2012 Nissan Rogue Review
2012 Nissan Rogue Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Smooth ride
- capable handling
- high-quality cabin
- comfortable front seats.
Cons
- Short on cargo room and versatility
- CVT causes engine drone
- lacks V6 option
- poor rearward visibility.
What’s new
For 2012, the Nissan Rogue adds a new Special Edition trim package, a 360-degree camera view and new wheel designs.
Edmunds says
The 2012 Nissan Rogue is a comfortable crossover with an unusually nice interior. It's also unusually fun to drive. Unless you require maximum cargo space and rear-seat functionality, it's a strong contender.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2012 Nissan Rogue S 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.36 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$166/mo for Rogue S
Rogue S
vs
$196/mo
Avg. Midsize SUV
Vehicle overview
It's hard to stand out in a crowd, and increasingly so in the competitive class of small crossover utility vehicles. So it's a credit to Nissan designers and engineers who have made the 2012 Nissan Rogue attract attention through a blend of interior refinement, sharp styling and agile road handling.
Based on the pedestrian Sentra sedan, the Nissan Rogue offers utility-style passenger and cargo versatility with the crisper handling dynamics of a compact sedan. Inside its cabin, the high-quality finish of the dash, doors and seats give this economy crossover a fairly upscale feel. And while exterior styling depends on personal taste, we find the Rogue one of the more distinctive designs in a segment where conservative lines rule.
The Rogue isn't faultless, of course. Its buzzy, droning continuously variable transmission (CVT) is the only choice for changing gears, and unlike some other competitors, there's no V6 option. The Rogue does produce decent power from its four-cylinder engine, so this shouldn't be a deal-breaker for most buyers. But those who live in the mountains or who frequently haul their brood and gear should think twice and consider a more robust alternative. The Rogue's rear seat neither slides nor reclines like some of its rivals, and the curvaceous Murano-inspired styling limits rearward visibility and maximum cargo capacity.
Still, the 2012 Nissan Rogue deserves a close look among small crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Although the Honda and Toyota offer more cargo room and versatility, the Rogue is actually a nicer place to sit and a more engaging car to drive. Other rivals worth a look include the Ford Edge, GMC Terrain and Kia Sportage. Buyers shopping this class should spend time with several candidates, as all have specific strengths and quirks. But for a nicely appointed crossover that drives like a quick, small car, the Rogue is a solid pick.
Performance & mpg
The 2012 Nissan Rogue is available with either front- or all-wheel drive. It's powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 170 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque, put to the ground through a CVT. In Edmunds testing, a front-drive Rogue took just 8.6 seconds to reach 60 mph -- quick for a four-cylinder compact crossover.
Fuel economy is similar to most of the competition. The front-wheel-drive Rogue has EPA estimates of 22 mpg city/28 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined, while the AWD variant drops slightly to 22/26/24 mpg.
Safety
The Rogue comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability control, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and active front head restraints.
In government frontal crash tests, the Rogue earned four (out of five) stars for overall crash protection, with four stars for overall frontal-impact protection and five stars for side impacts. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Rogue its highest rating of "Good" for frontal offset and side-impact protection and a second-best "Acceptable" for roof-strength integrity.
In Edmunds brake testing, the Rogue decelerated from 60 to zero mph in a reasonably short 121 feet.
Driving
The promise of crossovers lies in SUV versatility with passenger-car manners. The 2012 Nissan Rogue does one better; it drives like a car with capable handling. Road bumps and imperfections are absorbed with ease, highway stability is exemplary and handling is aided by good body control and one of the best-feeling steering systems in the class. Four-cylinder power is adequate enough, but the CVT's constant drone at full throttle can tax ears and nerves.
Interior
The 2012 Nissan Rogue presents one of the nicest interiors of any compact crossover at this price. Comfortable seats, intuitive controls and high-quality materials are just a few of the highlights of this surprisingly pleasant cabin. A substantial center console bin, massive glovebox and clever under-floor organizer make up for a dearth of at-hand storage nooks, however.
The Rogue's rear-seat versatility is somewhat limited. Unlike in competing crossovers, the Rogue's rear seats don't recline or slide fore and aft, nor is there a center armrest. With the seatbacks upright, there are 28.9 cubic feet of storage, average for the class. Folding the seats yields 59.7 feet, still less than in its competitors. But a fold-down front passenger seat (a standard feature on the SV) does open up a length of 8.5 feet front to rear, allowing for items like ladders, lumber, surfboards and snowboards.
2012 Nissan Rogue models
The 2012 Nissan Rogue is a five-passenger compact crossover SUV available in two trim levels: S and SV.
The base S comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels, folding side mirrors, cruise control, a tilt (but non-telescoping) steering wheel, air-conditioning, full power accessories, a 60/40-split-folding rear seat, a trip computer and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack.
The new Special Edition package available for the Rogue S adds 16-inch alloy wheels, foglights, rear privacy glass, a 4.3-inch-display audio screen, a rearview camera and an upgraded sound system with a USB/iPod interface, steering wheel audio controls and satellite radio.
Most of those features are standard on the Rouge SV. In addition, it gains 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless ignition/entry, upgraded upholstery, a six-way power driver seat (with power lumbar adjustment), a fold-down front passenger seat and Bluetooth connectivity.
