2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek: 4 Reasons to Love It, 2 Reasons to Think Twice
After a significant refresh last year, Nissan has already introduced a new off-roading package for the Rogue small SUV. Dubbed the Rogue Rock Creek, this version directly competes with other bite-sized off-roaders like the Bronco Sport and Jeep Compass. We spent a week with it, and while the SUV certainly has a lot to like, no vehicle is perfect.
View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article
Just like the 2025 Nissan Altima we reviewed, the 2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek touts extremely comfortable front seats. Here, they also get the cool red contrast stitching, in addition to unique "Rock Creek" badging. The seats are power-adjustable, heated, and even have a memory function, but above all, they're supremely easy to live with. Driver or passenger fatigue simply isn't a concern with the 2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek, and we certainly appreciated the comfortable seats on bumpier off-road adventures. The cabin also touts a generous center console that swallows phones, drinks, and anything else you might want to store on your travels. The cubbies dotting the cabin make the Rogue Rock Creek doubly capable of a knick-knack and supply hauler.
The 2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek separates itself from more pedestrian versions of the SUV in a number of ways, and they all help transform the SUV from inoffensive to pleasantly unorthodox. The simplified and blacked-out grille design adds some needed attitude, and the chunky tires and six-spoke wheels give the vehicle a more squared-off look. Even if the little orange highlights pockmarking the vehicle are a bit much for you, you've got to admit the Rogue Rock Creek is anything but anonymous.
The Rogue is not a dynamic vehicle, and we'll talk a little bit more about that later. Its turbocharged 1.5-liter three-pot makes 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque. Peak torque occurs between 2,800 and 4,000 rpm, and peak horsepower doesn't happen until 5,600 rpm or 400 rpm from redline. Around town, peak torque arrives with some delay but certainly not late, and it's perfect for on-ramps. When the power finally arrives, it's immediately noticeable and adds a fraction of drama to an otherwise bland drive.
To be honest, we didn't push the 2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek to its absolute limits while exploring off-road. We did, however, hit some trails that might have troubled lesser SUVs, including sections of soft dirt and mud. The 2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek took it all like a champ and had no qualms about digging itself out of the softer stuff. With all the nannies disabled, it did a convincing rally car impression through the quicker sections, too.
Unfortunately, whether on or off the beaten path, the 2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek didn't feel as composed as a variety of other rigs I've had the pleasure of piloting. On the trails, my 2006 GX is worlds more refined, and, perhaps more relevant, the Subaru Outback I tested late last year was noticeably more comfortable. The latter is also far more compliant on pavement, too. The cozy seats help alleviate any true complaints of discomfort, but we still wish the SUV rode just a tad softer.
The all-terrain tires fitted to the Rogue Rock Creek trade off-road readiness for the last ounce of dynamism the Rogue might've had. Sadly, it simply isn't very much fun to drive on your favorite twisty road. In the rare event you've tricked the vehicle into delivering enough power to overwhelm the chassis, you'll find only an endless reservoir of understeer.
The 2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek is a compelling alternative to the more obvious choices, like the Bronco Sport. Its powertrain aside, it's a versatile and mostly comfortable way to get around town and a fairly good way to get far out of town, too. It's worthy of consideration, especially at a price that stays just shy of $40,000, just don't expect it to be the best jack of all trades on the market.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
2025 Canadian Grand Prix Podium Predictions: Piastri, Norris, and Russell Lead the Charge
2025 Canadian Grand Prix As F1 arrives at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal for the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix, the competition between two teammates and the history of exciting races at the track should make for a good weekend of racing. Advertisement Can McLaren keep up their form or will other teams and drivers be able to challenge for the win? Max Verstappen remains a significant threat, with a dominant history at this track, but Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are also expected to perform well. Here's a look at potential podium finishers and contenders for this weekend's Round 10 matchup: Related: 2025 Canadian GP: Top 5 Storylines as F1 Heads to Montreal P1 2025 Canadian Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri | McLaren Credit: F1 Oscar Piastri is listed as the betting favorite for the win at the Canadian Grand Prix. He is currently the championship leader and enters the race with considerable confidence and self-belief. Piastri is described as 'flying' and has reportedly outclassed his teammate Lando Norris in head-to-head battles this season. