No, no, this definatley is not how the car should operate. The CVT is a little different but basically there is nothing about it's operation that should alarm you. If your wife is alarmed, and she's driven a lot in the past, then I would say there's definately a problem.

I'd suggest going for a drive with her and see if you can notice the problem, then make sure you have a very clear description including when the problem occurs (all the time, or intermittently), and take that car back to the dealer. They'll be able to diagnose it and repair it provided you can give a good description for them to start from.

The Rogue CVT tranny is geared for efficiency and as suck will select a high gearing under low-load conditions i.e. around town on a flat road with very little throttle by the driver. But the CVT is VERY responsive, the moment you press down the on the throttle even a little extra, it will select a lower gear ratio, the rpms will raise and you'll get instant additional power. And if you run into resistence from a hill, it will instantly sense this and gear down just enough to get up easily - very smooth and seamless.

Your operation is NOT normal, if the car feels messed up then it most likely is and your warranty should kick in to help you. Good luck.