The 2024 Nissan Rogue is a lot of things, but it’s certainly no rogue in the literal sense of the word. In fact, it’s quite the opposite: as a comfortable, spacious, no-nonsense family hauler, it’s surprisingly competent.
The Rogue has been around since 2007, preceded by the X-Trail—which ironically enough, was more of a rogue than the Rogue. Since its debut, the Rogue has always been a common sight, conquering the suburban sprawl. This newest version is no different, offering much of the same character the Rogue has always had, while adding in some surprisingly good build quality, an equally surprising driving experience, and everything else most buyers want in a compact crossover.
If I seem a bit surprised, it’s because Nissan has been struggling as a brand to re-capture enthusiasts like me. Gone are the days of world-beating Zs, Skylines, and “4-Door Sports Car” Maximas. For the longest time, it seemed as though Nissan was too focused on churning out a bunch of Plain-Jane vehicles that didn’t elicit much emotion or confidence. While the Rogue still doesn’t elicit much emotion, it does instill a good amount of unexpected confidence and composure.
Having debuted for the 2021 model year, the Rogue receives a refresh this year, looking more cohesive with the rest of Nissan’s lineup. It also shares some design elements with the Mitsubishi Outlander, which makes sense given the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance. It’s not an overt badge-engineering job; most similarities are under the skin, but they’re there. Not unlike the Outlander, the Rogue also has a split headlight design and a prominent, upswept grille. Hints of chrome trim down the side keep things looking unexpectedly premium, but the rear end is as generic as can be. Slap any other badge on there, and it wouldn’t look out of place. Base Rogues roll on boring-looking 17-inch wheels, but the two-tone, multi-spoke 19s on our Platinum tester continue the premium vibe.
The Rogue is well-put-together inside, with not a single creaky panel to speak of, and most materials feel—you guessed it—rather premium. Our tester is a sea of black inside, but there’s a splash of dark (faux) wood and contrast stitching to liven it up. If it were up to me, I’d spec the more interesting Chestnut interior. The Rogue still uses physical switchgear for climate controls, and the 12.3-inch touchscreen is snappy, easy to use, and works well with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s paired to a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that has a few display modes, but I kept it in its basic layout, mimicking an analog tach and speedometer. The Platinum trim comes with a Bose audio system; I found it solid overall, but nothing to write home about. Nissan’s suite of active safety and driver assists is standard; everything worked seamlessly and I didn’t experience any phantom braking or near-misses in my time with it.
The rest of the Rogue’s cabin is spacious. Headroom and legroom is generous no matter where you sit, and the cargo hold is more than plenty for a small family and their gear. There’s 1,033 litres of cargo space with the seats up, beating out the likes of the ever-popular Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Fold the rear seats, and that cargo area grows to 2,098 L.
On paper, the Rogue doesn’t seem particularly enticing, but it isn’t the only compact crossover powered by a diminutive powertrain. All Rogues continue to be powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, featuring Nissan’s variable compression turbo tech. It allows the Rogue to vary the compression ratio, from low (8:1) to high (14:1) based on how much gas you’re giving it, which in theory maximizes both efficiency and performance. Output is rated at 201 horspower and 225 pound-feet of torque, routed to all four wheels via a continously variable transmission. For those seeking hybrid power, you won’t have to wait much longer: a Rogue PHEV is coming next year.
Don’t get me wrong, the Rogue’s turbo-three won’t make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. But its power is ample enough and the CVT works rather well, avoiding the typical annoyances you’d expect with Nissan’s old CVTs. It’s a smooth powertrain overall and highway passing is easy. Compared to the similarly priced Volkswagen Tiguan, I’d take the Rogue’s powertrain each and every time.
The suspension is well calibrated and doesn’t resort to being either overly soft or too stiff. This is important because the Rogue doesn’t have adaptive dampers, but that’s understandable considering the price. The Rogue’s steering is also weighted appropriately, feeling neither too heavy nor too light. Coupled with the fact that wind noise is minimal and road noise is average but acceptable, the Rogue is easy to live with around town and a willing partner on long road trips.
There’s absolutely nothing rogue about the Rogue. [Come on, you can’t blatantly reuse dad jokes like that! —Ed.] It’s quite the opposite, in fact. As an everyday people-mover, the 2024 Nissan Rogue is a solid choice and represents good value in a very competitive segment, coming in at $45,598 as-tested. Just don’t go ahead thinking you’re any sort of rebel.
