The 2017 Nissan Rogue upgrades last year’s model with extensive enhancements, including an optional new hybrid powertrain, updated exterior styling, a refined interior and advanced safety, security, connectivity and driving aid features.

This year’s nuances include revised available optional equipment packages with new content as well as three new ones – Sun and Sound Touring, Platinum and Platinum Reserve interior. In addition, other available packages include the Family Package, Appearance Package and Premium Package; all available on several trim levels.

Rogue embarked on its second generation in 2014 and improves on the theme this year -- a fact that is not lost on automotive judges. Cars.com selected the redesigned crossover as its “2017 Family Car of the Year.” Rogue has also been named a 2017 Consumer Guide® Automotive Best Buy Award winner and The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the 2017 Rogue a "Top Safety Pick Plus" (TSP+) vehicle safety rating.

Rogue’s updated exterior styling features designed to enhance Rogue's robust, dynamic presence. They include a new front fascia with integrated fog lamps, bumper, Nissan signature “V-Motion” grille and revised headlights with LED signature daytime running lights. In the rear, a new bumper and revised rear combination lamps with LED boomerang signature taillights have been added, while new chrome-trim side door moldings complete the freshened appearance.

With mid-size crossover dimensions, Rogue measures 184.5 inches long; 72.4 inches wide and 66.6 inches high on a 106.5-inch wheelbase. Minimum ground clearance is 8.2 inches (AWD) and curbweight for the AWD in SV trim is 3554 lbs.

Rogue’s refined interior is enhanced with a new D-shaped steering wheel and leather-booted sport-mode shifter, available heated steering wheel, memory for driver's seats and mirror, and remote engine start. New design features include tweaked door and instrument panel finishers, fresh shift knob design, revised center console and console lid and fashionable seat fabric. The result is a more premium look and feel.

While thick rear roof pillars create a large blindspot, and the side curtain airbags limit headroom for second-row passengers, Rogue’s cabin is spacious for a midsize SUV at 41.6 inches of front headroom, 38.5 inches in row two and 34.6 in row three, meaning the third row is best left for small children. Interior legroom is roomy in front at 43.0 inches for row one, comfortable in row two at 37.9 inches and a child-friendly 31.4 for row three. Shoulder room is 56.6 in row one and 55.9 and 49.3 in rows two and three, and Rogue offers 32-cubic-feet of cargo area.

Rogue’s standard power source remains its 170-horsepower, 175 lbs.-ft. of torque, transverse 2.5-liter inline-4-cylinder DOHC engine, mated to an Xtronic CVT® (Continuously Variable Transmission) with standard Sport Mode and Eco switches. With an EPA rating of 25/city, 32/highway and 28/overall, my week of mixed-use testing yielded an average of 26.7mpg. On the road, acceleration is sluggish, but steady. Uphill grades and passing at speed require strategy and perseverance, and the electric power-assisted power assisted rack-and-pinion steering was often heavy. On the track, the 0-60mph time was 9.1 seconds, and a quarter-mile was a 17.3-second journey.

The optional hybrid is rated at 141 hp and 144 lbs.-ft. of torque and a total system output of 176 hp, and a 31mpg/city, 34mpg/highway and 33mpg/overall rating.

Earning top marks in safety, Rogue Safety Shield technologies include radar-based Blind Spot Warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Rogue is also available for the first time with Lane Departure Warning and Lane Departure Prevention. New this year are Intelligent Cruise Control and Forward Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection. Additionally, Rogue is constructed with zone body construction with front and rear crumple zones; energy-absorbing steering column; hood-buckling creases and safety stops; body side reinforcements; shift interlock system; vehicle security system; vehicle dynamic control and traction control system.

The 2017 Nissan Rogue starts at $23,820 for the base S trim in FWD and $25,170 for AWD. The SV with all-wheel-drive started at $26,590. The SV trim adds 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, Nissan Intelligent Key® with push button ignition, blind spot warning , rear cross traffic alert, dual zone automatic temperature control and a 6-way power driver's seat to the base S. The upper-scale Rogue SL I tested starts at $31,310 in AWD and gains a Motion Activated Liftgate; NissanConnect℠ with Navigation, Mobile Apps, and Services; Around View® Monitor with Moving Object Detection and Leather-appointed seats. The SV Hybrid starts at $27,590 with the SL Hybrid basing at $32,510.

