2021 Nissan Rogue First Drive Review
All-new for 2021, Nissan has bestowed the Rogue with a combination of a sharp interior and even sharper tech.
Now in its third generation, the all-new 2021 Nissan Rogue sees a lot of upgrades and revisions in pretty much all areas, in an effort to continue the good fight against stalwart competitors, like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, amongst many others.
Visually, Rogue now sports a notably tougher, more trucky front end, with punched out front fenders and a boxy rear that overall makes it look like a larger vehicle than its competition. A clear riff on the Nissan Xmotion SUV concept, the Rogue’s divisive facelift took some time to warm up to. Fortunately, the handsome Caspian Blue Metallic paintwork and 19-inch wheels on this SL model round things off nicely.
Inside, however, is where Rogue sports its largest, and most important, upgrade. At $33,480 as tested, the Rogue SL features a sharp blend of contrasting light gray leather, beige and textured wood trim throughout, and the end result is a warm-toned and very handsome cabin. The leather thrones are heated up front, as is the leather-bound steering wheel. Rear seat occupants have access to charging ports of their own, as well as tri-zone climate control and rear sun shades.
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Don’t let the attractive price point fool you, as the Rogue SL features enough comfort and conveniences for the modern family, like the eight inch NissanConnect infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard, as well as the large panoramic sunroof, power liftgate, and most important of all Nissan’s ProPilot assist system.
Prospective buyers of the mid-level Rogue SV and Rogue SL can add additional goodies off the top-spec Rogue Platinum trim, like wireless charging, and wireless Apple CarPlay, among others, with an available Premium Package.
Rogue proves to be a charming drive, as well, with a compliant, comfortable ride and a notable lack of wind noise on the interstate, something that cannot be said about chief competitor, RAV4.
The sole engine choice is Nissan’s new PR25DD unit first seen in the 2019 Altima sedan. The 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine produces 181 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, and is adequate at hustling the Rogue around, but, more importantly, is whisper quiet and incredibly smooth. Nissan’s XTronic continuously variable automatic transmission keeps engine revs nice and low around town, further enhancing the serenity. Front-wheel drive is standard on the Rogue, with all-wheel drive being a $1,400 option.
EPA Fuel economy figures of 26 MPG city, 34 freeway and 29 combined for this front-wheel drive model are very agreeable for a non-hybridized SUV. In the real world, after 223.7 miles of driving, the Rogue returned 29.1 MPG overall.
Nissan’s aforementioned ProPilot Assist system rises to the forefront of the driving experience, especially on longer drives. Available on the Rogue SV, Rogue SL and top of the line Rogue Platinum trims, Nissan’s suite of semi-autonomous driving systems, like radar-guided cruise control, lane keep assist and other safety-minded goodies work quite well, overall, appearing to best both Honda Sensing and Toyota Safety Sense in its ability to keep Rogue steady in its lane and follow traffic around Los Angeles with minimal driver input.
It’s also worth noting that the Rogue’s multi-view back-up camera is notably more clear than the systems on the RAV4 or CR-V, especially at night.
With the 2021 Rogue, Nissan is offering a very competitive counterpart to its rivals. It’s fuel efficient, well-equipped yet reasonably priced and very comfortable. Now all that remains to be seen is whether or not it can dethrone the Toyota RAV4 on the sales charts.
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