Nissan Rogue Pros And Cons: What To Know When Weighing Your Decision
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It takes a lot to succeed in the ever-saturated compact crossover SUV segment. It’s no easy feat, especially when competing with enormously popular SUVs like Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, and Chevy Equinox. However, Nissan has managed to stand out in the crossover market with its best-selling SUV, the Rogue.
Bringing a combination of style, comfort, utility, and one hell of a value proposition, the Nissan Rogue brings premium quality and feel to the mainstream. However, it’s far from the perfect crossover. Some of the common criticisms about various Rogue models include an underpowered powertrain, noisy cabin, and mediocre driving dynamics.
We’ll check out the Nissan Rogue’s pros and cons for today’s post. What makes this crossover a worthy purchase for car shoppers? What are the factors that may turn off potential buyers? Let’s get to it!
What We Love About the Nissan Rogue
To begin this list of the Nissan Rogue’s pros and cons, here are the positive things most buyers would appreciate.
Attractive Styling
These days, many crossover SUVs look practically like a copy of each other – which is not too far-fetched with such a saturated niche. The Nissan Rogue manages to stand out with its bold and striking design. The aggressive V-Motion grille and signature floating roof give the Rogue an instantly recognizable look. Moreover, the signature rear LED taillights, and the unique “U Shaped” body style add much personality to the Rogue.
The Rogue’s exterior styling may not be for everyone, but it’s hard to deny that this SUV offers a distinct look.
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Sharp Handling
Due to its size, the Rogue is a breeze to maneuver. Critics and customers alike have praised the Rogue’s agile handling and improved cornering. For sure, you won’t have a tough time squeezing in the Rogue in a tight and crowded parking lot. Gone are the nose-heavy reflexes present in the previous generations of Rogue.
Starting with the 2021 Rogue, the SUV offered a sharper handling and a more surefooted feel.
Posh and Spacious Interior
Over the years, Nissan has been on a mission to upscale the Rogue’s interior – and for the most part, the company has succeeded. The Rogue’s cabin layout and design are equal parts functional, sophisticated, and intuitive. From soft-touch materials to high-tech features (e.g., an expansive heads-up display), the Rogue’s cabin sure is a nice place to be in.
In addition, the Rogue offers generous space for passengers, with 41.5 inches of front legroom and 38.5 inches of rear legroom. The cargo behind the second row provides 36.5 cubic feet of space, expanding to 74 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded down.
Comprehensive Safety Features
Nissan has truly upped its game in vehicle safety, and that’s evident with the Rogue’s advanced and standard safety features. All Rogue trims benefit from standard driver-assist technologies such as automatic rear braking, auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and a driver alertness system.
On top of the standard safety features, the Rogue also offers a wide array of available technologies like adaptive cruise control, a traffic sign detector, and a 360-degree monitor.
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Five Drive Modes
Thanks to its several drive modes, the Nissan Rogue is almost a go-anywhere crossover. By default, the Rogue has three drive modes: Standard, Eco, and Sport. The Standard mode should be most drivers’ bread and butter, ideal for cutting and thrusting through traffic. You also receive the Off-Road and Snow modes if you have the all-wheel model.
The Sport mode should offer a better throttle response but probably won’t inspire anyone to a racing career. Conversely, the Eco mode softens the throttle response but is still manageable.
What We Don’t Like About the Nissan Rogue
We continue with this Nissan Rogue pros and cons guide with the negatives.
No Powertrain Options
For years, the Rogue has been powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder mated to a CVT transmission. This setup produces 181 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque which can be underwhelming for those looking for a perkier powertrain. And this is one of the main problems of the Rogue; it drives similar to its previous versions with only incremental improvements.
Fortunately, with the 2022 Rogue, Nissan finally retired the old 2.5L engine in favor of a new turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder that offers 201 horses. Although initial tests claim that it’s more energetic, it does require you to buy the latest Rogue crossover.
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No Hybrid Engine
The Nissan Rogue boasts excellent fuel efficiency. With the latest 2022 model, you may expect up to 33 mpg combined, which can be attributed to the smaller but more powerful turbocharged engine. While this is terrific news, especially with rising fuel costs, it’s no hybrid numbers. It’s pretty baffling that Nissan would hold out on a hybrid Rogue model when it’s their best seller.
This won’t be too much of an issue if rivals Toyota and Honda haven’t released their hybridized crossovers ages ago. It’s as if they’re not playing catch-up but not playing ball at all.
Noisy Cabin
Many of the older Nissan Rogues struggle with cabin noise. Drivers have repeatedly complained about too much wind and road noise making their way into the cabin. Plus, it doesn’t help that the older powertrains of the Rogue were noisy as well. Again, many of Rogue’s rivals are better insulated from road noise.
Should You Buy a Nissan Rogue?
This wraps up our guide on the Nissan Rogue’s pros and cons. So is it worth buying a Rogue crossover SUV?
The Nissan Rogue was described as a box-checker, which is valid up to the newest model. It offers a perfect size, good handling, and tons of tech and safety features. Overall, the Rogue provides tremendous value, crucial in this very competitive segment.
On its own, the Nissan Rogue offers the best of many worlds and is an excellent buy. Conversely, it does have several drawbacks, like the old, underpowered engine, and the lack of hybrid options will quickly turn away some shoppers. However, we recommend checking out what the competition has to offer and making your decision after.
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