My Monarch Orange test 2017 Rogue SL (premium color that added $395) added a power panoramic moonroof and Forward Emergency Braking for $2020 with the SL Premium Package. The SL Platinum Package, for $770, added 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Departure Prevention, Intelligent Cruise control and Forward Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection. The standard Charcoal Leather seats were upgraded to a Premium Tan-appointed seating look with special quilted leather inserts as part of the Platinum Reserve Interior Package, for $250. Four splash guards added $160; roof rail crossbars were $355 and a chrome rear bumper protector was $155. Adding destination charges of $940, my 2017 Rogue SL-as-tested came in at $36,355.

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

Carlisle Auctions has been moving cars across central Florida auction blocks for half a decade and following its most recent offering as part of Winter AutoFest in Lakeland, results show that the Carlisle Auctions brand and its widely popular events are here to stay! For two days, February 24-25 at the SUN n’ FUN Campus, a small army of Carlisle Auctions’ staffers played host to over 400 classics and thousands of enthusiasts. The auction, as has been the case with EVERY Carlisle Auction, not just those in Florida, was a smashing success.

The auction commenced just after 10 a.m. on Friday the 24th with the first of what appeared to be nearly 100 years of automotive history crossing the block. In addition to classic cars and trucks, merchandise and memorabilia were made available too. As the transactions keep the auction team and bidders busy, the day 1 high seller brought in $42,800. This top ride was a 1935 Auburn Boat Tail Speedster replica and was ultimately the 5th highest selling car of the entire weekend.

As Friday transitioned into Saturday, the auction’s heavy hitting consignments made their way into the arena. Top selling cars included a 1936 Auburn 850Y Supercharged Convertible ($107,800), 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat ($56,800), 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe ($51,200) and a 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible ($51,300). Of those four, plus the previously referenced Speedster, the top five cars totaled $309,900. All sales totals include applicable fees.

One of the best parts about the auction overall wasn’t the fact that over 400 cars crossed the block or even the nearly $3 million in sales, it was the increased bidder totals. While anyone who registers to consign with Carlisle Auctions is also granted a bidder pass, hundreds more paid $100 each to be part of the fun and take their chance at owning their first or next classic car. This enthusiasm assured that the 2017 Winter AutoFest auction was the best-ever from a participation stand point and ranks within the top 5 all-time for Carlisle Auctions within the Sunshine State.

With the Winter AutoFest auction in the bag, Carlisle Auctions turns its attention to its first Pennsylvania based auction of 2017. The Carlisle Auctions team is back in action for three jam packed days at the Carlisle Expo Center as part of Spring Carlisle. The newly expanded three-day offering runs April 20-22 and the ability to register as a bidder or consign a car to the auction is available now. Complete details on how to get involved, plus full auction results from Winter AutoFest can be found at www.CarlisleAuctions.com or by calling 717-960-6400.

Mitsubishi’s top-selling vehicle is the Outlander, a small crossover for soft-road and around-town utility. Outlander represents Mitsubishi’s attention to an all-season vehicle with good fuel economy and compact size. Carrying the Outlander badge, but in a smaller, sportier and more affordable configuration, the Outlander Sport, debuted in 2011, and has earned its own following.

Outlander Sport remains mostly untouched for 2017. Sport powered up last year with the introduction of a larger and more muscular engine, a 2.4-liter MIVEC 4-cylinder engine that delivers 168 horsepower and 167 lbs.-ft. of torque to join its economical 2.0-liter offering, and those power trains remain intact for 2017. Additionally, following the 2016 additions of Outlander Sport’s “Dynamic Shield” front design concept, 18-inch alloy wheel design and lip wheel moldings, and power folding side door mirrors with turn indicator lamps that contribute to the sleek new architecture, and various cabin and infotainment enhancements, the 2017 editions stands pretty well pat and gains a standard shark fin antenna, standard automatic climate control and upgraded interior seat fabric.

Outlander Sport is rounded and aggressively forward-leaning, utilizing an aerodynamic, low-drag body design with a clean, sloping demeanor, a short hood, raked windshield, angular corners and the “Dynamic Shield” grille bisected horizontally by a thick black centerpiece. Side action lines are sculpted in and the rear employs a front-focused stance.

