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2014 Nissan Rogue

The compact crossover segment is crowded because it offers near-perfect transportation for small families and empty nesters alike. As more and more consumers discover the benefits of compact crossovers - riding tall in traffic, enjoying four-cylinder fuel economy and the confidence of all-weather traction - automakers are jumping into the game to meet the increasing demand. Today's choices, in no particular order, include the Honda CR-V, Jeep Cherokee, Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, Mini Countryman, Subaru Forester, Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Escape, Mitsubishi Outlander, Toyota RAV4 and this Nissan Rogue. Nearly all start around $22,000 in base trim and work their way reasonably upwards with more appealing trim levels and options. If you spend much over $33,000 in this segment, you are a glutton for frosting.
The latest player from Nissan is its all-new second-generation Rogue, introduced late last year as a 2014 model. After a brief First Drive in October, we recently welcomed back the Rogue for a week-long review. The plan was to embed the compact crossover into a family routine during the holidays, where it would receive a hearty workout hauling everything from five adult passengers and their shopping bags to trays loaded with warm honey-glazed hams and pecan pies for a dinner party. The compact CUV handled all with poise, but everything wasn't as sweet as its edible cargo.

2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid

If you've been keeping up with our long-term 2013 Nissan Pathfinder coverage, you already know that, generally speaking, we dig it. After racking up 21,000 miles (and climbing!) on our dear Sweet Brown, we've become very, very familiar with the Pathfinder package as a whole, and many of us actually prefer it over competitors like the Ford Explorer and Chevrolet Traverse.
For 2014, Nissan has added a new hybrid option for its Pathfinder, using an all-new powertrain that will also be shared with the CUV's Infiniti-badged QX60 sibling. As far as fuel economy is concerned, our long-term Pathfinder has had no problem hitting its EPA-estimated numbers of 19 miles per gallon city and 25 mpg highway, but this new hybrid model is said to be good for an increase in overall economy - 25/28 mpg (city/highway) when equipped with front-wheel drive and 25/27 mpg with optional four-wheel drive.
We recently took the 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid for a quick spin around the city streets of Nashville, TN. And while our time with the non-hybrid Pathfinder has been pretty enjoyable overall, at first blush, we're having a tougher time warming up to this electrified variant.

Nissan settles with FTC over misleading dune buggy ad [w/videos]

A couple years ago, Nissan created a series of commercials for its compact Frontier pickup showing the truck performing outlandish stunts such as snowboarding, saving a passenger airplane from a crash landing and climbing a steep sand dune to help a stranded dune buggy. As crazy as the first two commercials were, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took issue with the latter, titled Hill Climb, with the agency considering it to be a misleading commercial since both vehicles required a cable to reach the top of the steep dune.
As such, Ad Age is reporting that Nissan - and its ad agency TBWA Worldwide - has settled with the FTC over the ad despite the fact that it features a disclaimer stating: "Fictionalization. Do not attempt." Nissan did not have to pay out any money in the settlement, but it is prohibited "from using potentially misleading demonstrations in future advertisements for pickups." In addition to the offending commercial, posted below, we've included some of the other related videos from the same Frontier campaign.