By Shawn Corcoran

With a quick look at any road in any town of any state, it is clear to see what the most popular type of car is in today’s world… the crossover. Personally, I have never seen the appeal of crossovers, they are practical but they have never had the same type of appeal as more interesting cars. And by “more interesting cars,” I mean almost anything else. I decided to see what all the hype was about, and took a 2016 Nissan Rogue SL AWD for a drive. So, what’s the appeal?

Crossovers can be traced back to 1980, when AMC designer Dick Teague designed a four-wheel-drive version of the AMC Concord. What they got was a range of cars that had everything you wanted out of a wagon, sedan, hatchback and somehow even a convertible, but with the four-wheel-drive capabilities of what would go on to be called the SUV.

The Eagle was most popular in the station wagon configuration, giving us the earliest “lifted wagon” or in other words, a crossover. At the time the Eagle was weird and unique, and was surprisingly ahead of its time. But instead of catching on, it became the last dying breath of the American equivalent of British Leyland.

Instead, it was the SUV that caught on, rocketing into popularity with models like the Jeep Cherokee and Ford Explorer. But as time went on, buyers wanted more comfort, a smoother ride and safety. Basically, they wanted SUVs to be more like cars. So car companies responded, making new vehicles that combine the utility of an SUV with the comfort—and, sort of, the handling—of a car all while retaining the soul of neither.

The 2016 Nissan Rogue is part of the second generation of the model, which was sold from 2014 to 2020. This example in specific is an SL all-wheel drive model. It is powered by the 2.5-liter QR25DE, which is a naturally aspirated four-cylinder that sends 170 horsepower through the Jatco CVT8, a continuously variable transmission that is best known for being prone to overheating issues and premature failure.

The AWD setup will do well in adverse conditions like rain, sleet, snow and dirt, but it’s better not to have any expectations for any real off-road capabilities. The crossover format usually forgoes off-road capabilities that you can find on typical SUVs, but don’t worry, because it also leaves out the performance of a smaller car, with a blistering nine-second 0-60 time.

The exterior styling isn’t all that much to boast about. The Rogue certainly doesn’t look bad, but it also doesn’t look memorable. It’s as if the designer was simply asked to draw “some car.” The front end has a few interesting curves around the wheel arches, but they disappear before reaching the rear of the vehicle.

So styling, performance, and off-road capability don’t seem to be the selling points here, neither does the driving experience as a whole. So what is it? Well maybe it’s the interior. Things do start to take a turn for the better when sitting inside the Rogue. 

The SL model is well equipped inside. Tan leather serves as the base for the color palette, which is broken up with darker brown and a few different accent colors. The interior design flows quite nicely and the controls are all well within reach. There are more soft-touch materials than one might expect from a Nissan, which is a pleasant surprise. 

The infotainment screen is archaic by today’s standards, but still works quite well. The seats themselves are comfortable, and there is plenty of legroom even in the rear seats. And despite being on the medium-smaller side of crossovers, the rear seats are configured in a stadium style. This gives rear seat occupants a better view given that they sit slightly higher than those in the front seats.

The car is also undeniably easy to live with. Ingress and egress is easier than smaller cars and taller SUVs. Open the door and you will find that the seat is just below butt-level for the average person. This, and a wide open area for entry, makes it easy for anyone to sit right down in.

The cargo area is also exceptionally easy to work with. It is large and spacious, and if you fold down the rear seats, you get enough cargo space to rival some compact pickup trucks. It is also easy to load. The load floor isn’t too high, or too low, and the lift gate opens high enough to give enough space to avoid hitting your head. This is easier compared to smaller, shorter hatchbacks, with lift gates that you have to duck under to avoid smacking your head.

It is also a comfortable car. It avoids the handling woes of larger, more cumbersome SUVs, while still retaining the utility and elbow room. The ride is smooth and confident on-road, it may not inspire you much, but it will work for you.

Still, I can’t quite envision myself owning a car such as this. It lacks the sort of character and charm that I have found in other cars. Crossovers, like the Rogue, are the pinnacle of appliance cars. They aren’t made to be fun, or look exciting or stick around as endearing memories of just what kind of beauty we can engineer. 

And yet, I think I see why so many people buy them. In the end, they are convenient. The Rogue does not limit the average person’s day-to-day flow. It supports it by bringing just what it needs to haul you, and your passengers and your cargo from one place to another. 

If you want a car that will excite you and touch all your senses, then don’t buy a Nissan Rogue, and don’t buy most other crossovers either. But if you just need something that works, then crossovers like this will do the trick, just be careful with that transmission.