If you hear the pejorative "chick car," what comes to mind? Mazda MX-5 Miata? Volvo C70? Would you believe neither made Inside Line's list of 2011 models with the highest percentage of female ownership? No. 1, with 57.9-percent female ownership was the Volvo S40. Considering the female dollar is sought-after, it's probably too bad that Volvo decided to axe the model for 2012.
That means No. 2, the Nissan Rogue with 56.9 percent, could take the top spot for 2012. Or maybe the VW Eos at No. 3 with 56.4 percent. We're also kind of wondering how the new Fiat 500 will fare this year.
No. 4 is another VW that shouldn't surprise. The cute New Beetle has been a perennial favorite among the ladies. It was No. 1 a year ago, but as we know, the newer, more aggressively styled Beetle is enjoying increased interest among the guys. No. 5? The Toyota Matrix, of all things.
Here's how the rest shake out according to Inside Line:
Top ten 2011 models with the highest proportion of female buyers
Barrett-Jackson 2012, Camaro ZL1 vs Shelby GT500, Volkswagen says it's really #1, C7 Chevrolet Corvette
Episode #266 of the Autoblog Podcast is here with Chris, Dan, Zach and Drew Phillips this week. Topics include the Barrett-Jackson auction, smack talk from the Camaro ZL1 chief, Volkswagen disputing GM's claim of #1 in the world, and a C7 Corvette sighting. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jumpfor you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
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Nissan and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced a recall for certain 2011 Rogue models. Some vehicles may have been manufactured with an incorrectly installed circuit board within the vehicle's electronic power steering assist control unit. Nissan says that, as a result, the terminal may experience additional stress on the circuit board's solder, which could eventually result in a failure. Such a failure could cause the power steering assist to stop working altogether, which may increase the amount of effort it takes to steer the vehicle and result in a crash.
A total of 7,365 2011 Nissan Rogue models are covered in the recall, and owners can expect to be notified by Nissan soon. The automaker will replace the electronic power steering module free of charge if necessary once the recall begins this month.
Those of us bumping around on the lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder may still be waiting for wealth to trickle down from the Reagan years, but at least technology is becoming more accessible. Nissan has just announced that the lowly Rogue will be the first vehicle in its humble class to be available with the company's Around View monitor - a system that is typically found on high-end metal like the Infiniti QX56 and the BMW 7 Series. Using an array of small cameras positioned around the exterior of the vehicle, Around View provides the driver with composite video of the the vehicle's surroundings.
In our experience, the system is a huge help in tight parking areas as well as towing situations. Around View will be available on the 2012 Nissan Rogue SL, and the company is pitching the camera array as an alternative to self-park mechanisms on more expensive crossovers. We're not sure we'd go that far, but we are impressed that the tech has arrived on a more accessible model. Hit the jump for the full press release as well as a video demonstration of the system in action.
2.a playfully mischievous person; scamp: The youngest boys are little rogues.
3.a tramp or vagabond.
That being the definition of rogue, it seems odd that Nissan product planners would slap such a name to a mild-mannered crossover. Especially when you consider the Nissan Juke. But as confusing a name choice the Rogue may be, it is a legit player in the red-hot small CUV market. This is a car than can stand with the best there is on the market now, but what’s special about the Rogue? Read on to find out…
The Rogue has been on the market for three model years now, and for 2011 received a mild exterior refresh. If the Rogue strikes you as sort of a mini-Murano, my guess is that was intentional. For a small CUV, our Rogue certainly had an upscale look, with chrome door handles, body side moldings and exhaust tip, silver roof rails and tasteful 18″ alloys. The Rogue dresses up quite nicely, thank you, but our car’s Frosted Steel exterior left me a bit cold (pun intended).
Inside, the Rogue offers a comfortable, if slightly uninspiring interior. It takes no time at all to situate yourself in the Rogue-all controls are easy to read and logically placed. The quality of materials cannot be faulted, and I found the quality of the leather seats to be above average for this class of car. The steering wheel was a joy to hold-just the right size. Although flat, the seats were quite comfortable. I’ll give Nissan credit for quality and comfort, but a little something to spice up the interior would go a long way here.
The Rogue is offered with a 2.5L four rated at 170hp-sorry folks, no optional V-6 here. The only tranny is a CVT. Buyers have a choice between front and all-wheel drive. Nissan makes the best Continuously Variable Transmissions out there, but as a car guy, nothing sucks the soul out of a car more than a CVT. While the car companies who invest in CVT’s insist this boosts fuel economy, I have one question for Nissan: the Honda CR-V is more powerful than the the Rogue, has a 5-speed automatic, yet produces gas mileage that is nearly identical, so why make Rogue buyers suffer the motorboating effect of a CVT?
The Rogue was our ride to my family’s annual Memorial Day party on the coast of Rhode Island, and the Rogue performed brilliantly. We set the GPS navigation, enjoyed the XM Satellite radio, comfy seats, and quiet cabin. Once at speed, the Rogue offered a supple yet not at all floaty ride. Cruising down I-95 at 80mph the Rogue felt cool as a cucumber, and felt capable of doing so all day long.
In case you haven’t figured it out by now, Nissan gave The Garage the top-spec Rogue. Our Rogue SV AWD comes with a base price of $24,470USD. Standard equipment includes power driver’s seat, XM Radio, Bluetooth, rearview monitor, and keyless entry. The optional SL package added heated leather seats, navigation, Bose premium audio, power moonroof, xenon headlights and 18″ alloys, for an as-delivered price of $29,305. Sure, this is the higher end of the price scale for small CUV’s, but in this case the Rogue has the content to back up the price. Still, the Rogue as tested here is only about three grand shy of the more prestigious Acura RD-X, and for the car enthusiast, I’d direct him to the VW Tiguan for the same money but a much sportier ride. That said, the Rogue is a competent package that should hold mass appeal to the majority of crossover buyers. Nissan’s attempt to bring the Rogue upmarket should serve it well, even if the name of the car makes no sense.
2011 Nissan Rogue - Click above for high-res image gallery
We don't envy the hordes of product planners working in the auto world. America's concept of quality transportation seems to shift with the seasons, leaving analysts scrambling to anticipate amorphous market demands while automakers fill barely justifiable voids in their product line. If you need proof, look no further than the scorching hot CUV segment. Buyers have developed a seemingly unquenchable thirst for small, car-based high riders, and nearly every automaker sports at least one tall hatch in their lineup.
Nissan hopped on the small crossover train belately in 2007 when it introduced the Rogue as a 2008 model. The pint-sized 'ute borrowed plenty of styling cues from the likes of the larger Murano and came equipped with an efficient and capable drivetrain built to suit a variety of tastes. But that was three years ago. In order to keep the Rogue as fresh as possible until a full-on next-generation model arrives, the company has rolled out a mildly updated version for 2011. It may not be the front-runner in its class, but the refreshed 2011 Rogue promises to hit all of the same notes that American buyers are singing right now. We spent a week with one to find out.
