Nissan to Sell Rogue Select Alongside the Next-Gen 2014 Model Year

Apparently, the current Nissan Rogue is so popular that the second largest Japanese automaker wants to continue offering the 10-year-old SUV in 2014 and possibly beyond. It will be renamed the Nissan Rogue Select, and it’ll be sold alongside the next-generation Rogue we saw last month at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. As you continue reading, we’ll discuss the specific reasons for this carry-over and what, if any, changes you can expect in the 2014 Rogue Select.

Is the Current Nissan Rogue Really That Popular?

Short answer: yes. The 2013 Nissan Rogue is the Nissan’s second-best-selling car in the US, with ~142K units sold in 2012. Sales are up 16 percent so far in 2013 and they don’t show any signs of slowing down. Consumers have shown how much they like the current Rogue, and Nissan sees no reason to take it away from them.

Fred Diaz, divisional VP of Sales and Marketing for Nissan NA, has an explanation for the current Rogue’s current and future success, “As the compact SUV segment is becoming very specialized, there is an opening for a low-cost, high-content offering, which is a gap that Rogue Select will fill.” In other words, an economical SUV that’s ordinary apart from being well-made and fun to drive is exactly what a lot of drivers are looking for.

As far as any possible cannibalization of the incoming 2014 Nissan Rogue’s sales, Diaz isn’t worried. The old-new Nissan Select will continue being built in Nissan’s Japanese plant while the new Rogue will be built in the new Tennessee plant. However, for the time being, the US-based plant actually can’t produce enough new 2014 Nissan Rogues to meet consumer demand. That’s why Diaz said, “The Rogue Select will allow Nissan to continue its strong performance in the segment, which will only get stronger once the all-new, U.S.-built 2014 Rogue goes on sale.”

Any Changes from the 2013 Rogue to the 2014 Rogue Select?

Aside from a base price that will apparently drop under $20,000? No, not that we know of.

It’s important to remember that these carried-over models are typically sold to fleet buyers, such as rental companies, who want a good deal on as many vehicles as possible.  While Nissan will undoubtedly sell a significant number of Rogue Selects to ordinary drivers in 2014, it seems likely that they’re really just trying to keep as many all-new Nissan Rogues in dealerships as possible.

All that to say we probably won’t see any mechanical changes between the 2013 Nissan Rogue and the 2014 Rogue Select.  There is some possibility that Nissan will add, remove or make adjustments to some of the current Rogue’s trim packages, but we won’t know for sure until closer to the Select’s launch in January 2014.

We’ll let you know if there are any significant updates, otherwise stay tuned for more Japanese carnews!