Monthly Archives: February 2014
The 2014 Nissan Rogue
The Nissan Rogue is one impressive crossover in its niche. This compact crossover debuted back in 2006. The 2014 Nissan Rogue is a completely redone version of the model. In its very initial stages, the Nissan Rogue was already an impressive small SUV with an array of features like its fine styling, impressive driving dynamics, and a rich looking cabin that was better that a lot of crossovers in the segment. Keeping up the good work, the automaker rolled out the next generation of the Nissan Rogue and has redone it for the better. The 2014 Nissan Rogue now comes with enhanced fuel economy, a third row of passenger seats and better technology, which were initially few of the down points of the original model.
The 2014 Nissan Rogue has got itself three trim levels. The S being the base, followed by SV and SL. The standard 2014 Rogue offers two row seats while an available third row come with the S and SV trim levels. The 2014 Nissan Rogue S rolls on 17 inch wheels. With features like LED running lights, cruise control, power mirrors, a rearview camera and an infotainment display that spans about 5 inches, the S in itself is one finely equipped version. The SL trim level sports 18 inch alloy wheels. Foglights, roof rails, heated mirrors, leather upholstery and an amazing infotainment and navigation system is what the model offers. And then there is the SL trim, which is the top-of-the-class. Along with everything that the Rogue can possibly feature, the 2014 Rogue SL has a nine speaker Bose surround sound.
Under its hood, the 2014 Nissan Rogue boasts a 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine that is good for generating about 170 horses and 175 pound feet of twist. Standard features include a front wheel drive as well as a continuously variable transmission. The CVT has been enhanced, as the brand claims, and it is now quicker than the earlier Nissan Rogue. The standard Nissan Rogue begins cruising at a speed of 60 mph, starting from rest, in a sprint time of 8.6 seconds.
The engine in the compact crossover and its mated transmission do not work very well for the driving impressions of the 2014 Nissan Rogue. The fuel economy was put in the centre of the plan while the redesigning of the 2014 Nissan Rogue and to justify that cause, the automakers had to compromise with the agility of the vehicle. There is absolute absence of quick acceleration in the 2014 Nissan Rogue. Also, the CVT, as it is infamous, produces unpleasant drone noises when you try and accelerate faster.
This is a simple drive and is appealing to a lot of people that seek for an easy compact crossover in budget. While the driving dynamics are not breathtaking, they are fine enough for everyday drives. While the 2014 Kia Sorento, 2014 Mazda Cx-5 and the 2014 Santa Fe Sport remain amazingly tough competitors for the vehicle, the 2014 Nissan Rogue is a fine vehicle to check out.
The 2014 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
It’s just not the Land Rover that has got the cheeks to pull off an SUV that’s a convertible too. The automaker, Nissan with its 2014 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet does just the same. Topless utility vehicles have a charm of their own. It’s like owning the best of both worlds in a single vehicle. Of course, this is an unconventional pairing but hey! Who doesn’t want to ride a convertible? A convertible SUV!
Nissan Murano has been a well known competitor in the midsized crossover niche and the Murano CrossCabriolet carries about the same size besides a little increment in its height. The standard all wheel drive, this topless crossover, is one fine ride and offers enough ruggedness to be driven in every sort of weather.
Under its hood, the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet features a 3.5 liter six-cylinder engine that readily produces 256 ponies and 248 pound feet of twist. Both the numbers travel a notch up as compared to the Murano with a fixed roof. Along with the all wheel drive, that is standard, as told, the Murano CrossCabriolet’s engine is mated to a continuously variable transmission. 2014 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is capable of reaching 60 mph from rest in a sprint time of 8.2 seconds, which is quite comparable to the regular version of the vehicle. Offering 17 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, the 2014 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet gives an EPA rating of 19 mpg combined.
On the inside, the Murano CrossCabriolet carries interiors, just as indulging as the regular Nissan Murano. There is a prominent use of chic and plush materials like leather and wood to add to the richness of the whole look. The vehicle, to anyone’s surprise, is also quite roomy. One can easily enjoy a laid back drive in this ragtop. Also, the user interface of Murano CrossCabriolet’s navigation system is amazingly simple to use, grabbing a positive mark for the vehicle.