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is primarily a traction race, a characteristic where the McLaren car is described as 'ridiculous and nasty', which should favor Piastri. Advertisement Related: Final F1 movie trailer ignites anticipation ahead of June release P2 at 2025 Canadian Grand Prix: Lando Norris | McLaren Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images The competition between Lando Norris and Piastri remains tight and both drivers have the strong potential to win and snag a podium position. The McLaren has a history of performing well at this circuit with Norris finishing P2 at the Canadian Grand Prix last season. Norris stands as a reliable selection for a podium finish because he has demonstrated his ability to succeed in pole position-dependent races despite Piastri's better head-to-head performance this season. Norris has placed on the podium in eight out of nine races during the 2025 season and he'll do it again here. Related: 2026 F1 Calendar Bombshell: Canadian GP to Clash with Indy 500 in Epic Showdown P3 Finisher: George Russell | Mercedes Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images While Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are the leading contenders, George Russell is a viable long shot for the win and a strong candidate for a podium finish. Russell has finished on the podium in four of the nine races this season and he finished third in Montreal last year. The Mercedes car has historically performed well at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The circuit has a habit of throwing up surprises, which could provide an opportunity for Russell to secure a strong finish. Mercedes has had a tough few weeks but expect Russell to change that in Montreal. Contenders: Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari & Max Verstappen | Red Bull Lewis Hamilton arrives at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix looking for a breakthrough, as the Ferrari driver has not yet achieved a grand prix podium finish this season and the circuit is where he's excelled. Hamilton is tied with Michael Schumacher for the most wins at the track with seven victories, including his first in F1. At the same time, his recent form has been a concern, notably being outperformed by his teammate Charles Leclerc in Spain. The low-downforce nature of the circuit could potentially suit the Ferrari SF-25, despite potential concerns about tire wear for a driver desperately looking for a break in the clouds in what has been a stormy season. Despite some recent challenges, Max Verstappen has a formidable history at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, having won the last three Canadian Grands Prix. Verstappen is known for his ability to bounce back after adversity, and Canada is a race he particularly enjoys. With the circuit's unpredictability, there are opportunities to overtake, which could play to his strengths, especially if conditions are less than ideal. Although McLaren appears to have a performance advantage currently, Verstappen is expected to be in the mix. Advertisement Related: F1 Power Rankings 2025: Top 10 entering Canadian Grand Prix Related Headlines
USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
Ford Bronco, Bronco Sport missed top safety ratings for this reason
Ford Bronco, Bronco Sport missed top safety ratings for this reason Show Caption Hide Caption Ford Motor Company: Understanding the automaker's history, legacy Explore the rich history of Ford Motor Company, from its groundbreaking assembly line innovations to iconic cars like the Model T, Mustang, and F-150. The Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport received less than marginal ratings in recent IIHS safety tests. The Bronco Sport showed heightened risk for head and neck injuries in the rear seat. Six other vehicles earned the Top Safety Pick+ award, including models from Hyundai, Kia, Toyota and Nissan. The Ford Bronco and Ford Bronco Sport SUVs failed to meet the marginal ratings to qualify for a top safety pick in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's latest safety ratings, with the institute noting there is a heightened risk for head and neck injuries in the rear seat of the Bronco Sport. On June 10, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — a nonprofit group owned by auto insurers with the purpose of reducing injuries from car crashes — said it tested nine vehicles and awarded six models from four different brands a 2025 Top Safety Pick+ award. Three of the vehicles tested — the Volkswagen Taos, Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport — did not earn a top safety ranking, rather came as "adequate," due to subpar performance in one or more of the required tests, the institute said in its findings. The crash tests showed both Broncos put rear seat passengers at an elevated risk of chest injuries. The Taos got inadequate results in the front crash test and for its headlights and pedestrian crash avoidance system. A spokesperson from Volkswagen did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment on the results. Special Edition Broncos: Ford ignites off-road adventure with two new Bronco project vehicles Ford Motor Co. spokesman Mike Levine emailed the following statement to the Detroit Free Press: "The 2025 Bronco and Bronco Sport meet or exceed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) regulatory requirements. Both Bronco and Bronco Sport have earned overall 5-star NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) ratings, and Bronco is currently the only vehicle in its segment to achieve a five-star overall vehicle score in NHTSA's testing." The Top Safety Pick+ winners The insurance institute said to qualify for either Top Safety Pick+ or the lower-tier Top Safety Pick award this year, vehicles need good ratings in the small overlap front crash test. That test simulates a crash where a small portion of the front of the vehicle impacts another vehicle or barrier. Also, vehicles must get a good