The 2017 Outlander Sport in GT configuration (as was my test drive) is light at 3285 lbs. (curbweight with the 2.4 engine and AWD) and measures 171.5 inches long, 71.3 inches wide and 64.8 inches high on a 105.1-inch wheelbase. Ground clearance is 8.5 inches,

Sport power comes from either a 2.0-liter engine that provides 148 horses and 145 lbs.-ft. of torque, with an estimated 24 mpg city/31 mpg highway for 2WD models and 23 city/29 highway for AWD; or the 2.4-liter MIVEC 4-cylinder engine which is estimated 23/28 2WD and 22/27 AWD. Both engines are set up with a 5-speed manual or Sportronic® continuously-variable transmission.

My test ride, an Outlander Sport GT, was outfitted with the 2.4-liter powerplant that is less noisy than the smaller engine, but while quicker than the 2.0, it is not a fast accelerator. You get steady and predictable speed increases, and uphill grades are easily and successfully traveled, but passing at speed takes some strategy and track tests showed a plodding attack at 8.9 seconds for a zero-to-60mph run and a 17.0-second quarter-mile journey. A week of mixed-use tests on snowy and slick surfaces yielded an average of 24.2mpg.

Behind the wheel, there is a compact sedan feel rather than a sports-ute experience, though the electric power steering often lacked focus. Driving in town was fun, as Sport easily maneuvers into tight spaces and around obstacles, making it better suited for urban than off-road scenarios -- Sport is more pleasant and friendly than it is rugged. The MacPherson front struts with stabilizer bar and multi-link rear with stabilizer bar deftly leveled minor road and highway bumps and gave good road feel, but soft-road seemed about its upper level.

The Outlander Sport cabin is driver and passenger friendly and is brimming with expected tech and infotainment. With the Panoramic Roof above, the interior provides 39.4 inches of front headroom with 37.9 inches for row two. Legroom is comfortable up front at 41.6 inches up front, but tighter in the rear at 36.3 inches. Shoulder room is 56.2 inches in row one and 55.5 inches for the rear seats.

In addition to the plethora of standard cabin amenities across all trims, my Sport GT came standard with a 6.1-inch Touch panel display audio system, 140-watt AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with 6 speakers, SiriusXM® Satellite Radio with 3-month subscription, Digital HD Radio®, FUSE Hands-free Link System® with Bluetooth® technology, USB port, and steering wheel controls, Color Multi-Information Display, Rearview camera system, FAST-key passive entry system with panic feature, One-touch Start/Stop engine switch, automatic air conditioning climate control, heated driver and front passenger seats and much more.

For comparison, the full-size 2017 Outlander starts at $22,995 for the ES trim and tops at (before options and add-ons) at $30,995 in GT trim. The smaller 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport starts at $19,595 for the 2WD ES 2.0 trim with a 5-speed manual transmission, while the automatic version bases at $20,795. All-wheel drive takes the base 2.0 to $22,195. With 11 trim levels offered across the Sport line-up, the 2.4 engine model begins at $22,495 in manual 2WD and tops at $25,395 for the 2.4 Sport in all-wheel-drive automatic. Moving up to the GT 2.4, pricing starts at $25,995 for 2WD, automatic while the GT 2.4 I tested in all-wheel-drive and standard black leather interior starts at $27,395.

The Navigation Package added $1800; The All-Weather Package 2 added remote engine start and front and rear mudguards for $595; the Exterior Package added $515, for a large rear spoiler, alloy fuel door and front and rear undercovers; the Interior Package added $200 for Piano Black gear shift panel and black leather/aluminum gear shift knob; Rear Park Assist Sensor Package added $350; and Destination and Handling added $895 for a sticker-as-tested of $31,750.

Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

50! It’s not just the number of states that make up the United States of America. 50 is also the anniversary milestone being celebrated in 2017 by the Camaro and Firebird. As part of this special celebration, Camaro Central & Firebird Central in association with Carlisle Events and the Carlisle Chevrolet Nationals are hosting a dual 50th Anniversary bash at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds June 23-25, 2017.

