Storage is at a premium in the Rogue. Truthfully, it's a problem in many small cars and SUVs. The Rogue has two cupholders in the front row. There's a slot next to the cupholders to house your cell phone or MP3 player of choice, but it's not very deep so the gadget falls out at every turn. The doors have pockets in them, but they're not wide enough to fit a water bottle, so I maxed out those cupholders pretty quickly.

The good news is the glove box is huge, so you can put stuff in there, namely, the owner's manual (this doesn't happen as often as it should). There's also a center console. In the rear seats, the kids had two cupholders, which were at the base of the center console's rear, and seatback pockets.

On the plus side, there's pretty decent space in the cargo area for handling grocery runs and membership warehouse errands with ease. And that posterboard for the science project? It fits without having to bend it. There's also a nifty tray under the cargo area floor that can manage small items like wet shoes or clothes for the trip home.

What I also loved is the ease of use for the stereo and the climate controls. While this is certainly an argument from an old dog that doesn't learn new tricks very well, it doesn't mean that we can't appreciate clearly labeled buttons and knobs on the minimalistic dash.

The seats were comfortable, and its cloth upholstery was unoffensive in its pattern and texture. Leather seats are available. All the buttons and knobs were comfortably within reach from my driving position, which is something I look for in a vehicle this size.