2021 Nissan Rogue Road Test and Review

2021 Nissan Rogue ・ Photo by Nissan

Compact crossover SUVs are popular for many reasons. Compared to a traditional car, they carry more cargo, offer all-wheel drive for foul weather, sit higher for a better view out, and are easier to enter and exit. Even when equipped with all of the extras, they don’t cost more than a loaded-up mid-size sedan. The main downside to buying a crossover is fuel economy — in comparison to a car.

Enter the redesigned 2021 Nissan Rogue, which has what it takes to succeed in the segment. The Rogue is already popular; in 2019, it was the third-best-selling vehicle in America aside from pickup trucks. Now, all-new from the tire contact patches to the roof, the 2021 Rogue will undoubtedly continue to dominate most of its competitors in terms of sales. And if it doesn’t, it certainly won’t be any fault of the vehicle itself.

2021 Nissan Rogue Prices and Configurations

Nissan keeps it simple when you go shopping for a new 2021 Rogue. There are four trim levels, each available with standard front-wheel or optional all-wheel drive. The Rogue S is the entry-level model, the SV is the popularly equipped model, the SL is the slightly upscale model, and the Platinum is the new luxurious and technologically sophisticated model.

Both the SV and SL are available with a Premium Package, each containing different items depending on the trim level. Base prices for the 2021 Nissan Rogue run from $26,745 to $36,525, including the $1,095 destination charge to ship the SUV from its Smyrna, Tennessee assembly plant to your local dealership. For this review, we spent several hours driving a 2021 Rogue SL with front-wheel drive. The test vehicle had the optional Premium Package and floor mats, a cargo area protection package, and extra-cost paint. Its window sticker came to $35,195, with the destination charge. 

Photo by Nissan

Good Looks, Plush Platinum Interior

Balanced proportions, chiseled design, and just the right amount of SUV cladding make the new Rogue Nissan’s most appealing SUV. Painted windshield pillars provide a floating-roof effect, while an optional black-painted roof adds a custom appearance.

Nissan constructs the new Rogue’s cabin with high-quality materials. The Rogue SL has leather, soft-touch surfaces where you’re likely to come into contact with the interior, appealing simulated wood trim, and cloth material wrapped around the windshield pillars. However, the new Rogue Platinum delves into luxury territory with its semi-aniline premium leather, contrast stitching, and ambient cabin lighting. Overall, the Rogue boasts a clean, logical control layout, and the new electronic shifter is easy to use. The Platinum has an exclusive 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a 10.8-inch head-up display. Storage is practical in utility if not generous in size, from door pockets designed to hold 32-ounce water bottles to a floor tray located under the center console. A butterfly-style center console armrest provides easier access to what’s inside the bin beneath it.

Photo by Nissan

Comfortable Seats, Generous Cargo Capacity

Thanks to Zero Gravity seat designs, which try to replicate a person’s neutral spine position when floating weightlessly in space, the new Rogue’s seats are mighty comfortable. Nissan also improves back seat space, and new LATCH anchors for the center position allow for three-across child safety seat mounting. Rear doors open to nearly a 90-degree angle, making it easier to load kids and grown-ups alike.

Depending on the version, the 2021 Rogue has cloth, simulated leather, real leather, or premium leather upholstery. Heated front and rear seats are available, as well as a heated steering wheel. Rear-seat occupants get air conditioning vents, and both a triple-zone automatic climate control system and rear side window shades are available to help passengers keep their cool. A Divide-N-Hide cargo management system is standard with the SL and Platinum trims. With it, the Rogue offers up to 36.5 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seat. Without it, the S and SV offer 31.6 cubic feet. Fold the back seat down, and the maximum amount for all models measures 74.1 cubic feet.

Photo by Nissan

High-Tech Infotainment Systems

Nissan installs a fully-featured infotainment system in the most basic of new Rogues. It includes an 8-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Nissan Concierge Personal Assistant is also standard and free for the first six months of ownership.

Moving up to the SV and SL, the Rogue adds brief free trial periods of NissanConnect Services. Highlights include features like automatic collision notification, SOS emergency assistance, a car finder function, and alerts when the Rogue exceeds a certain speed, a driver is out past curfew, and the SUV travels beyond specific boundaries. It also powers remote functions, such as starting the engine from the comfort of your home and letting the Rogue warm up before driving it. Get the SL Premium Package or buy the Rogue Platinum, and Nissan equips the SUV with an even better setup. It has a larger 9-inch touchscreen display, wireless Apple CarPlay, better voice recognition technology, and a door-to-door navigation system that continues guidance via a smartphone app if you must park far from your destination. A decent-sounding Bose premium audio system also comes with this version of the infotainment system.

