2020 Nissan Rogue Review

　　

2020 Nissan Rogue Review

byDan FrioReviews Editor

　　Dan spent many years covering the go-fast, look-good, get-loud corners of the automotive universe. First, he served as editor of enthusiast magazines AutoSound and Honda Tuning, then as executive editor at SEMA News, the publishing arm of the trade group that produces the annual SEMA Show (yes, that show). As a contributor to zzdcar, he now likes to keep the volume low and the speed limit legal, providing expert car-shopping advice to drivers looking for the perfect match.

　　The 2020 Nissan Rogue offers some key qualities that buyers expect of a small crossover SUV. But given the nature of the competition it's up against, the Rogue struggles to be a standout choice in the class.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Nissan Rogue S 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$130/mo  for Rogue S

　　Rogue S

　　S 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl CVT) - $25,490 MSRPS 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) - $26,840 MSRPSV 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl CVT) - $26,870 MSRPSV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) (Most Popular) - $28,220 MSRPSL 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl CVT) - $31,840 MSRPSL 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) - $33,190 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　Certainly, there are things to like here. Nearly 40 cubic feet of luggage space, or 70 cubic feet when you fold the rear seats down, and a unique dual-floor storage system make the Rogue exceptionally versatile. The cabin is also surprisingly quiet and roomy, and its front seats are made for long-haul comfort. The Rogue also has some fairly advanced driver assistance tech, including Nissan's ProPilot semi-automated driving features that rush-hour commuters will appreciate.

　　On the downside, the four-cylinder engine's modest power and sluggish transmission struggle to get the Rogue moving with any authority, which makes merging or passing a planning activity. And while it stays composed through a tight turn, the Rogue doesn't offer the dynamic handling spirit you'd find in its Ford, Mazda or Honda competitors. Nor does it particularly excel at fuel efficiency; our testing revealed, in real-world fuel economy, the Rogue lags behind the class leaders. Not only do you get an inferior engine, but you'll also visit the pump more regularly.

　　The Rogue might be worth a look for shoppers who just want something roomy and versatile, or drivers who need some basic self-driving features to take the edge off a tough commute. But for overall refinement or more modern infotainment tech, we suggest looking elsewhere.

　　

What's it like to live with the Rogue?

Get to know the Nissan Rogue even more. Learn about day-to-day ownership from our editorial experts' long-term test of a 2014 Rogue SL AWD. We know it is Nissan's best-selling SUV. How was the fuel economy? How much can you pack in the cargo area for road trips? Is it comfortable? Learn this and more from our test. Note that the 2020 Rogue has better interior materials, smartphone integration, optional advanced driving aids and a hybrid trim, but our coverage of the 2014 model is otherwise applicable.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Below Average

　　6.9

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

6.5/10

　　How does the Rogue drive? Performance is low on the totem pole. The engine rarely delivers as much acceleration as you want, such as for highway merging or passing maneuvers. The transmission's sluggishness doesn't help matters. Three selectable drive modes — Normal, Sport and Eco — change the transmission's character, but none for the better.

　　The brakes stop the Rogue smoothly, but there's a squishiness to the pedal that makes real-world panic stops a bit stressful. As for handling, the Rogue doesn't reward with thrilling dynamics, but it doesn't flop over when cornering hard either. The steering lacks feel and precision.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Rogue? The Rogue delivers a comfortable ride in most scenarios. On rough roads, it's impressively composed, without much harshness transmitted into the cabin. The cabin also doesn't allow in much noise. Engine noise is nicely suppressed at cruising speed, and wind and road noise is also kept at bay.

　　Cabin comfort extends to the seats, and Nissan does some of the best in the business. The Rogue's front seats are exceptional for keeping passengers comfy during long stints. The rear seats aren't bad either, though they sit a little high off the floor. The Rogue may fall flat in some areas, but its quiet and comfortable cabin counts for a lot

　　

Interior

7.0/10

　　How’s the interior? The Rogue's cabin is spacious enough for four tall passengers to sit in comfort. The rear seats slide fore and aft, so even tall rear passengers can easily hop in and out. The wide door openings help here, too.

