Skip to main content

Tropic Thunder: Introducing the 2017 Nissan Rogue Crossover In Miami

The Nissan Rogue compact crossover gets a Titan-load of enhancements and upgrades for 2017. Nissan is calling 2017 the “Year of the Truck.” Fittingly, the company rolled out the 2017 Nissan Rogue, its smallest SUV, at the Miami Auto Show along with an extensive list of changes, new features, and even a new powertrain.

Recommended Videos

The categories of change for Nissan’s second-best-selling model in the U.S. include exterior and interior styling, new convenience features, updated and upgraded safety options, plus the availability of first Rogue Hybrid. To date, Nissan’s best-seller in the U.S. is the Altima sedan, but the automaker is predicting that the Rogue will outsell the Altima in the coming year.

José Muñoz, executive vice president of Nissan Motor Co. and chairman of Nissan North America unveiled the new Rogue and said, “Following three straight years of consecutive growth, we project Rogue will approach 300,000 units in the current fiscal year, nearly doubling sales since 2012. For 2017, we’re turning up the heat on the competition with enhancements designed to keep Rogue at the top of compact SUV buyers’ wish lists.”

The biggest news is the Rogue Hybrid. The gas/electric powertrain combines a 2.0-liter, 16-valve 4-cylinder gasoline engine with a 30kW electric motor, the latter powered by a lithium-ion battery. The hybrid’s fuel economy is 33 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined for front wheel-drive models. The all-wheel drive model gets 1 or 2 miles less per gallon in each mode. The non-hybrid Rogue continues last year’s 2.5-liter engine that gets approximately 5 mpg less than the hybrid models.

The Rogue exterior has new design tweaks, integrated fog lamps, and new rear lights. There’s also a new optional motion-activated liftgate.

On the inside, in addition to trim finishes and cloth seating materials, the updated Rogue has an available heated steering wheel, memory seats, and mirrors.

New features in Nissan’s Safety Shield technology suite include intelligent cruise control, pedestrian detection (now included with forward emergency braking), and lane departure prevention, bundled with the lane departure warning system. The advanced safety features are standard or optional in different model trims.

The 2017 Nissan Rogue is available in three trim levels, each with front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The Rogue Hybrid adds to the depth of configurations, convenience, and safety options in Nissan’s front runner in the very hot crossover SUV category.

Miles Branman
Miles Branman developed a passion for cars early on thanks to a neighbor’s collection of rare and exotic vehicles. What…
Aston Martin unveils Palm Beach Edition DB12 Volante
Q by Aston Martin Palm Beach Edition DB12 Volante
aston martin unveils palm beach edition db12 volante  14

Aston Martin Palm Beach has joined forces with Q by Aston Martin to craft an extraordinary vehicle: the Palm Beach Edition DB12 Volante. This stunning car beautifully merges the unparalleled artistry of British craftsmanship with captivating design elements inspired by Palm Beach's vibrant lifestyle. Each aspect of this limited-edition model is meticulously designed to celebrate the charm of its surroundings while amplifying the elegance of Aston Martin’s high-performance 670 horsepower open-top Super Tourer.

The highlight of the Palm Beach Edition DB12 Volante is its striking Frosted Glass Blue exterior paint, a color that pays homage to the rich and varied blues of the Atlantic Ocean. The innovative use of glass flakes within the topcoat creates a dazzling shimmer that evokes the warm rays of the South Florida sun, making it a real head-turner on the road.

Read more
The Ford Ranger Raptor may actually be the perfect “third car”
Don't buy one for the practicality, it's built for fun.
Ford Ranger Raptor 3/4 view in snowy woods

Pickup trucks like the Ford Ranger Raptor are traditionally practical vehicles designed to perform hard work and take a bit of a beating. But in recent years, they’ve gotten larger, more luxurious, and less industrial. This has led to utility vehicles tumbling into entirely new categories, with some being decked out like borderline limousines and others kitted out for street racing.

Over the winter, I took a Ford Ranger Raptor for a spin and made an interesting discovery while doing so. It wasn’t the vehicle’s prowess as a pickup truck that snagged me—in fact, I think there are far better options in that department—but the almost childlike sense of enjoyment I got from ripping around in this ridiculous beast. I decided I would actually have one given the chance, but as more of a toy than anything else. Allow me to explain.
What is a third car anyway?

Read more
F1 fashion: limited edition movie merch and Cadillac F1 team partners with Tommy Hilfiger
F1 teamware lets fans show support for real and fictional teams
F1 Movie merch sampler.

There were two announcements related to F1 teamware this week, both related to F1 teams that aren't in the 2025 season. Teamware is a big deal with Formula 1 racing fans who show their support by wearing team colors at Grand Prix races worldwide, where grandstands are packed with spectators sporting hats, shirts, and all manner of apparel in Ferrari red, Red Bull blue, and McLaren orange. Mixing media and reality, building on the trend, F1 recently started selling limited edition apparel with the APXGP logo of the fictional F1 team in F1 The Movie,  due to launch later this month.

In a related note, fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger announced on X a new apparel partnership with the upcoming 2026 Cadillac F1 team. Hilfiger has a long history of partnering with F1 teams.
Limited edition merch from F1 The Movie

Read more