The 2021 Nissan Rogue Review: Going Rogue

The Nissan Rogue is one of the most important vehicles to the Nissan brand. It is also one that was overdue for a change. It has always been a best-seller, so there was no whiffing the ball with this one. This no-mas, no-miss entry into the compact crossover SUV segment needed to be in the Chicago way: “They bring a knife, you bring a gun.” That type of thinking guaranteed that Nissan was in the game when they brought this new Rogue to market. Did they succeed? Follow along as Napleton News takes a look.

What goes into the new Nissan Rogue?

The 2021 Nissan Rogue is a new, boxier and more aggressive CUV. The rolling fenders are gone, and a new modern version of the V-Motion grille dominates. It’s a new modern look at an old friend flanked on both sides by LED head- and daylight running lights.

 

 

The new Rogue is a four-door, five-passenger hatchback compact crossover utility vehicle (CUV). In addition to it being a mouthful to say, it’s tough to dismiss the new Rogue because of how important it is to the Nissan brand overall. The Rogue fits between its Murano and Kicks siblings, size-wise. From a segment standpoint, it sits amongst such segment stalwarts like the Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Tiguan and Mazda CX-5.

Nissan’s well-sorted 2.5-liter inline-4 cylinder engine is the power-provider. It now produces 181 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 181 lb-ft of torque @ 3,600 rpm. That’s an 11 horsepower and six-lb-ft bump-up. While 11-horsepower is not an incredibly potent come-up, it’s still something, and as the saying goes, oatmeal is better than no meal.

 

Buyers may select front- or all-wheel drive (AWD) that receives its torque from Nissan’s proven Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). This transmission has been revised to be both stingier and livelier when it comes to fuel economy and power response. The revised AWD system now utilizes a central hydraulic clutch to accelerate power to the rear wheels, as needed. The new Nissan Rogue offers a variety of drive modes that will take you almost anywhere. They include Standard, Sport, Off-Road, Sno and ECO.

What about the Nissan Rogue’s new look?

With the new 2021 Nissan Rogue, more mature and grown-up are just a few ways to describe it. There are simply no gimmicks on this version of the popular SUV and the result is a good thing. There’s no floating roofline, sweptback windscreen, tapered rear end or other such tchotchkes located around the Rogue’s exterior. It’s just a plain and simple good design that makes the Rogue appear comfortable in its skin.  Consider the “two-box” design of the Rogue. The cabin sits more upright than before, but with a certain aerodynamic feel that appears in this year’s model. Feature enhancements like active grille shutters and front air curtains help trim airflow over the Rogue’s front wheels. Underbody panels do their part to smooth the air running underneath. The result is an aero improvement of up to 5-percent.

 

As is the case with many of the Rogue’s competitors, the grille and headlight area can appear a bit confusing. Traditionally, the top of the rack are usually headlights with running lights next, followed by fog lights down below. In the case of the Rogue, it’s slightly different. At the top of the hood sit the running lights, while the LED headlamps sit down below. On our Rogue Platinum sampler, the fog lamps are tucked into the extreme corners of the lower grille.

What about the Rogue Interior?

 

 

The interior of the new Rogue is a vastly improved model over the one it replaced. Nissan’s NASA-inspired Zero Gravity seats return and they are as supportive and comfortable as ever. During our week with the Rogue Platinum, we were able to spend a few hours inside without the faintest hint of fatigue from sitting in place for too long.

The backseat has expanded to include a few more inches of head- and knee room. The electronic gearshift lever is now a fly-by-wire affair, meaning no linkage goes through the floor to the transmission. As a result, there is more space in the lower level of the center console for umbrellas, phone cords and other personal items. Finally, for the fans of Super Big Gulps, the Rogue’s cupholders are now large enough to fit large 32-oz. bottles. We envision a load of comfort stops in your family’s future.

Desirable features.

The 2021 Rogue is loaded with many new and desirable features. Start with the base S model to get an interior covered in premium cloth fabric. Add Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the audio system anchoring the 8-inch touchscreen display. Moving up to the Rogue SV, buyers get 8-way power seats, a surround-view camera, a six-speaker audio system, in-car Wi-Fi, lane keep assist and NissanConnect remote services. It also includes ProPilot Assist with adaptive cruise control.

Nissan’s ProPilot Assist with adaptive cruise control lane keep assist is available on the Rogue SL and standard on the Rogue Platinum. The Rogue’s key safety features include;

• Standard blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
• Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Available adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode.

Finally, new for 2021, the Nissan Rogue Platinum is equipped with premium features like quilted semi-aniline leather upholstery, a 12.3-inch digital display, a nine-inch touchscreen with navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Qi phone charging.

 

Finally, a new trim level appears for 2021. The top-shelf Nissan Rogue Platinum has premium features like a 12.3-inch digital display, a nine-inch touchscreen with navigation, quilted semi-aniline leather upholstery, wireless Apple CarPlay and Qi phone charging. Any trim level can purchase AWD for a reasonable $1,400.

Is the new Nissan Rogue the right vehicle for me?

After a long period of slumber, the new Rogue realizes it’s time to get on with it. While it was sleeping, other competitors were slowly picking off buyers one vehicle at a time. With the appearance of the new Rogue, it’s time to bring back the ground game, to regain some steady yardage one play at a time.