Nissan Rogue vs. Honda CR-V: What’s The Difference?
Nissan Rogue by Kevauto — CC-BY-SA-4.0
Compact crossover SUVs are some of the best-selling vehicles in the market. That’s especially true for Japanese car manufacturers Nissan and Honda. Arguably, the two powerhouses in the compact crossover segments are the Nissan Rogue and Honda CR-V.
Nissan Rogue vs. Honda CR-V, which compact crossover is better? What are their differences?
Today, we have another head-to-head comparison of super popular compact SUVs, the Nissan Rogue vs. Honda CR-V. For this comparison, we’ll take a look at the 2021 Nissan Rogue and 2021 Honda CR-V.
Exterior Design
Nissan opted for bolder exterior styling, but the redux itself leans towards the conservative side. One of the new standout elements of the 2021 Rogue is the boldly styled front end with the redesigned V-Motion grille. Many critics and customers have found this change to be polarizing, but for sure, you can’t accuse the Rogue of being less expressive.
Additionally, the Rogue’s “U-shape” body side and brand-new headlights provide an interesting heavily-stylized look. The rest of the crossover’s exterior design is unsurprisingly conventional, with elements like the signature floating roof, rounded wheel arches that house up to 19-inch alloy wheels, and rear roof spoilers. Compared to its previous iterations, the 2021 Rogue is the most stylish of the bunch yet.
In terms of exterior design, the 2021 Honda CR-V plays it right down to the middle. The 2021 CR-V looks neat and just downright inoffensive. Although the CR-V did receive a facelift last year, the 2021 version remains typically Honda with its presentation. The 2021 CR-V’s exterior looks more integrated when compared to the Rogue.
While the CR-V lacks styling gimmicks, it does have some interesting optional features to offer, such as the power moonroof, LED fog lights, and rear privacy glass. Wheel sizes are available from 17 to 19-inch machine-finished alloy.
Between the two, the Rogue looks more striking, thanks to its bolder design choices.
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Performance and Fuel Economy
All non-hybrid CR-V models are equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that cranks out 190 hp and 179 lb-ft of torque. The powertrain is exclusively paired to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and the pairing works great, providing brisk and smooth acceleration. Based on some tests, the 2021 CR-V has an acceleration speed of 7.5 seconds to reach 0-60 mph.
Hybrid CR-V models are powered by a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated powertrain coupled with an electric motor, capable of delivering 212 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque. Like the gas-powered versions, the hybrid models have a CVT gearbox.
The CR-V’s powertrain isn’t the most powerful in the segment, but for meeting the performance needs of the average compact SUV user, it’s more than enough. It truly shines when you’re driving at low to medium speeds, and the transmission ensures smooth progress.
On the flip side, the 2021 Nissan Rogue 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is capable of delivering 181 hp 181 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired with a CVT transmission with paddle shifters and front-wheel drive as standard.
The Rogue’s performance perfectly encapsulates the word “acceptable.” It offers a fun and zippy ride around town, and thanks to the stiffer chassis with a multi-link rear suspension, the CR-V feels more agile compared to the CR-V.
As you can see performance-wise, the CR-V wins hands down, especially if you get the hybrid version.
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The Rogue’s fuel economy is rated 27 mpg/city and 35 mpg/highway for FWD, and 26 mpg/city and 33 mpg/highway for AWD. Meanwhile, the FWD model of the CR-V is rated at 28 mpg/city and 34 mpg/highway, and 27 mpg/city and 32 mpg/highway for AWD.
Interior and Cargo Space
The 2021 CR-V may not look much on the outside, but it more than makes up with its solid interior. The CR-V’s interior boasts a familiar but thoughtful design, and it certainly feels like it can take a beating. As expected, higher trims feature nicer materials for a more elegant ambiance, but you can certainly spot some hard plastics in the lower areas.
With 41.3 inches of front legroom and 40.4 inches in the rear, the 2021 CR-V comfortably seats five people - even taller folks should have no problem getting comfortable. Behind the second-row is the 39.2 cu-ft trunk space, which is good enough to store ten carry-on luggage. Cargo space utility increases to 75.8 cu-ft with the second-row rear seats folded.
The 2021 Rogue also accommodates five passengers across two rows in relative comfort. One of the standout interior features of the Rogue is its NASA-inspired “Zero Gravity” seats. They have the right shape, padding, and amount of support. Plus, the Rogue sports a plushier interior between the two with its high-quality materials and heads-up display layout.
Passenger space is solid all-around with the Rogue with 41.5 inches front legroom and 38.5 inches in the rear. Cargo space is rated at 31.6 cu-ft for the base trim and a sizable 36.5 cu-ft for the SL and Platinum models. So while the Rogue’s interior legroom is comparable to the CR-V, cargo space is a different story. You need the higher-end Rogue models to have a comparable cargo space to the CR-V.
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Infotainment and Safety Features
The 2021 Nissan Rogue comes with an 8.0-inch infotainment screen that supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integrations. On higher trims, the display is bumped to a large 9.0-inch touchscreen that includes wireless phone mirroring. On top of that, the infotainment system looks crisp and has a snappy performance. Optional features such as in-dash navigation and a Bose stereo system are also available to sweeten your in-car entertainment experience.
Also, the Rogue has snagged the Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) - the highest award they can give to the safest vehicles in the market. The 2021 Rogue also boasts nearly all of Nissan’s driver-assist features like intelligent forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and more.
Meanwhile, the 2021 Honda CR-V’s 5.0 and 7.0-inch LCD screens just can’t hold a candle to the Rogue’s infotainment system. The CR-V is one of the oldest lineups, and it sorely needs an update to its in-car entertainment tech. However, it does have Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto support, and the Touring trim adds niceties like wireless charging and navigation.
Safety-wise, the Honda CR-V missed out on the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ award, but it did have a full five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety features include auto high beams, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control.
Nissan Rogue vs. Honda CR-V: Which Compact SUV is Superior?
Let’s cap this Nissan Rogue vs. Honda CR-V showdown with their pricing. The base price for the Rogue is around $27,000, while the CR-V starts at $26,575.
This was such a close comparison of compact crossovers. Nissan has outdone itself with the 2021 Rogue for its excellent safety rating, plushy interior, and top-notch infotainment. On the other hand, the 2021 CR-V is exactly what you can expect from this classic compact SUV: solid performance, superior cargo space, and a successful hybrid model.
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