rating in updated side tests, an acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention evaluation and acceptable or good-rated headlights across all trim levels. The institute said getting an acceptable rating in its updated moderate overlap front test is enough to qualify for Top Safety Pick, but a good rating is required to earn Top Safety Pick+. The moderate overlap test simulates a head-on collision where the vehicle's front overlaps 40% of a stationary vehicle's width at 40 mph. Its purpose is to measure rear-seat occupant protection. The 2025 models that did receive the Top Safety Pick+ ranking were: Hyundai Elantra, Kia K4 and Toyota Prius, all small cars; the Hyundai Sonata midsize car, the Toyota bZ4X electric small SUV, and the Nissan Murano midsize SUV. The institute said for some vehicles the Top Safety Pick+ award applies only to models built after the date when the manufacturer made improvements to rear occupant protection. For example, the award applies to Elantras built after October 2024, Sonatas built after November 2024 and K4s built after January 2025. The bZ4X award is for vehicles built after December 2024, when the headlights on its XLE trim were changed to the current good-rated ones. Ford and VW fall short of meeting crash metrics The insurance institute report said new ratings also are available for the Ford Bronco, Ford Bronco Sport and Volkswagen Taos, but "these models did not earn awards due to inadequate performance in one or more of the required tests." "The Bronco was disqualified from contention because of marginal ratings for its headlights, pedestrian front crash prevention system and moderate overlap crash performance," the institute wrote. "In the moderate overlap test, measurements taken from the rear dummy indicated an elevated risk of chest injuries, though the Bronco performed well by most other metrics." Ford's Bronco Sport also failed the same evaluation, but for different reasons. The institute said during the test, "the rear dummy's lap belt slid up onto the abdomen from the ideal position on the pelvis, which increases the chances of internal injuries. Measurements taken from the rear dummy also indicated an elevated risk of injuries to the chest and head or neck." The Bronco Sport earned the group's "acceptable rating" in the updated side test, primarily because of high injury metrics for the driver's pelvis. The institute said the 2025 Volkswagen Taos earned "only" an acceptable rating in the small overlap front test because the safety cage, which is designed to protect occupants, did not hold up well. It also fell short in the updated moderate overlap front test and earned subpar ratings for its headlights and pedestrian crash avoidance system. "Although Volkswagen added pretensioners and load limiters to the rear seat belts in the Taos in January 2025, chest injury metrics for the rear passenger remained high in the moderate overlap test," the report stated. Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@ Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nissan stuns vehicle buyers with new ultra-affordable electric vehicle — and it's far from bare-bones
Nissan is stepping up its electric vehicle game by cutting back the price of its newest EV. According to Electrek, the new Nissan N7 sedan, which was recently unveiled at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, starts at only $16,500. This may be Nissan's attempt at competing with Chinese EV giant BYD, which recently released the Qin L for $16,500. Despite the low price, the N7 isn't some bare-bones EV without any flashy smart tech. It comes with high-speed navigation, city memory navigation, as well as intelligent parking, all of which can be controlled using the 15.6-inch infotainment monitor. It also comes with AI voice interaction. The N7 doesn't sacrifice much on range either. It comes in five different models, which can trek from 316 miles on a single charge to 388. One of the reasons Nissan is able to sell the N7 for so cheap is because it has a lithium iron phosphate battery pack rather than a lithium-ion battery made using nickel, manganese, and cobalt like a lot of EVs. LFP batteries are significantly cheaper to manufacture. Volkswagen used the same strategy in manufacturing its new affordable EV, the ID.2. Unfortunately, none of the affordable EVs mentioned here will be hitting the streets in the United States any time soon, though that could always change with enough consumer demand. For now, the N7 and Qin L are focused on the Chinese market, and the ID.2 is targeting the European market. EVs already have well-known money-saving benefits over gas-powered vehicles in that they don't require as much maintenance and the driver doesn't need to worry about fluctuating gas prices. That's on top of the fact that EVs don't produce planet-warming pollution that contributes to extreme weather events. But for some, EVs might not have been an option because they're generally a little more expensive. Cheaper EVs such as the N7 could convince consumers to make their next car an EV. Home solar can increase the savings from owning an EV by cutting charging costs. Charging at home using solar power is cheaper than using public charging stations or energy from the grid. EnergySage provides homeowners with a free service that helps them compare quotes from vetted solar installers as well as any rebates or tax incentives for going solar. Additionally, Palmetto has a solar leasing program called LightReach, which helps you install panels on your home for no money down and still lock in low energy rates. If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost Battery range Power and speed The way it looks Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
