Revitalized Rogue ready to hit the road
Popular crossover comes loaded with new improvements in latest update
David Booth: This road test actually started out as one that would pit the new Rogue against its larger Murano sibling, but it quickly became obvious that despite being smaller, cheaper and less powerful, the Rogue would so completely dominate the aging Murano that it would be the crossover equivalent of shooting fish in a barrel.
Nadine Filion: And the Rogue won hands down, especially over its own past generation, because of a lot more and better technology. There's a more comfy cabin, more sound attenuation, a more refined powertrain, and even better road manners.
Nissan took an already techno-wise and spacious vehicle and added nice touches for 2021, such as a heated bench for the rear passengers, and a head-up display for the driver. It now has storage compartments worthy of its utilitarian nature, and I particularly loved its floating console.
The only bad thing is that you really need to overlook the new exterior. Although the past silhouette morphed into anonymity over the years, it had fluid lines. Now, it's getting its sharp and square cues from, maybe, a Frigidaire. There's nothing sexy here; even the Toyota RAV4 looks better.
DB: I like the new exterior. More important to me, because I spend a lot more time driving a car than looking at it, is that the interior is so much more pleasing. The materials used are far superior than the outgoing Rogue, and the build quality more refined. And, dare I say it, much more luxurious than the old Rogue and even a bit more — maybe a lot more — than the current Murano.
Not quite as spectacular, but still deserving of praise, is the Rogue's powertrain. Available in both front- and all-wheel-drive variants, all new Rogues are powered by the revised version of the previous generation's 2.5litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. Nissan says that, as a result of a new exhaust manifold and variable intake valves, it's up 11 horsepower (to 181) and six pound-feet of torque (to a symmetrical 181 lb.-ft.). There's less noise, vibration and harshness, and it feels almost sophisticated, mostly because the CVT transmission has been recalibrated for less-annoying shifts and better manipulation of engine r.p.m. It doesn't boast a turbo because it doesn't need a turbo.
NF: I totally agree in regards to the CVT. It's one of the most disciplined continuously-variable transmissions I've ever tested, so much so that I thought Nissan had actually gone back to a traditional automatic. Pairing it with a revised CMF-C/D platform Nissan claims is more rigid makes for more assured, if not outright sporty, road manners.
That brings me to this other area where there's a notable improvement: Nissan's “Intelligent” all-wheel drive. While past Rogues offered a lock mode, Nissan says the new enhanced system can now control torque more accurately, and predict frontwheel slippage more quickly, and it is paired with a drive selector that offers five modes: sport, snow, standard, eco, and off-road. It was good enough that we survived your “cowboying” through Toronto's first real snowstorm.
DB: Cowboying? All I did was drift the rear end a little. The new Rogue's all-wheeldrive system is more than up to its intended tasks. Like its predecessor, it's more than functionally adequate, as robust as sport-cutes get on this side of a Land Rover, and able to tackle all the terrains and conditions its clientele is likely to throw at it.
The 2021 version is much improved in how it makes you feel. It's more luxurious, more comfortable and more pleasing to the eye. Indeed, my one complaint is that, at least in the fully loaded Platinum version we tested, its price tag comes perilously close to $40,000. That's not cute at all.
NF: I agree with your penny-pinching assessment because the top-of-the-line Platinum we tested didn't even have ventilated seats. Yes, it did have a fantastic 12.3-inch digital-dashboard gauge cluster, pleasing to the eye and with numerous and practical customizations. But as you say, for close to 40 grand, I would have expected something special, such as electrification, where Nissan does have some expertise. Just saying.
Even in its base S version ($28,498 for FWD, $30,798 for AWD), the 2021 Nissan Rogue is a very well-equipped vehicle. I don't like when a manufacturer limits its advanced driver-assistance systems to top-of-the-line versions, so we congratulate Nissan on joining Toyota and Honda in its good-corporate-citizen footsteps by making its Safety Shield 360 standard on all Rogues. That includes blindspot monitoring, lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and emergency braking with pedestrian detection.
But even if the base version of the Rogue is fairly well equipped, I would still move one step up to the middle-trim SV, starting at $31,998, because it brings the panoramic roof, intelligent adaptive cruise control, and Around View Monitor.