The 2014 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet drives quite finely. The engine is just right to provide the needed power for the vehicle and it becomes fun driving a Murano convertible. The CVT is a good choice for this vehicle, enabling smooth shifts as well as sparing you from the awful noises that are usually accompanied with a continuously variable transmission. Handling doesn’t impress as much when it comes to the 2014 Nissan Murano convertible. Also, while the convertible cruises comfortably, offering a relaxing ride, it does not give you the least bit of the pleasure of athletic turns and sporty driving. Foe the very reason that its roof is missing, the 2014 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet has got a tad bit of rickety frame and henceforth, a shaky steering.
A utility vehicle that lets you take the roof off when you’re cruising on an expressway, on one fine sunny day, is somewhat of a treat and the 2014 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is one such treating vehicle. Appropriate for easy leisurely cruising, the 2014 Murano Convertible looks simple and drives sensible, while offering all the space one could need from a vehicle this size.
The 2014 Nissan Juke
The 2014 Nissan Juke is one high fashion vehicle that is designed to turn heads around anywhere it goes. A crossover plus hatchback, the 2014 Nissan Juke is one unconventionally styled ride that also offers an equally exciting driving experience. Everything about the 2014 Nissan Juke is fun and young. This vehicle demands attention.
While on the outside it carries bold curves and contours that are amazingly stylish and futuristic, almost creating a whole new niche of exteriors, on the inside, the crossover wagon is equally spicy with an aggressive turbocharged four-cylinder grunt, an extremely precise steering and a sport-tuned suspension, all combining to for a machinery so agile, that driving the 2014 Nissan Juke becomes addictive. Despite being a small hatchback, this vehicle comes with an option of an all wheel drive model. Now that is one impressive offer to avail from a hatchback! While the passengers on the rear may have to compromise a bit with the room it offers, and the cargo capacity might not feel enough as compared to other models in the niche, the 2014 Nissan Juke is one different sort of vehicle, that stands out from the crowd and that too for all good reasons.
Lying underneath the hood, in the 2014 Nissan Juke, is a turbocharged 1.6 liter inline four cylinder engine. Good for generating 188 horses and around 177 pound feet of torque. There are four trim levels to the 2014 Nissan Juke. The S being the base, followed by impressively equipped SV and SL and then the amazing Juke Nismo that sits on the top. The Nismo features the same engine as the base, but yanked to yield about 197 ponies and 184 pound feet of torque. The S and SL models of the Juke come standard with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while the SV and Nissan Juke Nismo offer an option of a six speed manual transmission as well.
A CVT featuring Nissan Juke is capable of reaching 60 mph from rest in a sprint time of 7.3 seconds, which, as a matter of fact, is an amazingly swift acceleration for a vehicle in this niche. Just as agile is the all wheel drive model too. However, the manual transmission lags a bit, making it to the speed of 60 mph in about 8.1 seconds.
The 2014 Nissan Juke is an entertainer. Be it the looks or the driving. When cruising in the Eco mode, the Juke takes a leisurely stroll with maximized fuel economy. When hit with the Sport mode, the Juke puts on its jogging shoes and becomes as agile and responsive as it can get. However, the fuel economy gets compromised in the Sport mode. The handling is simply amazing and is a result of the precise steering and firm suspension that the vehicle features.
The 2014 Nissan Juke is one fashionable vehicle to sport. But for those who have an inclination towards more conventional crossover based hatchbacks, models like the 2014 Kia Soul, the 2014 Mini Cooper Countryman or the Scion xB are available in the market. But the 2014 Nissan Juke is simply one of its kinds.
The 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
An SUV in truest of the essence, the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport carries equal amount of sportiness along with the “utility” part that is usually available in a lot of crossovers. There are a handful of SUVs that actually look sporty and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport does just that, rightfully justifying its name. The 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is the Mitsubishi Outlander from the previous year and it remains mostly unchanged for the model year 2014. While the Outlander 2014 is a bit bulky, the 2014 Outlander Sport is a compact, agile and lighter crossover. Also, the SUV screams “sport” from its exteriors. The grille, the hood and the headlamps, all combine to create this amazingly muscular front façade of the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, adding to the implied sportiness from the vehicles name.
