2011 Nissan Rogue

At a glance, one may confuse the 2011 Nissan Rogue for its bigger and fancier brother, the Nissan Murano. And with this year's mild refresh bringing a slightly more upscale look to the compact crossover SUV, we're sure the closer resemblance is intentional. Yet the Rogue is based on a more humble Nissan product, the plebeian Sentra sedan. But before you write off the Rogue as a sheep in wolf's clothing, take one for a test-drive and you'll likely be impressed with its sporty demeanor.

This year's refresh brings updated styling thanks to a new grille, bumpers, standard front and rear spoilers and additional chrome trim (most notably along the lower body sides). The cabin gets updated instruments along with a new color display for the audio system (on upper trims). A number of high-end features debut this year as well, including 18-inch alloy wheels, a navigation system, iPod integration, automatic climate control and auto on/off headlights. Fuel mileage improves slightly thanks to lower-rolling-resistance tires and an underbody panel that improves aerodynamics. Lastly, trim levels and packages have been revised.