With unrest plaguing oil-producing regions from Venezuela to the Middle East, and global oil demand ...

With unrest plaguing oil-producing regions from Venezuela to the Middle East, and global oil demand growing hand over fist, the price of a gallon of gasoline can only go up. Accordingly, consumers in need of cargo and seating capacity are crossing over to more efficient car-based utilities, which explains why Ford Explorer sales are in free-fall.

No doubt eager to enter this hot segment, Nissan has taken its sweet time building a compact crossover of its own. Christened Rogue, Nissan’s entry is squarely