Which Years Of Used Nissan Rogue Sports Are Most Reliable?
Nissan Rogue Sport by Kevauto - CC-BY-SA-4.0
Although Nissan isn’t the most popular car brand nowadays, the company still has a few best-sellers, including the Nissan Rogue. The Nissan Rogue has become a popular choice for many buyers because of its reputation for being reliable and durable, having good general utility and versatility, and providing a balance between cost and value. True enough, this value proposition is one of the biggest reasons for its popularity.
With the popularity of the Nissan Rogue, the Japanese manufacturer was compelled to launch a spinoff of its best-selling compact SUV. In 2018, Nissan launched the Rogue Sport, essentially a smaller, more compact version of the Rogue. Most notably, the Rogue Sport is generally less expensive than the standard Rogue, reflecting its smaller size and less powerful engine. Unfortunately, the Rogue Sport was discontinued in its last 2022 model.
THE NISSAN ROGUE SPORT YEARS TO AVOID
Today, we walk you through the Nissan Rogue Sport years to avoid, our reasons why you should avoid them, and which ones you can safely buy as used. Let’s dive right in.
Few options are available if you purchase a pre-owned Nissan Rogue Sport. The Rogue Sport had a short run between 2018 to 2022 models. In this guide, we’ll review the entire lineup and identify the most reliable Nissan Rogue Sport year and the ones to avoid altogether.
2017-2022 Nissan Rogue Sport
The Nissan Rogue Sport was initially designed to appeal to younger car buyers. It was supposed to bridge the gap between the Nissan Juke and the standard Rogue. The Rogue Sport is a compact and nimble SUV, which makes it easy to maneuver and park in tight urban environments. However, its performance left much to be desired, and some drivers feel it’s underpowered for highway driving or full passenger loads.
Despite being a decent enough compact SUV, the Nissan Rogue Sport was discontinued in its 2022 model year as the company shifted its focus on its core models and segments.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP
The CoPilot car shopping app is the smartest way to buy a car. Get a curated list of the best cars for sale in your area, as well as notifications if a similar vehicle is listed nearby at a lower price. CoPilot is the smartest way to shop for used cars.
Avoid: 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport
As the saying goes, “Never buy a car in its first year of production.” Any new product, including vehicles, may have unforeseen issues not caught during testing. These can range from minor annoyances, like an infotainment system glitch, to more serious mechanical problems. That’s certainly the case with the 2018 Rogue Sport.
As per CarComplaints, the 2017 Rogue Sport has 57 complaints and one recall. Meanwhile, Consumer Reports rated this model with a dismal 1.0 out of 5.0 score in reliability. The main reason you should avoid this model year is its faulty CVT transmission. Nissan vehicles from the 2000s to 2010s were outfitted with Nissan’s Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), like those of many manufacturers, which has faced some criticism and reliability concerns. The faulty transmission fiasco eventually led to a recall.
Avoid the 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport if you don’t want to deal with its faulty CVT transmission.
Avoid: 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport
If you’re looking for the most reliable Nissan Rogue Sport year, you must keep looking because the 2018 model year is not it. According to CarComplaints, the 2018 Rogue Sport received more complaints than the previous debut model, with 83 reports and two recalls.
Unfortunately, the 2018 model also struggled with the aforementioned faulty CVT transmission. Nissan’s CVT transmission had serious, deal-breaking issues, from overheating to abnormally high RPMs to premature failure. An NHTSA report claimed that the transmission was diagnosed by a Nissan dealership as a transmission failure before reaching 70,000 miles. The dealer quoted a minimum cost of $5,500 to replace the transmission.
In addition, this model also had a problematic Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) feature. This advanced driver-assistance feature had received complaints about false warnings, unprompted activation, and overly sensitive sensors. Most complaints revolved around unprompted activation, where the system might suddenly activate and apply the brakes unexpectedly. This could lead to unsafe situations, particularly at high speeds on busy roads or highways.
Buy: 2019 Nissan Rogue Sport
It took two years, but Nissan has finally launched a relatively good version of the Rogue Sport. If you think the Kicks is too small and the standard Rogue too big, the 2019 Nissan Rogue Sport is worth checking out.
The 2019 Rogue Sport earned high accolades for its reliability, securing a stellar 5.0 out of 5.0 rating from Consumer Reports. It demonstrated strong performance across several key areas, including the engine, drive system, transmission, suspension, brakes, and body hardware. However, the SUV did falter in some areas, with the climate system and in-car electronics receiving a less impressive 1.0 out of 5.0 rating.
Simultaneously, J.D. Power provided a robust overall consumer-verified score of 82 out of 100 for the 2019 Rogue Sport. Although it didn’t specify a reliability score, the SUV garnered an overall “Great” rating – which strongly suggests a satisfying ownership experience. It’s easily the most reliable Nissan Rogue Sport year you can buy as used.
THE BEST USED MINIVANS ON THE MARKET
When it comes to hauling a lot of people and cargo, the minivan is hard to beat. We’ve factored in reliability, affordability, and functionality to create this curated list of the 8 best used minivans on the market today.
Buy: 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport
The 2020 model is another worthy candidate for the most reliable Nissan Rogue Sport year. Despite its modest dimensions, the SUV offers ample interior space, rivaling larger models in its class. It also boasts a rich array of standard tech features, including a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, and satellite radio.
Though not the top contender in fuel efficiency, the Rogue Sport still demonstrates solid performance with ratings of 25 MPG city and 32 MPG highway, making it a cost-effective choice at the fuel pump.
In terms of reliability, the 2020 Rogue Sport received a favorable reliability score of 4.0 out of 5.0
from Consumer Reports, with many major trouble spots in green. It did struggle in some categories, including the paint/trim and noises/leaks.
THE BEST CARS FOR SNOW
Winter driving impacts young and experienced drivers alike. We’ve compiled a list of the best cars for snow, so you can get from Point A to Point B as safely as possible.
J.D. Power’s review further reinforces the Rogue Sport’s reputation for reliability. The compact SUV received an impressive overall score of 85 out of 100, with an equal score in the Quality & Reliability category, underscoring the vehicle’s dependability and high standards.
In summary, the 2020 Rogue Sport stands out as one of the finest versions of this spinoff SUV. With an average used market price hovering around $17,000, it’s an attractive proposition for buyers seeking value without compromising quality.
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You
The CoPilot car shopping app is the easiest way to buy a car. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area to make you a personalized list of the best car listings in your area.
Only looking for newer models? CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars. Only see cars five years or newer with low mileage — CoPilot Compare is the best way to find off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO cars.
The best part? CoPilot is built using the same technology that dealerships use to buy and sell their inventories, so we have more info on each vehicle than competitors. CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no sponsored posts or other shady practices — just the most info on the best cars. Check out our About Us page to see how CoPilot works.