　　Drivers, however, might struggle to find an ideal seating position. The front seats offer only a narrow range of adjustments. Visibility is also compromised. Seeing out the sides is easy enough thanks to the low height of the Rogue's window lines, but rearward visibility is poor enough that you can easily lose track of a car in your blind spot.

　　

Technology

7.0/10

　　How’s the tech? The highlight here is Nissan's ProPilot Assist system, which bundles several useful driving aids. The adaptive cruise is intuitive and provides smooth braking and acceleration to match changing traffic conditions. The steering assist feature also stays engaged even if you sometimes need to override it. Lane departure warning is overly sensitive but can be turned off.

　　Everything else is a mixed bag. The Bose audio system puts out punchy bass but perhaps too much — the speaker enclosures can rattle when you crank up the volume. The voice controls don't recognize natural speech, so you need to learn a rigid sequence of commands. Finally, the nav system is functional, but the small display makes it hard to decipher detailed info.

　　

Storage

7.5/10

　　How’s the storage? The Rogue's 39.3-cubic-foot cargo area is among the largest in the class, and a low load height and dual multiconfigurable floor covers also make it versatile. It's good that the cargo area is so large since there's not much room around the cabin for small items.

　　Child seat anchors are exposed for easy access. But the surrounding upholstery (our test vehicle had the leather) is stiff, which can make it hard to push on the safety seat buckle. You can reach the rear tether strap anchors without needing to remove the cargo cover.

　　

Fuel Economy

6.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The all-wheel-drive Rogue carries an EPA rating of 27 mpg combined (25 city/32 highway). On paper, this rating is competitive, but the Nissan earned only 27.6 mpg on our highway-heavy test loop. Other competitors that we've tested have fared far better.

　　

Value

6.5/10

　　Is the Rogue a good value? We suspect Nissan dealers are more willing to negotiate on Rogue pricing than dealers for rival compact SUVs, but the Rogue's sticker is still a shock when you consider that some competitors are much nicer. The Rogue's abundance of hard interior plastic panels makes it feel cheap, even in top-tier trim. Some value, however, is made up for by the Rogue's comprehensive safety systems and driver aids, so ultimately buyers will need to weigh their priorities.

　　

Wildcard

5.5/10

　　With the Rogue, what you see is what you get. You get some appealing attributes — a roomy cabin, loads of cargo space, and innovative driver assistance tech — but not much else. While there are some fun exterior colors outside the white-gray-black spectrum, the Rogue doesn't offer anything unique or outstanding to elevate it above competitors such as the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester.

　　

Which Rogue does zzdcar recommend?

The Rogue is a solidly midpack choice among compact SUVs, so the midpack SV trim with the optional Premium package should hit the sweet spot for most buyers. The SV offers the more desirable features from the top SL trim, without the SL's larger wheels that can detract from the ride quality, while the Premium package adds useful features such as a surround-view camera system, navigation and a power liftgate.

　　

2020 Nissan Rogue models

The 2020 Nissan Rogue is offered in three trim levels: S, SV and SL. The smaller Rogue Sport model is reviewed separately.

　　All trims come standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (170 horsepower, 175 lb-ft of torque) paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission that sends power to the front wheels. All-wheel drive is available as an option.

　　The base S comes with a decent list of standard features, among them 40/20/40-split folding rear seats that also slide and recline, a 7-inch touchscreen display, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Standard safety features include blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams and lane keeping assist.

　　The SV adds more convenience features such as a hands-free-opening liftgate, a power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, and additional driver safety aids including rear parking sensors and reverse automatic braking.

　　The top-trim SL brings larger wheels, leather upholstery, a surround-view camera system, a premium audio system and navigation. Nissan's ProPilot Assist is also standard. This suite of semi-automated driving features includes stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, which can bring the car to a complete stop and start again, and steering assist, which keeps the car centered in its lane. ProPilot Assist is also optional for the SV trim.

　　

2020 Rogue Highlights

Trim: SSVSLS

　　

Base MSRP	$25,490
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	29 MPG
Cost to Drive	$130/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	39.3 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles