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If you’re shopping for a Nissan compact SUV, you’ve probably narrowed it down to the Kicks and the Rogue. Both offer strong fuel economy, the same core safety technology, and the option of all-wheel drive. They’re built for different drivers, though. The Kicks is the smaller and more affordable of the two, designed for city commutes and tight parking spots. The Rogue is Nissan’s best-selling SUV, with more room, more power, and more trim choices.
Every car shopper hits the same fork in the road: buy new and get everything fresh off the line, or buy used and keep more money in your pocket. The new vs. used car debate doesn’t have one right answer. It has an answer that's right for you, and that depends on your budget, how long you keep a vehicle, how many miles you drive, and how much risk you’re comfortable with.
Nissan makes four gas-powered SUVs, and they don't overlap as much as a glance might make you think. One is the smart-money commuter. One is the comfortable, quiet cruiser. One is the three-row family workhorse. And one is a full-size, 425-horsepower tow rig that just happens to have massaging seats available.
So, what's the best Nissan SUV? It depends on how many people are along for the ride, what you're towing, and what you want your drive down Grand Avenue to feel like. Here's the short answer, followed by the long one.
The short answer: a good used car has about 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year or less. That is the range most shoppers and appraisers treat as average. A five-year-old car with 60,000 to 75,000 miles is right on the curve. Well below that is low mileage, and well above it warrants a closer look.
A CVT, or Continuously Variable Transmission, doesn't use fixed gears. Instead of shifting between set gear ratios like a traditional automatic, a CVT uses a system of pulleys and a steel belt (or chain) that can adjust seamlessly across an infinite range of ratios. The result is a transmission that keeps the engine running at its most efficient RPM range no matter your speed. Your car won't step up and down through gears.
Every compact SUV shopper ends up cross-referencing the same three vehicles: the Nissan Rogue, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4. We put the specs side by side, and the Rogue comes out ahead on the numbers that matter most: sticker price and day-to-day value. Here's exactly why, plus how to get behind the wheel of one this week at Coulter Nissan.
The Z, whether you're driving the twin-turbo VR30DDTT-powered current generation or an older 370Z/350Z, runs a tightly tuned engine under real stress. Boost pressure, oil temperature, and engine timing are constantly monitored. That means warning lights tend to appear for good reason. This isn't a car that nags you over nothing.
Anyone who's owned a car through a real Arizona summer knows the drill. The dash cracks a little more every July. The battery that was "fine" in June is dead by September. And somewhere around year two, the A/C that used to feel like a walk-in freezer starts feeling more like a mild suggestion.
It's the question every car shopper asks before they ever walk onto a lot: what does my monthly budget actually get me? A $400 to $600 payment sounds simple until you start factoring in term length, down payment, interest rate, and trade-in value, all of which can push the same car from one end of that range to the other. Here's a realistic look at what falls into that window right now, and what moves the needle if you want more car for the same payment.
While Nissan designs its vehicles to be user-friendly, there's a lot going on under the hood. Your Nissan Versa is an investment, one you want to protect and maintain so it will serve you for years to come. And it will if you take care of it. Knowing what your car is telling you will help you do just that. Your Versa's language is dashboard lights. Understanding what each one means is essential.