The 2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2020 Nissan Rogue

May 19, 2021

The 2021 Nissan Rogue vs the 2020 Nissan Rogue. This may be a pretty one-sided comparison because the only reason you would compare two of the same models is that the newest model year comes with some significant upgrades. So, with that being said, let’s get into it.

 

2020 Nissan Rogue

Overall, the Nissan Rogue has been and continues to be, one of the best-selling compact crossovers on the market. The Rogue has embraced a solid mix of comfortability and styling, but in comparison to some of its rivals’ power and available options, it falls short. However, the Rogue makes up for it with its standard driver-assist features and infotainment system, and its reliable ride and ample space for both passengers and cargo.

Highs

• Fuel-Efficient
• Large Cargo Area
• Quiet Interior

Lows

• Looks Better Than It Drives
• Old Infotainment System

 

What’s New For 2020

What’s new is fairly limited with Nissan only adding some of their driver-assist features standard and added some new packages for the 2020 model year. Besides that, the 2020 Rogue is unchanged compared to its predecessors.

 

Pricing & Value

The 2020 Nissan Rogue SL has the best features available but being the highest trim level that isn’t surprising. The mid-level SV model may be the better option for those looking to save a little bit of money. The Rogue SV comes with some much-desired, and fairly common, standard features such as a power driver’s seat, heated front seats, motion-activated liftgate, rear automated emergency braking, and dual-zone climate control. Most Pacific Northwesterners require AWD capability which can be added to the SV model for $1350. If you are really wanting to add some luxury features you can also go with the SV Premium package that adds features like a heated steering wheel, memory driver’s seat settings, Nissan’s semi-autonomous ProPilot Assist feature, and 360-degree camera system, all for only $1800. Even adding both the AWD and Premium Package to the SV trim, it still comes in at a lower cost than the SL trim.

Prices by Trim

• S – $26,640
• SV – $28,020
• SL – $32,990

Performance

On the performance front of the 2020 Nissan Rogue, you aren’t looking at much. Described as noisy and reluctant, the 170hp and four-cylinder, and continuously variable auto transmission is sluggish, and putting the pedal to the metal makes the engine cry for help. Suspension-wise, the Rogue delivers a pleasant and relaxed ride that will be appealing to a lot of drivers who aren’t looking for power.

Fuel economy wise the 2020 Rogue is one of the most fuel-efficient in the crossover SUV class. The AWD model has an estimated 25 mpg city and 32 mpg highway, the FWD is only slightly better with 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway.

 

Interior & Tech

The 2020 Rogue excels when it comes to its interior, which sports an attractive environment and above standard comfortability. Some packages even take the interior to almost luxury standards especially with the caramel-colored leather seats, but those are only available on the top trim level. Taller people may feel a bit cramped in the rear passenger seats but the front seats provide ample room for the driver and co-pilot.

Every Rogue comes with a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system that sports NissanConnect which is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto friendly. The screen is pretty lackluster though and the way the menu is structured lacks the intuitiveness that most people have come to expect in their car’s infotainment center.

Safety & Driver-Assistance

The Rogue has earned a 4 out of 5-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Administration in crash-testing and didn’t receive the Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It does come with a suite of Driver-Assistance Features and has the option to add the ProPilot Assist.

Key features include:

• Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
• Standard blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
• Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist

 

Warranty

• Limited warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance

 

2021 Nissan Rogue

The Nissan Rogue got a complete redesign and upgrade for the 2021 model year making HUGE improvements to the 2020 Rogue’s lackluster features and performance. While the 2020 Rogue definitely didn’t lack in styling, the 2021 Rogue steps that styling up a level, nearing luxury level right out of the gate, and pairs its new look with modernized tech, improved performance, and much better handling while driving. Nissan’s goal here was to move the Rogue to be on a level with or exceeding the styling and performance of its major competitors like the Honda CR-V and VW Tiguan, which they succeeded to do with this redesign.

Highs

• Attractive New Styling
• Improved On-Road Performance
• Drastically Improved Tech

Lows

• Upper Trims Can Get Expensive
• Warranty Package is Lacking
• Could Use a Bit More Power

 

New for 2021

There’s not a lot that isn’t new in the 2021 Nissan Rogue. Like we said above, the Rogue received a complete overhaul of its exterior and interior styling as well as vast improvements in power, handling, and overall performance.

Pricing

Once again, just like the 2020 model, the mid-level SV trim is probably going to be the best bet if you are wanting to get the most bang for your buck. It comes with 18-inch aluminum wheels and an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and a 360-degree exterior camera system. You can upgrade it a bit more by going with the Premium Package which adds a powered rear liftgate, faux leather, panoramic sunroof, and roof rails. FWD is standard but let’s face it, you are going to go with the AWD option which is an additional $1400.

Pricing by Trim

• S – $26,900
• SV – $28,590
• SL – $33,680
• Platinum – $36,680

 

Performance

The 2021 Nissan Rogue sports the same 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that it had in previous iterations but it does get a boost of power to 181-horsepower. Nissan was able to make huge improvements in the ride and handling categories which is definitely a cause for celebration for Rogue fans.

The FWD version gets slightly improved gas mileage, logging in at 27-mpg city and 35-mpg highway, the AWD version stays the same as previous years with only a 1-mpg bump giving it a 26-mpg city and 33-mpg highway stat.

 

Interior & Technology

The 2021 Rogue interior has embraced the modern aesthetic with a bi-level dash, squared shift knob, and rich-looking design elements that give it that extra flair to compete with luxury brands. The base trims come with cloth seating but in the SV model you can go with the faux-leather option; the SL and Platinum versions have genuine leather.