However when we say, there are a handful of crossovers that actually look sporty, it must be kept in mind that there are a fewer that actually drive sporty as well. Sadly, the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport doesn’t qualify to be among those “fewer” SUVs. Apart from its absolutely sporty frame cruising on the absolutely sporty 18 inch alloy wheels, the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport fails to impress as a “sports” utility vehicle. Just an above average performance along with some fine handling just doesn’t make this crossover a hard core racing car, which usually people would dream about when they hear the name Outlander “Sport”.
The 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is powered by a 2.0 liter inline four-cylinder engine. The grunt manages to produce 148 ponies, and about 145 pound feet of twist. The two trim levels, namely, the ES (base) and the cream-on-the-top SE, come with an option of front-wheel drive or an all-wheel drive model. The front wheel drive featuring ES trim comes standard with a five speed manual transmission. The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is optional on the ES Outlander Sport. While it comes as standard on the all wheel driven ES and all SE models.
2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with a front wheel drive and five-speed manual is capable of accelerating from rest to 60 mph in a sprint time of 8.8 seconds. An impressive making of time for a vehicle in such segment! However, as talked about earlier, the driving dynamics of the vehicle are not as sporty as one might expect. The acceleration and power that the vehicle offers is fine for everyday city cruising but if highway drives would need more agility and better acceleration which the 2014 Outlander Sport lacks. The handling, also, is fine and not amazing for that matter. But the soft suspension that comes as signature from the brand is quite of a savior for the vehicle giving it a plus one for a smooth ride.
The 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport stands in tough competition with models like the Kia Sportage, the 2014 Mazda CX5 and the 2014 Ford Escape; latter two being a little expensive but amazingly enjoyable rides. But the reasonable pricing and impressive fuel economy makes the 2014 Outlander Sport a fine crossover.
The 2014 Lexus RX 350
It is like the mother of all luxury SUVs. Lexus RX 350 almost taught the world about luxury SUVs. A vehicle that had it all! Comfortable and plash interiors, a ride to savor, sturdy and strong exteriors mated with an affordable price, ability to traverse though rough weathers and terrains and a generous amount of room for passengers as well as for cargo. As soon as the first Lexus rolled out creating a whole new niche of vehicle, disciples followed. And while there is a plethora of competitors, some of which grown into better vehicles than the Lexus itself, this brand and its lineup stands firm on the grounds as one of the most appealing luxury SUVs in the world. And one such crossover happens to be the 2014 Lexus Rx 350.
The 2014 Lexus RX 350 is all what a Lexus should essentially have. And along with it sports an impressive V6 grunt, comfortable and spacious seating and a plush cabin that is fully equipped with cutting edge technology. The five passenger crossover offers all sorts of basic features that anybody could possible need from a vehicle in this segment. Topping it all is an almost negligible amount of limitations about the Lexus RX 350. Jus an absent third row for seating and a little tricky user interface on the cabin and that’s all that is not exceptionally good about the Lexus RX 350. Everything else is!
The 2014 Lexus RX 350 gets its power from the 3.5 liter six-cylinder engine that is good for 270 horses and about 248 pound feet of twist. The 2014 RX 350 comes standard with a front wheel drive and a six speed automatic transmission. Also, an all wheel drive system comes as an option. The trim level F Sport comes standard with all wheel drive and has its engine mated to an eight speed automatic instead of six. This fine ride is capable of cruising up at 60 mph starting from rest in a sprint time of 7.1 seconds – on par with the performances of other vehicles in this niche. The one little attribute where the 2014 Lexus RX 350 fails to impress is its towing capability. The luxury crossover can tow around 3,500 pounds whereas, other crossovers in the segment can manage to tow more.
While the cabin is a bit messy to operate and requires more attention than need be, it looks amazingly plush. The interiors of the Lexus RX 350 look absolutely divine and every little addition on the inside of this vehicle adds to the luxury, the vehicle promises to offer.
The 2014 Lexus Rx 350 rides like a star. When you drive and RX 350, all you can witness is the luxurious and comfortable ride and isolation from the rest of the world and its noises. Although this crossover faces quite some amount of competition from newer competitors like the Acura MDX and the Audi Q5, the 2014 Lexus RX 350 is one classic luxury crossover one mustn’t miss to check out!