The Qashqai loses more than its name as it crosses the Atlantic
One of Nissan's debuts at this year's Detroit Auto Show is the 2017 Rogue Sport, which is nothing more than a rebadged Qashqai.
Going on sale this spring in North America, the Rogue Sport is pitched as a more dynamic alternative to the Rogue — a model that Europeans know as the X-Trail. That's because the Rogue Sport has a slightly smaller footprint and better maneuverability.
With the 2017 Rogue Sport, Nissan targets singles or couples without kids who want a sportier Rogue and don't mind having a smaller cargo capacity. The new member of the Rogue family is 12.1-inch (307.3-mm) shorter than the Rogue and has a 2.3-inch (58.4-mm) shorter wheelbase as well.
Combine that with the 4-wheel independent suspension, and it's clear where the Rogue Sport's nimbler handling comes from. The new SUV is also said to be more maneuverable in city traffic and ideally-sized for tight city parking spaces.
As for practicality, the Rogue Sport boasts 22.9 cu-ft of cargo space behind the second-row seats (61.1 cu-ft with the second-row seats folded down), as well as a six luggage hooks. SV and SL grades also get the Divide-N-Hide Cargo System.
Unlike in Europe, where the Qashqai features a broad range of engines, in the U.S. the Rogue Sport only gets a standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG) engine mated to a Xtronic transmission (CVT). The unit delivers 141 hp at 6,000 rpm and 147 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm.
Tech-wise, the Rogue Sport features the Around View Monitor (AVM) with Moving Object Detection (MOD), as well as Nissan Intelligent Safety Shield technologies including Forward Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Intelligent Cruise Control, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Forward Emergency Braking.
The 2017 Rogue Sport will be available in S, SV, and SL grade levels.