Skip to main content

Nissan’s Rogue One Star Wars Edition will take you to a galaxy far, far away

When Disney announced the name of its latest Star Wars prequel, you can bet the marketing people at Nissan were happy. Because if you’re a car company that sells an SUV called the Rogue, a movie called Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is just too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Nissan has already launched Star Wars-themed commercials featuring the Rogue, and at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show, it launched a special edition of the SUV tied in with the new movie as well. The 2017 Nissan Rogue: Rogue One Star Wars Limited Edition doesn’t have a hyperdrive or photon torpedoes, although it was escorted onto the L.A. show floor by stormtroopers.

Recommended Videos

Nissan claims this special-edition Rogue is the first production vehicle ever to incorporate Star Wars branding (although not the first time a carmaker has done a Star Wars promotion), which isn’t surprising, as it’s hard to imagine Darth Vader driving around in an SUV. The special edition is based on the Rogue SV trim level, with the Sun and Sound Touring Package (it includes a Bose audio system and panoramic moonroof). The Star Wars elements mostly come in the form of badges and logos.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

On the outside, the Rogue gets some blacked-out trim, “Rebel Alliance” and “Galactic Empire” decals, and Rogue One badging referencing the latest movie on the front doors. The door kick plates have an illuminated Star Wars logo, while the interior features still more “Rebel Alliance” and “Galactic Empire” badging, plus ambient lighting. Each car also comes with a full-size replica Death Trooper helmet, which you probably shouldn’t wear while driving.

Like all Rogue models, the Star Wars edition uses a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine and continuously-variable transmission (CVT), with standard front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive. The engine produces 170 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. When it comes to speed, the Rogue is no Millennium Falcon, although it’s probably a bit more comfortable to ride in. Nissan is adding a Rogue Hybrid model for 2017, but the Star Wars edition is only available in non-hybrid form.

The Rogue One Star Wars Limited Edition package retails for $1,990. Only 5,400 copies will be made, with 5,000 going to the U.S., and 400 going to Canada. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters December 16.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
This tiny electric truck could be the most affordable yet
Telo MT1 on the beach

Electric trucks are becoming more common, as we've seen an increase from the two or three models that were available a year ago. But they’re still not cheap, and still all pretty large. So what do you do if you want an electric truck that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg? Well, the Telo MT1 might be for you.

To be clear, the MT1 certainly won’t be for everyone. Its look is … unique, and it’s not as powerful as some of its more expensive competition. But, there is a benefit to the new truck — it will apparently start at only $41,000.

Read more
Hybrid vehicle sales reach U.S. record, but EV sales drop in third quarter
Tesla Cybertruck

The share of electric and hybrid vehicle sales continued to grow in the U.S. in the third quarter, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported this month.

Taken together, sales of purely electric vehicles (EVs), hybrids, and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) represented 19.6% of total light-duty vehicle (LDV) sales last quarter, up from 19.1% in the second quarter.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 vs. Rivian R1S: Should you spend more?
Hyundai Ioniq 9 driving

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 is finally set to roll out in the near future, with Hyundai claiming that it’ll launch the vehicle in the first half of 2025. But the electric SUV has some tough competition ahead of it. Sure, it has to compete with the Kia EV9, but it also has to compete with a more expensive, more premium electric SUV, in the form of the Rivian R1S, which is now in its second generation.

Perhaps we should get this out of the way right now — the Rivian R1S is likely a better vehicle than the Ioniq 9 will be, though to be fair, we haven’t tested the Ioniq 9 just yet. But how much better is it? Is it worth the extra cash?
Design
The designs of these vehicles is pretty different. They both look like SUVs, with large, blocky bodies. But while the Rivian R1S is a little blockier, the Ioniq 9 has a slightly more curved roofline and sculpted sides.

Read more