Though slipping from 7th-best-selling vehicle in America in 2019, to No. 10 this year, and dropping one place to the 4th best-selling crossover in the U.S., Nissan’s Rogue compact CUV is still a popular buy in the final year of its second generation.

Launched in 2007 for the 2008 model year as Nissan’s entry-level compact sports-ute, Rogue will get a top-to-bottom redesign for 2021 that includes new styling, a new platform, cosmetics and an 11-hp boost in power. For 2020, Rogue discontinues its Hybrid variant; ProPILOT Assist is now standard on the SL trim and is optional on SV; and Rogue has also added the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of advanced safety equipment this year, a package that includes pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, lane departure warnings, radar-based blind spot warnings, rear cross-traffic alerts and high beam assist. ProPILOT Assist is a hands-on driver assist system that combines Nissan's Intelligent Cruise Control and Steering Assist technologies, helps keep the vehicle centered in its lane, and maintains a preset distance from the vehicle ahead. Also for 2020, every Rogue SV gets standard amenities such as heated front seats, a power driver's seat, dual-zone climate control, a motion-activated liftgate, and rear automated emergency braking.

Rogue has built a following with its sporty and versatile demeanor and capabilities, and offers such standard safety amenities as Intelligent Lane Intervention, Automatic Emergency Braking, Pedestrian Detection and High Beam Assist, Rear Automatic Braking, a Rear Sonar System and Rear Door Alert across all grade levels.

Offered in three well-equipped grade levels -- S, SV and SL -- Rogue eliminated its third row of seating a few years back, but it fits the demand for an upscale compact crossover  with dimensions of 184.5 inches in length; 72.4 inches in width and 68.5 inches in height (AWD) on a 106.5-inch wheelbase. Minimum ground clearance is 8.4 inches (AWD), and curbweight for the AWD in SL trim is 3670 lbs. Assembled in Smyrna, Tennessee, Rogue’s unibody construction utilizes corrosion-resistant and high-strength steel, enhanced by progressive, emotive styling. The Nissan signature "V-Motion" grille and headlights with LED signature Daytime Running Lights help augment Rogue's robust, dynamic presence. Halogen headlights with auto off function are standard, along with Intelligent Auto Headlights. Also available are LED headlights with auto on/off function, High Beam Assist and fog lights. In the rear are combination lamps with LED boomerang signature taillights.

Rogue’s refined interior presents a premium look and feel, blended with a D-shaped steering wheel and leather-booted sport-mode shifter, available heated steering wheel, memory for driver's seats and mirror, and remote engine start.

Thick rear roof pillars impede interior sightlines, but Rogue’s cabin is roomy for a smaller SUV with 41.6 inches of front headroom and 38.5 inches in row two. Interior legroom is comfortable in front at 43.0 inches and relatively roomy in row two at 37.9 inches. Shoulder room is 56.6 in front and 55.9 and in the rear. The cabin also affords nearly 40 cubic feet of luggage space, or 70 cubic feet when you fold the rear seats down. The cabin experience is quiet, intuitive and the seats are cushy, and you get all the infotainment we have come to expect.

Rogue continues to offer one standard power source, a transverse 2.5-liter inline-4-cylinder DOHC engine that provides 170 horsepower and 175 lb.-ft. of torque. Coupled with an Xtronic CVT® (Continuously Variable Transmission) with standard Sport Mode and Eco switches, Rogue is EPA rated at 26mpg/city, 33mpg/highway and 29mpg/overall in FWD and 25/32/27 in AWD. A week of mixed-use testing averaged 27.4mpg. Rogue is not a track star, and next year’s 11-hp gain will help its slow-but predictable acceleration. Uphill climbs are steady and passing at speed requires some strategy, but Rogue’s electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering was attentive enough for the niche, though with noticeable understeer. At the track, my test Rogue completed a 9.2-second hand-timed zero-to-60mpg dash, during a long 17.3-second quarter-mile.

The driving experience was smooth for the segment, with firm on-pavement engagement from independent strut front suspension, coil springs and an independent multi-link rear, though Rogue does not appear to be suited for severe off-road challenges.

Additional safety items include the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System with dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant-classification sensors, driver and front-passenger seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags, and roof-mounted curtain supplemental air bags with rollover sensor for outboard occupant head protection for all rows.

Rogue’s three trim levels are each offered in front-wheel or Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, and the lineup bases from $25,490 to $33,190, which was the starting point for my top-trim 2020 Rogue SL in AWD – AWD is $1350 above FWD pricing. Scarlet Ember Tintcoat exterior paint added $395, splash guards added $170, chrome rear bumper protector added $165, clear door edge protectors were $375, and the SL Premium package added $1820 for a dual-panel Panoramic Moonroof and LED headlights. A  moonroof wind deflector added $125, and Nissan’s 360-degree exterior Impact Sensor added $210. Shipping and Handling added $1095 for a sticker-as-tested of $37,545, but as the next-generation Rogue is out for 2021, there may be steep discounts available from your local dealer.

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. </I>

Want to contribute to All About Cars?

E-mail Us