The 2025 Nissan Rogue Test Drive Review: Value Over Capability

As an organization, Nissan is perhaps in some turmoil proper now, however the Nissan Rogue continues to be contemporary from an improve, and competes instantly with the segment-leading Toyota RAV4. The Rogue is powered by Nissan’s still-recent turbocharged 1.5-liter variable valve engine making 201 horsepower. The twist, nonetheless, is that it solely has three cylinders and manages to be extra gasoline environment friendly than rivals whereas enhancing on the earlier four-cylinder’s energy.

The present line Nissan is pushing is that it is providing six vehicles for a beginning value below $30,000, and the Rogue is a kind of. The bottom MSRP $29,230, with the top-tier Platinum coming in slightly below $40k. The off-road centered Rock Creek is smack within the center. In idea, the Nissan Rogue affords plenty of worth in a section that calls for worth for cash, two rows of seating for 5, a usable quantity of cargo area, and out there all-wheel-drive. However does it do sufficient in opposition to evergreen rivals? We drove it for every week to search out out.

Exterior Seems: Disappears Into Site visitors

The 2025 mannequin 12 months Nissan Rogue was refreshed to incorporate new entrance and rear fascias, a brand new model of Nissan’s V-motion grille, new inside taillights, and satin-finish exterior badges. Total, it is a design that is striving to be contemporary and up-to-date, however comes off as making an attempt too exhausting – which is a disgrace, as Nissan has been doing an incredible job styling issues just like the Z and the brand new Kicks mannequin.

The Rock Creek trim we examined would not include any modifications to the suspension – it is largely look upgrades. For off-roading, the Rock Creek model depends on a set of Falken all-terrain tires, a hill descent management setting, a brand new digicam system with off-road views, and the all-wheel-drive system as customary. A tubular roof rack is a welcome addition, and it is cross-braced to assist the additional baggage or gear that will not match within the cargo space. Every little thing else, just like the Rock Creek particular black grill with silver highlights, are for the aesthetic – you do not even get any type of additional underbody safety.

Inside & On-Board Know-how: Little Flash, However All The Vital Options

Inside, the Rogue meets the calls for of a small household crossover comfortably. The entrance seats are among the extra comfy we have skilled within the section, there’s sufficient elbow room for long-limbed adults, and the driving place is SUV-like and provides nice visibility. Visibility by the rearview mirror is not good, nevertheless it’s not horrible both. Sitting within the again, this six-footer was comfy and with higher headroom than you’d guess from the form of the Rogue.

As you go up the vary, the Rogue reveals off a extra premium inside. Nonetheless, the bottom mannequin Rogue is pretty sparse inside with material seats and single-zone local weather management, and it misses options which can be customary on rivals, like push-button begin, distant begin, and a built-in storage door opener. Twin zone local weather is customary above the bottom mannequin, whereas tri-zone is an non-obligatory additional.

Infotainment

Within the entrance, there are two USB-C ports, however to get two within the again it is advisable to go up the trim ladder. The usual infotainment touchscreen is an eight-inch unit, however the Rogue XL, Platinum, and Rock Creek get a brand new 12.3-inch HD colour touchscreen with Google Constructed-In – which bakes in Google apps that embody Google Assistant and Google Maps with extra out there from the Google Play. If you wish to use Apple CarPlay wirelessly, you will want the bigger display screen.

The 12.3-inch display screen is good and crisp and the brand new interface is glossy and reactive to inputs. Having Google Maps inbuilt is a lot better than any in-house navigation system any automaker produces. Additionally out there on larger trims is a 12.3-inch reconfigurable digital gauge cluster, which is good however not needed. The out there 10.8-inch head-up show is good and clear, and well worth the improve. At this level, although, we really feel a wi-fi charger must be customary. A Bose Audio system is offered, however, sadly, it is a Bose system and lacks any sophistication.

Efficiency: Economical, Not Enjoyable

Nissan’s three-cylinder engine can have its doubters, however with its variable valve timing and turbocharger tuning, you’d by no means know with out being instructed. It is a livelier engine than the earlier non-turbo 2.5-liter four-cylinder unit, nevertheless it nonetheless cannot be known as correctly vigorous. It is completely ample, energy clever, and matches nicely with the Xtronic-branded repeatedly variable transmission (CVT) to make a easy drivetrain.

Efficiency Impressions

Whereas 201 hp is greater than the typical gas-only crossover within the class makes, it is not significantly fast. Zero to 60 mph comes quick sufficient to stand up to freeway velocity and be part of fast-moving visitors, and it is responsive sufficient to make driving the Rogue a breeze. It is also a quiet engine, so little noise makes it into the cabin. The cabin is usually quiet as nicely, with nearly no noise coming even from the aggressive Falken tires on the Rock Creek trim.

Experience and Dealing with

The Rogue’s trip high quality is nearly as good because it will get for the value, and maybe a little bit higher with the Rock Creek trim’s specialty all-terrain tires put in. The steering is completely ample round city and on the freeway, however there is definitely no thrill to have on a twisting highway from the chassis. Bumping off the highway on a 24-mile path up and down the fantastic Thomas Mountain in California, the suspension copes surprisingly nicely with the lumps and bumps, contemplating it’s unchanged. Nonetheless, the trip top can be unchanged. Because of this, care was wanted in locations on a path that’s not an off-road problem.

Gasoline Economic system

In front-wheel-drive kind, the EPA estimate for the Rogue is 30/37/33 mpg on the town/freeway/mixed cycles for the S and SV trims. With the additional weight, the upper trims lose a mile or two per gallon. With all-wheel-drive optioned, the decrease trims are estimated at 28/35/31 mpg. At its lowest ranking, the estimated mileage is 28/34/31 mpg. Total, the Rogue’s figures are higher than the RAV4 in its gas-only kind however the second you introduce RAV4 hybrid fashions to the equation, the RAV4 is of course far more gasoline environment friendly.

Verdict & Pricing: Would Be An Simple Promote With A Hybrid Possibility

With a beginning value of $29,230, the Rogue is a gorgeous choice that undercuts Honda’s $30,100 CR-V, however the CR-V has grown in dimension. The Toyota RAV4 is available in rather less costly, and Kia’s $27,190 Sportage is lots inexpensive. Each crossovers make it exhausting to advocate the Rogue as the worth choice. With extra money to spend, a hybrid RAV4 turns into a no brainer. When you think about the Rock Creek trim, it might probably be dearer so as to add the upgrades from the aftermarket. Nonetheless, the Subaru Forester in Wilderness trim is $34,920 — lower than the $35,420 Rogue Rock Creek and extra off-road succesful.

The Rogue is in a troublesome spot. It is definitely a stable worth choice for anybody searching for a compact SUV that is purely powered by gasoline. Nonetheless, there are cheaper choices, together with the segment-leading RAV4, and the sensible buys proper now are hybrids – of which Nissan at the moment has none. If the Rogue ticks the correct bins for a purchaser in value and have mixture, we will advocate it as a household crossover. Nonetheless, it is exhausting to broadly advocate when different vehicles are inexpensive or have hybrid choices. With regards to off-road trims, we would definitely advocate going for the Subaru Forester Wilderness over the Nissan Rogue Rock Creek.