Interior

Nissan sticks with their usual minimalist approach to interiors and keeps things clean and sporty in the Rogue. Nearly everything in the cabin is trimmed in matte black with metallic trim.

The leather-wrapped steering wheel houses controls for the audio system, cruise control and the wireless phone connection. The Bluetooth system worked pretty well with only a few bugs answering incoming calls. The audio system sounds great, and after a quick perusal of the owner's manual, I was working the satellite radio and presetting channels like a pro. The only messy part was the cord for my iPod, which plugs into the center stack, gets in the way of the cupholders. I was impressed with the cupholder setup, though. There is room for cups of different sizes, as well as mugs with handles. My morning cup of joe fit beautifully.

The center console has a couple of small cubbies for electronics or loose items. There is a dual level bin under the front armrest that's perfect for extra charger cords or a pack of wipes or whatever you like to stash in there.

On the downside, the "navigation package" is really an ugly lump on the dashboard. It's a covered port for a Garmin Nuvi 750 portable GPS; it isn't an integrated navigation system at all. Nissan saves on the big screen, but you get to buy an expensive accessory and don't get a backup camera. Bummer.

There's room for everyone in this crossover, and the backseat is no exception. Three kids fit easily in the backseat, but only two booster seats or infant-safety seats will work back there. The center seat works great for a small-sized derriere but not for a big bulky car seat. There's no center armrest in the second row, but there are two cupholders located on the back of the front row's center console. While bigger kids can reach them, they're out of reach for anyone in a car seat. There are no bottleholders in the doors either, so that's it for beverage containment. It wasn't much of an issue for my younger son since his booster seat has its own cupholder.

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

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