Real world AWD experiences

[jcircus]

Hi all,

Just purchase a 2012 Rogue, and wanted to hear other's experiences with it's AWD capabilities. (please don't turn this into a FWD vs. AWD debate, as there are pro's and con's to both sides)

I just returned from our annual family trip to the beach (we live in WA state, and visit Long Beach every year). At this particular beach, you are allowed to drive on the beach - http://funbeach.com/activities/beach-driving/
We have taken our old family car (Toyota min-van) on the beach before, and got stuck! this time we decided to cram into the smaller Rogue, just so we could test it out in the sand. What a surprise! the rogue plowed through the sand like a tank We passed 5 FWD cars that where stuck and waiting for the $100 tow truck to arrive, in one day...
I notice we didnt need to lock the awd, except in the really soft/dry sand, but otherwise the automatic awd system handled it flawlessly. in fact, I was so comfortable with the rogue's ability, that I let my two 15yr old son's drive (going through the learner's permit faze )

Anyone else gone "off-rogue" in their Rogue?

[darylzero]

I thought the Rogue's AWD only worked at 6mph and under... I have had great experience with it though. It worked flawlessly in the Chicago blizzard Feb. 2011. I used to have a fwd car and getting out of parallel parking spots in winter with ice and snow was a chore, with the Rogue it's no problem at all. I still remember the first time I tried it and was like great I am going to be rocking back and forth for a while, WRONG the Rogue got me out in 2 seconds, it was great.

[ImStricken06]

I thought the Rogue's AWD only worked at 6mph and under...

its always ON from 0mph---6mph. once after 6mph it goes FWD.
If the system detects wheel slips (which in sand it obviously will) it will kick AWD back on, until it detects wheel slip is gone.
so you could be driving 25mph, and hit a slippery patch, and the AWD will kick in automatically.

i was just in a mud pit (tons of rain on a grassy area) pulling a trailer with a motorcycle on it, and hit a really muddy area off-road. didnt even stutter. i drove in, and drove out. thought i was gonna be stuck, but nope not at all.

[JMed]

Just a week after I got my Rogue, Connecticut got hit by that awful October blizzard which I took from beginning to end driving in the highway. It is nerve wracking having to drive your "new" car in a storm like that, but I had no problems whatsoever with the Rogue's AWD. I didn't get stock or lost control of the car not even once...

[ImStricken06]

It is nerve wracking having to drive your "new" car in a storm like that

but im sure it made you grow very comfortable with your new car. im sure you learned to trust it, much more than many other people.

[JMed]

but im sure it made you grow very comfortable with your new car. im sure you learned to trust it, much more than many other people.

Oh yeah, definitely. As long as a I have good visibility, I wouldn't mind driving my Rogue under a blizzard again.

[rickrogue]

here in canada my rogue passed AWD experience on snow,gravel,sand and worst 30 to 40 degree inclined with soft mud, it was a pain less experience no one get dirty, no tow truck needed. the rogue crawled with almost 0 wheel slipping up to the top.