You’ll find an upgraded infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen on the updated dash, a 9-inch touchscreen is available on the SL and Platinum models. Apply CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the board. If you are wanting in-dash navigation and/or the Bose stereo system you are going to have to add those features to the cost. The Platinum model comes with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster display, a wireless phone charging pad, and a 10.8-inch heads-up display.

 

Safety & Driver-Assistance Features

On the crash test front, the 2021 Rogue doesn’t improve score-wise over its predecessors coming in at 4-stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, it does earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s 2021 Top Safety Pick title. Nissan continues to impress with its long list of standard driver-assistance features that let it compete with rivals like the Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester.

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

 

Warranty Coverage

Nissan’s standard warranty is pretty basic and falls a bit behind some other manufacturers in terms of length of time of protection and complementary service.

• Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance

 

Side-By-Side Comparison

2020 Nissan Rogue SV AWD	VS	2021 Nissan Rogue SV AWD
	Pricing
$28,220	MSRP	$28,840
	Performance
170-hp, 2.5-liter I-4 (regular gas)	Engine	181-hp, 2.5-liter I-4 (regular gas)
2-speed CVT w/OD and auto-manual	Transmission	2-speed CVT w/OD and auto-manual
170 @ 6,000 rpm	Engine Horsepower (@ RPM)	181 @ 6,000 rpm
175 @ 4,400 rpm	Engine Torque (lb-ft @ rpm)	181 @ 3,600 rpm
25 City / 32 Highway / 27 Combined	EPA MPG Rating	25 City / 32 Highway / 28 Combined
All-Wheel Drive	Drivetrain	All-Wheel Drive
14.5 Gallons	Fuel Tank Capacity	14 Gallons
	Tech
AM/FM/HD/Satellite, seek-scan	Radio	AM/FM/HD/Satellite, seek-scan
Available: With voice activation	Navigation	Not Available
2	Front LCD Screen	2
Standard	Bluetooth	Standard
6	Number of Speakers	8
Not Available	Amplifier	Not Available
Not Available	Speed-Sensitive Volume	Not Available
Standard	Primary Monitor Touchscreen	Standard
	Seats
5	Seating Capacity	5
Bucket	Front Seat Type	Bucket
Driver & front passenger heated-cushion, heated-seatback	Heated Front Seats	Available: Driver and front passenger heated-cushion, heated-seatback
Not Available	Cooled Front Seats	Not Available
40-20-40 bench	Rear Seat Type	60-40 split-bench
	Climate
Dual zone front automatic	Air Conditioning, Front	Dual zone front automatic
Power	Front Windows	Power
Driver	1-Touch Window Up	Driver
Driver	1-Touch Window Down	Driver
Power	Rear Windows	Power
	Safety
Available	In-Vehicle Assistance Service	Standard
Driver & Front Passenger	Front Airbags	Driver & Front Passenger
Seat Mounted, Driver & Passenger	Side-Impact Airbads	Seat Mounted, Driver & Passenger
Curtain 1st & 2nd Row	Side-Curtain Airbags	Curtain 1st & 2nd Row
Standard	Occupant Sensor	Standard
Standard	Traction Control	Standard
Halogen	Headlight Type	LED low/high beam
Standard	Daytime Running Lights	Standard
Standard	Parking Assist	Standard
Standard	Lane-Departure Warning	Standard
Not Available	Blind-Spot Monitoring System	Not Available
	Exterior
4	Door Count	4
Available: Front	Fog/Driving Lights	Available: Front
P225/65HR17.0 BSW AS	Tires	P225/65HR18.0 BSW AS
Available	Mud Flaps	Available
17″ silver aluminum	Wheels	18″ machined w/painted accents aluminum
Compact steel	Spare Tire & Wheel	Compact steel
Deep	Tinted Windows	Deep
Fixed	Rear Window Type	Fixed
Power Liftgate	Rear Cargo Door	Power Liftgate
Dual Power Remote	Mirrors	Dual Power Remote
Standard	Heated Side Mirrors	Standard
Available: 1st and 2nd row exterior express open/close sliding and tilting glass	Sunroof	Available: 1st and 2nd row exterior express open/close sliding and tilting glass
Variable Intermittent	Windshield Wipers, Front	Variable Intermittent
	Security
Standard	Remote Keyless Entry	Standard
Standard	Keyless Access System	Standard
Standard	Panic Alarm	Standard
Power w/2 Stage Unlock	Door Locks	Power w/2 Stage Unlock
Standard	Rear Child Safety Door Locks	Standard
Standard	Content Theft-Deterrent Alarm System	Standard
	Convenience
Standard	Cruise Control	Standard
Available	Adaptive Cruise Control	Standard
In-dash	Clock	In-dash
3	12-Volt DC Power Outlet	2
Standard	Retained Accessory Power	Standard
Front & Rear	Cupholders	Front & Rear
Available	Programmable Garage-Door Opener	Available
	Specs
184.5″	Length	183″
106.5″	Wheelbase	106.5″
62.8″	Front Track	62.4″
62.8″	Rear Track	62.6″
72.4″	Width	72.4″
68.5″	Height	66.5″
3,615 lbs.	Curb Weight	3,530 lbs.

 

In Conclusion

There isn’t a lot to summarize here. The 2021 Nissan Rogue is the way to go. With its redesign and enhanced performance, there is almost no reason to go with its model year predecessor.

Decided to go with the 2021 Rogue? Click here to look at our current inventory or give us a call at 503-564-7944 and test drive one today.

 

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