The weekend showcase doesn’t just tout some of the best from Chevy and Pontiac, it welcomes a top industry vendor in Camaro Central & Firebird Central as presenting sponsor of the celebration and displays. Speaking of displays, the show will offer a Camaro and Firebird display like no other ever put together. Featured will be a timeline display showcasing preserved and restored Camaros and Firebirds throughout the years, including the first ever Camaro! Also, showcased will be modified and custom builds such as Quality Custom Rides’ V12 Camaro owned by Mike Heim. Heim’s car stole the show at SEMA in the fall of 2016 and now it’s making the short trip from Lancaster, Pennsylvania to Carlisle to steal the show once more. Featured along with the modified builds and preserved vehicles will be a few Camaro and Firebird race cars including the Blue Maxi Camaro and a Players Challenge Camaro.

In addition, there will be Camaros and Firebirds in the always popular Solid Lifter Showroom. This display historically brings some top of the line vehicles to a special display in Building Y. SLS is made possible by the Super Car Workshop.

If showing is more of a priority than seeing, the National Parts Depot Showfield hosts more than 30 Camaro and Firebird clubs in attendance and offers an opportunity for Camaro and Firebird owners to share their passion as well.

Guests coming to Carlisle that have a need for speed can take their Camaro, Firebird or any other registered car for that matter to the autocross track or register for a 3-minute thrill of a lifetime as part of the burnout contest.

Finally, NHRA Hall of Famer Bruce Larson is back at Carlisle after a year away to offer Nitrofest to the thousands in attendance with Larson’s USA 1 Top Fuel racer.

All told, this year’s Carlisle Chevrolet Nationals promises to be better than ever, with guests and participants from far and wide. Between the midway, swap meet, car corral, adrenaline based activities and of course the great display of classic and modern show cars, what’s not to see?

Single day and weekend passes for Chevy weekend are available online now at www.CarlisleEvents.com. That web page is also THE source for complete event details, including links to register a show car, become a vendor and more. It all starts June 23 in Carlisle!

A Camaro by itself, one just off the assembly line, can offer its owner power, style and performance without much additional effort. These streetable rides are not uncommon on the National Parts Depot showfield at the Carlisle Chevrolet Nationals. Along with those daily drivers, the grounds have even more cars, Camaros or otherwise that have seen many an aftermarket upgrade. Basically, every car at Carlisle turns heads, but none will turn more heads than a special V12 Camaro that will be part of the indoor Building T display. That’s right, a 12-cylinder car is coming to Carlisle in June and for just the price of admission, it can be seen all weekend.

The V12 is owned by Mike Heim of Quality Custom Rides. Heim is a regionally local Pennsylvanian, and he is bringing the V12 to the Carlisle Chevrolet Nationals after a smashing debut at SEMA in the fall of 2016. While guests will want to see the entire car, the engine itself will be getting a bulk of the attention. This massive power source was designed by Matt and Shane Corish of V12LS.com. The Australian based team debuted this car with Mike at SEMA last fall and it stole the show; so much so that articles are still being written about it months later.

The first-gen Camaro has seen not only its engine bay modified to house the wicked V12, but the car itself has been chopped, its rockers shortened and floor moved up. Heim even diligently worked to add suicide doors and take over an inch out of the roof, giving the car a look not seen on an F-Body car in some time, if ever. All this engineering excellence will stand front and center June 23-25 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds and not only will the car be at Carlisle, so will Heim. Guests can see him, ask questions and pick his brain about the time, money and efforts that went into this car. And oh by the way, if any car lover happens to want one of their own, a production/short block version of the V12 will be available starting this year for around $35,000 per engine and a turn key version would see pricing determined by the specific build requests of the customer.

“I was approached by the V12LS guys looking for a car to put a V12LS motor in for a test mule,” said Heim. “The only car I had was my own Camaro that I was working on and since I own a shop, I don't get a lot of time to work on my own projects,” continued Heim. “This is a car I have had for almost 30 years now (the first car I ever bought) and the design that went into this project was one I drew up in 1991, but never had time to actually work on. This motor was the push I needed to get my butt in gear and finish it,” added Heim. “They came to my shop and saw the car and asked if we could get it to SEMA. That was December 2015 and we got it there by October 2016. Showing it to the public at Carlisle would be great during the 50th anniversary of the Camaro. I am a first-generation nut and the timing couldn't be more perfect!”

Single day and weekend passes for Chevy weekend are available online now at www.CarlisleEvents.com. That web page is also THE source for complete event details, including links to register a show car, become a vendor and more. It all starts June 23 in Carlisle!