In the current automotive market, compact SUVs are the segment that everyone wants in on. The market is absolutely flooded with the likes of the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Rogue, and Ford Escape. There are so many options to choose from that models need reliability, comfort, features, and individuality in order to compete. Fortunately, Nissan understands that, so if you see a Nissan Rogue for sale near you, don’t count it out.
Nissan has been working hard to maintain its sizable market share over the last few years. It has upgraded its options in terms of the design, capability, and refinement of many of its vehicles. Nissan started with its sedans, gradually moving up the line through its SUVs and trucks. You only need to look at the completely redesigned 2022 Nissan Frontier pickup to see what we’re on about here. Nissan is committed to staying on top of the game, and we must say the brand seems to be doing so successfully.
The Rogue was not left out of this wave of redesigns, which is why it’s worth considering. It has a style that blends in with the current appeal of boxes on wheels while still managing to be unique. The Rogue also has a completely upgraded interior that is a really pleasant place to be. It can fit your stuff and keep you safe on the road. Plus, there are a few neat optional extras thrown in to add to the appeal.
Exterior Quirks
We’ll talk about the design first. While admittedly designing some really wacky-looking cars over the years––remember the Cube and Juke?––Nissan has toned down the overall quirkiness of its designs in favor of a more refined and conservative look. That’s not to say that the Rogue is bland because it’s not. Looking at it in profile, you’d likely think it is a larger SUV than it actually is. That’s because the roofline doesn’t taper nearly as early as some other models. In fact, it stays pretty level until you get to the cargo space, which gives you excellent room up top for roof rails and extra storage and provides some fairly decent headroom for rear passengers.
It’s up front where the Nissan quirk kicks in, though it’s not nearly as blatant as some previous models. The front end is a bit of a trick. The upper lights, where you would normally expect the headlights to be, are actually the daytime running lights. The actual headlights are right underneath, almost integrating with the air scoops on the fenders. That’s really the quirkiest thing about the exterior. The refined and upscale character of the new Rogue may make it the best-looking version of this model yet.
If you can stretch your memory back to when the Rogue first hit showrooms in 2008, it was a rounded, almost insectoid machine. That was a pretty bold design, and it made the Rogue stand out in a field that was really only starting to develop. Now, in order to be appealing, the design of a car needs to be one of two things: nostalgic or refined. The general public just doesn’t care as much for radical car design as they used to, which is why a good majority of vehicles can now be mistaken for one another despite coming from different manufacturers. With the Rogue, Nissan has managed to bring forth a decent amount of mainstream refinement while providing just enough extra quirk to satisfy the section of the consumer market that is looking for something a little different.
One final exciting detail the Rogue offers that is not available on many competing SUVs is the number of colors available. There are no fewer than fourteen different paint options, including five two-tone schemes that contrast with the Super Black roof. These four color combos are Boulder Grey Pearl, Sunset Drift ChromaFlair, Caspian Blue Metallic, Champagne Silver Metallic, and Pearl White TriCoat. The bright orange Sunset Drift ChromaFlair is particularly eye-catching.
A Comfortable and Spacious Interior
It’s in the interior where the Rogue really starts to stand out. This is most evident in the Platinum and Midnight Edition trim levels. The Midnight Edition is a limited edition trim that does exactly what you would expect with its jet-black looks. Black exterior, black interior. The cabin includes a soft black leatherette material across virtually all seating surfaces. The upper dash and door trim are a dark coffee brown, which blends and contrasts with the black just enough to be noticeable but not enough to be unappealing. Overall it’s a sleek, sophisticated look.
Much is the same in the Platinum interior, though you have a few different color choices for your leather seats. The Platinum adds diamond stitching to the seats and a leather-wrapped, heated steering wheel. The interior of the Rogue is sleek and roomy, with enough rear legroom for even your tallest passengers. Parents will also happily note that there are air vents in the rear seats, so your children will no longer be complaining about how hot or cold it is. Though perhaps this is a detriment because it may lead to fights between siblings over who gets to control the thermostat.
You get a sleek three-pronged steering wheel that has a vintage and sporty look to it, plus three digital displays on the dash: one where the analog speedometer usually is, a nine-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a heads-up display projected across the windshield. The cargo hold in the back is 36.5 cu.ft. with all the seats in place. Folding the rear seats flat will give you a cargo area of 74.1 cu.ft., which is pretty substantial. There is also this cool feature called the Divide and Hide cargo system––essentially a foldable panel that creates separate cargo areas for your luggage.
Safety Features
Okay, onto safety and the tech that goes with it. We’ve said on numerous occasions that a vehicle cannot be a winner without a broad suite of driver-assist technology, and we stand by that assessment. There is no place in the current automotive market for substandard safety tech. In keeping with our theme of the Rogue being more than competitive in the crowded compact SUV segment, let’s take a look at the safety features available for the Rogue.
In the Rogue, there is Nissan’s ProPilot Assist, which has helped the model earn an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating in 2021, 2022, and 2023. ProPilot Assist is similar to other driver-assist technology in that it is specifically designed to monitor for road hazards and intervene accordingly. The system provides adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, monitoring the speed of the vehicle in front of you and keeping you a safe distance behind. Other safety features include Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking, Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention, and more.
Don’t Write Off the Rogue
As you can plainly see, there is no reason to write off the Rogue. It’s an affordable option in the compact SUV segment, sitting comfortably at the mid-range price of $27,360. It combines just enough quirk and refinement to appeal to a wide variety of drivers while offering a spacious interior and excellent driver-assist amenities. Overall, you’re looking at a solid contender in a crowded marketplace.
