Auto News 5

The Nissan Rogue is a competitive enough vehicle in a very competitive class, with decent steering feel, good ride quality, and sufficient power from the 2.5-liter four-cylinder, even if the continuously variable automatic transmission drones a bit much. Our test car was light blue over a gray interior, which was a somewhat somber combination. The instrument panel and center stack are also kind of drab, especially compared with the Nissan Altima coupe. At least the center stack contains a decent, small-format navigation screen. But the buttons for volume and tuning are small and fussy. There's an aura of cheapness about the radio faceplate, although the sound quality from the Bose stereo is very good. There's also a huge glove compartment. It consists not of a bin that flips down, but of a door that flips down to expose a huge cavity with a flat floor.

Yes, the E63 is expensive, and it barely reaches the 20 mpg mark on the highway. But with enough horsepower (518 hp) and torque (465 lb-ft) to provide a huge adrenaline rush and a luxurious interior to cosset you when you come down from that rush, the E63 is has just about everything you can ask from a luxo-sport sedan. Everything you see and touch on the E63 is well executed, from the understated Mercedes badge on the hood to the carbon fiber interior accents to the perfectly symmetrical layout of the five round gauges on the instrument panel. This is a car I could happily drive every day.
- Amy Skogstrom, Managing Editor

Even though this car has a four-cylinder engine, the driving experience is not all that different than our recently departed V-6-powered Four Seasons Q5, in that it handles more like a sedan than like a tall crossover. It's missing the $3000 MMI Navigation package, but that's the price you pay for keeping the cost below $40,000, which is pretty darn good for an upscale crossover. One other thing you sacrifice when you forgo the nav package is the radio on/off switch located on the center console, a feature I really like. On the plus side, the transmission in this Q5 has two extra gears.