroom37.9 inches
Rear Hip Room52.1 inches
Rear Shoulder Room55.9 inches
Cargo Volume (Behind Rear Seats)32.0 cubic feet
Cargo Volume (Folded Rear Seats)70.0 cubic feet
2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD Review rear seats
2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD. Photo: Nissan

I planned it around a few gruelling days of deliveries. (In case you didn’t know, 95 percent of the beer industry revolves around paperwork and driving.) I wanted to see just how well the Rogue would do loaded up with cases of beer and several kegs—especially since I stacked about 15 cases into a Nissan Mirca (an unplanned trip!) the previous week without an issue.

I kept it simple for the first haul—about 30 cases of Big Rig Gold, a lagered ale that’s crisp and quite flavourful, going out to a handful of stores across the city. The Rogue handled it quite well. It felt as if there were four or five people in the crossover and—to my surprise—it drove with as much spirit as when I was alone.

It was the second haul; however, they really put it to the test. I loaded it up with five kegs, roughly 800 pounds, and headed into downtown Toronto. First, though, I did a quick drive around the parking lot to ensure it could handle the weight.

Shots of the tough 2015 Nissan Rogue SL transporting what’s most vital in life — Beer:

2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD full of beer in the rear cargo area
2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD. Photo: Travis Persaud
2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD rear cargo area with all seats down and space empty
2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD. Photo: Travis Persaud
2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD 2nd row with beer kegs
2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD. Photo: Travis Persaud

The Rogue sat much lower to the ground, but it appeared safe to drive. So, I was off! I took it easy to begin, as I wasn’t sure how much a pothole or bump would affect the ride—and its precious cargo. But, it did extremely well. It got up to highway speeds, only a second or two longer than normal, and I was able to take most turns at my usual pace.

Under the Hood

2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD driving in the snow
2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD. Photo: Nissan
2015 Nissan Rogue SL AWD: Performance SpecsDetails
Engine2.5L Inline-4
Horsepower170 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Torque175 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm
TransmissionXtronic CVT
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Towing Capacity1,000 lbs

The 2.5L four-cylinder engine, capable of 170 HP, didn’t seem to mind one bit. It was definitely working harder to maintain highway speed, but it didn’t whine unnecessarily. And, since this was the top-tier SL trim, it was a heck of a lot more comfortable than Big Rig’s cargo van. The Rogue was outfitted with heated leather seats, a rearview camera, a bright infotainment display and all of the other thrills and frills you might expect.

Aside from the Rogue handling all of that weight without issue, I was incredibly impressed with its voice-activated navigation. Since I’m going from one store to the next, I decided to see just how useful the voice commands were. While most systems are still working out kinks, Nissan’s is nearly perfect. I just needed to say the entire address and nine times out of 10, the navigation found it on the first try. This is much better than Infiniti’s system (I recently tested on the QX80 and Q70), which doesn’t allow you to input the full address with one voice command.

This top-end Rogue I tested comes in at $34,098—and based on this performance, it’s a steal for anyone needing a crossover that can handle the rough parts of life without whining.

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Author:
Travis Persaud
Travis Persaud
Travis Persaud has contributed to a number of magazines across North America, including enRoute and Exclaim! He loves variety and it shows in the wide range of topics he’s covered: automotive to music, technology to travel, beer to real estate. He’s currently the editor of WHERE Ottawa (city travel guide), beer columnist for Ottawa Magazine, a frequent contributor to CAA Magazine and the former associate editor of Zoomer Magazine.