Photo by Nissan

Safety Comes Standard

According to Nissan’s research, safety is of paramount importance to Rogue buyers. Therefore, the company has made a bunch of safety technology standard on the redesigned 2021 model.

The Rogue provides 10 airbags, a driver monitoring system, and a Rear Door Alert system that warns you to check the back seat before locking up and leaving. Also, Nissan says it is the first automaker to offer second-row pre-tensioning and load-limiting seatbelts in the compact crossover segment. Safety Shield 360 is also standard, equipping the Rogue with all of the most helpful driving assistance and collision avoidance technologies. Starting with the SV trim, the SUV also has ProPilot Assist, which pairs adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assistance. This year, it gets new camera and radar units for smoother and more accurate performance. In Rogues with navigation systems, it also uses map and GPS data to automatically slow for certain upcoming driving situations. Nissan also nearly doubles the amount of high-strength steel it uses in the Rogue’s underlying architecture and has designed the new version of the SUV to better deflect crash energy away from the cabin and its occupants.

Photo by Nissan

More Power, Please

Though the new Rogue uses a different engine, it sure seems much the same. The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder makes 181 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, the latter available at a relatively low 3,600 rpm.

A continuously variable transmission powers the front or all four wheels, and drivers can choose between Standard, Eco, and Sport driving modes. With all-wheel drive, the Rogue also comes with Snow and Off-Road modes. The CVT has programmed ratios to mimic a traditional automatic in terms of feel and sound, and Nissan optimistically provides paddle shifters. You’re unlikely to feel inspired to use them. In daily driving, this engine and transmission are acceptably responsive and refined. The CVT makes good use of the engine’s torque, though wide-open throttle acceleration for highway merges or passing on a two-lane road produces disappointment. What the 3,500-pound Rogue needs is the same optional turbocharged four-cylinder found under the hood of the Nissan Altima sedan. According to the EPA, the test vehicle should’ve returned 29 mpg in combined driving. We averaged 27.5 mpg.

Photo by Nissan

Impressive Driving Dynamics

With the added high-strength steel in the Rogue’s architecture, it feels more solid and secure on the road. The front strut and new rear multi-link suspension also helps in this regard, as do several brake-based technologies that work behind the scenes to make the Rogue feel more athletic in curves and corners, and smoother on bad pavement.

More noticeable, however, is the Rogue’s new rack-mounted rather than column-mounted electric steering assist. It has a quicker ratio, so it feels more responsive. It’s also located closer to where the rubber meets the road, providing added feel and feedback. The previous Rogue suffered from heavy, numb, and sloppy steering. This new 2021 Rogue does not. Aluminum wheels come standard on every new Rogue, sized between 17 inches and 19 inches in diameter. The bigger wheels look better, and their larger tires grip better. I found this Nissan agreeable to drive on winding mountain roads in a way the previous model never was. And if you get all-wheel drive, the Rogue’s 8.2 inches of ground clearance will aid and abet adventure-seeking.

Photo by Nissan

Unrelenting Competition in the Class

When you go shopping for a compact crossover SUV, there is no shortage of selection. You might have too many choices.

Nissan says the new Rogue’s primary competitors are the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4. It can’t match any of them in terms of engine power or fuel economy, and, if you’re ready to dip your toes into electric vehicle living, all three of these alternatives are also offered as hybrids and two are even available as plug-in hybrids. Nissan has some work to do on this front, even if it offers more feature content at lower price points. Additionally, the Rogue competes with a wide array of other compact crossover SUVs, including the Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Cherokee, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander, Subaru Forester, and Volkswagen Tiguan. Most of them distinguish themselves in positive ways.

Photo by Honda

Variety Is the Spice of SUV Life

With the redesigned 2021 Rogue, Nissan has improved the SUV in almost every way. It needs more power, but otherwise, it is an appealing choice in one of the broadest, most popular market segments in America.

Where the Rogue offers a clear benefit over its competition, aside from its genuinely attractive styling and its roomy and comfortable interior, is feature content for the money. Plus, the new Platinum trim level adds luxury features found on few of its competitors. However, more than half of its competitors offer turbocharged power, and several come with hybrid or plug-in hybrid options. Nissan needs to expand its powertrain offerings if it intends to retain its position near the top of the sales chart. Clearly, this game is Nissan’s to lose.

Photo by Nissan