There are two packages available for the Rogue SV. The Premium package bundles together a sunroof, automatic headlights, automatic climate control and a navigation system with a 5-inch touchscreen display and real-time traffic updates. The SL package includes Premium package features and adds 18-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, foglights, heated side mirrors, leather upholstery, heated front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a 360-degree camera view and a premium Bose audio system with a subwoofer.
Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
4 out of 5 stars4/5Excellent
#9 out of 29 among Compact SUVs
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Nissan Rogue from 2008-2022.$456/yr
vs. $465/yr
for Average Compact SUV
for Average Compact SUV
Frequency
The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).0.88x/yr
vs. 1x/yr
for Average Compact SUV
for Average Compact SUV
Severity
The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).10.2%
vs. 11.5%
for Average Compact SUV
for Average Compact SUV
powered by RepairPal Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2012 Nissan Rogue.
5 star(45%)
4 star(13%)
3 star(15%)
2 star(9%)
1 star(18%)
55 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
2 out of 5 stars
At 60K miles I need a new transmission
Nupsie Exantus, 11/12/2015
2012 Nissan Rogue S 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
When i first started car searching for a pre owned car, my dream car was the Nissan Rogue...which was completely out of my price range. I was, at the time, looking for a 5k-8k car....after many failed attempts at purchasing a liable car, I decided to finance a car at Napoli Nissan in Milford CT. Of course, I purchased the Rogue. I was estatic! Loved my choice... A few months into it, it … was driving a little weird so I was told it may be my tires. I bought 4 Brand new tires....No big deal. Not long after, the weird feeling came back...brought it back to Napoli...they told me it was my TRANSMISSION....at this point my car only had about 60k miles....Napoli told me it would be costly and advised me to reach out to NISSAN Headquarters for support. MY NISSAN ROGUE IS A 2012 WITH 60K MILES. I reached out to Nissan on several occasion, asking for any financial support - I was turned down because my car was a few miles off of warranty and BECAUSE they said, I never brought my car to NAPOLI for any services... so I was not a "loyal customer' Sorry mam, there's nothing I can do. 25 year old female with a Nissan Rogue for about 6-7 months and in need of new TRANSMISSION... for the record, I got my new tires at NAPOLI, bought it back and left it on 2 different occasions for service needs but SHE CLAIMED i was not a "loyal customer" and therefor, could not be helped.... NISSAN used to be my dream car, not it's just a headache sitting in my sister's driveway because a new transmission will cost me about $3500... I work with under served High school students who read at a grade 3 or 4 level...$3500 is a lot of money that I do not have... especially when I just spent nearly $500 to get new brakes. I bought the car back to Napoli a 3rd time, begging for help...they told me all they could do is trade it in....I have student loans already...they trade in value was crap...they ran my credit 11 times without my permission and I left there with my car and no solution. I have no intention of going back to NAPOLI INDOORs nor do I ever plan on buying another Nissan after getting rid of this...thank you so much.
1 out of 5 stars
Bad car
CPW, 07/29/2017
2012 Nissan Rogue SV 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
I brought the 2012 rogue in 2012 it was brand new 0 miles on it in 2and a half year my transmission went bad i had only 67000 miles on it. Of course the warranty was for 60000 miles i contacted nissan and they would not repair my car because i went over the miles by 7000 i dont see why my transmission would go bad after that short time. I really think nissan should have at leadt helped … me repair my car. Got it fixed and cost me 5500. I will never in my lifetime support nissan ever. I advise people to look elsewhere. Even the company that fixed my car said they don't understand why nissan wouldnt repair my car. No more business from me nissan. Still will never buy nissan again
4 out of 5 stars
At 58,000 miles it started to go...
David Santaniello, 11/10/2015
2012 Nissan Rogue SV 4dr SUV AWD w/SL Package (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
Bought this 2012 Nissan Rogue SL AWD new in 2012. It is fully loaded, so the leather seats and 8 speaker Bose Stereo are really nice. Rear view is obstructed, but has nice cameras all around. Fun to drive. I don't notice the 'drone' of the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) that I've read about. Mileage over the three years I've owned it so far has been OK; 26 combined, high … of 30, low of about 20 mpg. At 58,000 miles - with attention to scheduled maintenance - rust started to form on the hatchback door. Dealership is fixing it for free. Also at 58,000 miles I pulled the keyless entry drivers door handle OFF while trying to open it! Expensive to fix and I was disappointed with the quality of the handle itself.
1 out of 5 stars
Transmission Nissan should have a recall
CVT Transmissions are JUNK, 05/25/2018
2012 Nissan Rogue S 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
That the CVT transmissions are junk. You can only buy rebuild kits through Nissan for $5400 parts only. Not including labor to remove and replace or rebuilding. Quotes through a private mechanic starts at $6300. Nissan has an abundant amount of re-manufactured transmissions for $3800 + labor. Makes one wonder if Nissan is trying to cover them selves for a civil suite following a recall.
2012 Rogue Highlights
S
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $22,070 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 25 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $166/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 28.9 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Rogue include:
- Back-up camera
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
NHTSA Overall Rating
4 out of 5 starsThe National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverall4 / 5Driver4 / 5Passenger3 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverall5 / 5
- Side Barrier RatingOverall5 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront Seat5 / 5Back Seat5 / 5
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover19.8%
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalGood
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestAcceptable
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintGood
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