Soon to be joining the ranks of other small SUVs offering a smooth ride and lofty MPG figures is the all new 2008 Nissan Rogue. A little late, but nonetheless, this little Nissan is a looker. The Design seems to draw strongly from the Nissan Murano and the Qashqai concept. Expect this little SUV to be packed full of features like ABS, stability control, optional roll mitigation, air bags, along with plenty of storage compartments and MP3 capability. As with almost all other Small SUVs, the Rogue will ride on a FWD platform and offer an optional AWD system for those seeking improved foul weather capability.

Another unique feature of the Rouge is the powertrain. Nissan will offer only the 170 horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder bolted to the Xtronic continuously variable transmission. The nice thing about the CVT transmission is its ability to offer seamless acceleration and optimized fuel economy – both very good selling points for what is becoming a very popular segment. So far, the Rogue has everything needed to compete against the likes of the Toyota RAV-4, Honda CRV, Jeep Compass / Patriot as well as the Ford Escape / Mercury Mariner but only the public can decide if Nissan got it right or not ...