2010 Nissan Rogue S

The most attractive aspect of the Rogue has to be how attractive it is. It brings the exterior design of the Murano down to a three-fourths scale, and even more so with the 2011 refresh. The CVT, which seems more refined than the one in our Four Seasons Nissan Cube, does a good job of stretching the power band, but won't excite enthusiasts. The interior is let down by its darkness, but as Evan mentioned, soft plastic and cloth finishes are where you'd hope to find them. This example is equipped with all-wheel drive, and, interestingly, you must be at a standstill to engage the AWD lock, but you can disengage it on the fly. For 23 grand, the Rogue's vital statistics are impressive, and I could live without most of our test car's list of optional equipment. At that price, you get the space of most crossover SUVs with the best-looking face in town.
- Jeffrey Jablansky