Nov 23rd, 2011 by Ross Edwards
Looking for an SUV but need something inexpensive, good on gas and easy to maneuver around parking lots? The 2012 Nissan Rogue and 2012 Hyundai Tucson start below $22,000 and get over 25-mpg. The Rogue and Tucson are available in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive with four-cylinder engines.
The 2012 Nissan Rogue is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 170-hp and 175 lb-ft of torque. The only transmission available on the Rogue is a CVT automatic. The 2012 Rogue is rated at 23-mpg city and 28-mpg highway with front-wheel drive or 22-mpg city, 26-mpg with all-wheel drive.
The 2012 Hyundai Tucson base model comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 165-hp and 146 lb-ft of torque. GLS and Limited models get a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 176-hp and 168 lb-ft of torque. The 2.0-liter engine is only available with front-wheel drive and can be combined with either a 5-speed manual or an automatic transmission. The base engine is rated at 20-mpg city and 27-mpg highway with the stick shift or 23-city and 31-highway with the automatic transmission. The 2.4-liter engine only comes with an automatic transmission and gets 22-mpg city and 32-mpg highway with front-wheel drive or 21-mpg city, 28-mpg highway with all-wheel drive.
Creature comforts like heated seats, navigation systems, power seats, satellite radio and a sun roof are all available on both the Rogue and the Tucson.
2012 Nissan Rogue Interior
The 2012 Hyundai Tucson has a definite advantage over the Rogue with Hyundai’s 10-year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty combined with a five-year, 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. The 2012 Rogue’s warranty is three-years, 36,000 miles bumper to bumper and five years, 60,000 miles powertrain.
Inside, the Rogue is slightly taller but narrower than the Tucson. The 2012 Nissan Rogue has 40.4 inches of front head room, 42.5 inches of front leg room, 53.1 inches of front hip room and 559 inches of front shoulder room. The 2012 Hyundai Tucson has 39.4 inches of front head room, 41.2 inches of front leg room, 55.5 inches of front hip room and 57.1 inches of front shoulder room. The Tucson has a larger back seat than the Rogue with 39.1 inches of head room and 38.7 inches of leg room. The Rogue has 38.3 inches of head room and 35.3 inches of leg room in the back. The Rogue has a larger cargo area with 28.9 cubic feet of room to the Tucson’s 25.7.