The 2020 Nissan Rogue is as long in the tooth as one might expect for a car that is essentially 6 years old, but shockingly it is still the second bestselling vehicle in its segment right after the Toyota RAV4. What in the world is wrong with people that are buying a vehicle that is serving it’s last model year and is about to be phased out soon? Nothing! Well, the thing is the target demographic of the Nissan Rogue still adores it, and there is a very good reason for it. The Rogue was developed to cater to the average family that loves the level of usability and practicality it offers while also being affordable. The Rogue might be slated to be phased out for a refresh soon, but in all fairness, Nissan has been more than vigilant in keeping the Rogue in check and giving it timely updates to keep it relevant which has just grown the Rogue’s user base.
On the exterior, it’s age might be a little prominent due to the rather subdued design cues but the Rogue is definitely not a dated or bad looking vehicle. Stuff like standard daytime LEDs and standard projector headlamps that are LED on the top trims deservedly make it look rather stylish. The Rogue also appears to be significantly longer than it’s rivals, the Honda CRV and the Toyota RAV4 which is no hallucination. The fact is that the Rogue used to offer a third-row seating arrangement that has been given the ax, but the extra 5 inches of length that the Rogue has on its rivals is here to stay.
The 2.5 L 4 Cylinder Petrol Engine under the hood pushes out a very modest 170 bhp which in my honest opinion is on the cusp of feeling too underpowered. The engine has enough poke to keep you tottering around the city comfortably and all thanks to the CVT, the experience couldn’t be any smoother but the moment you flex your foot out on the highway, things start to get a little dicey as a lot of “Vroom” does none of the “WHOOSH”, you see the CVT which feels comfortable in the city feels power-sapping out on the highway and just plain dull to drive. Those who prefer a nice cruiser that is going to be 33 mpg efficient out on the highway while also offering a very composed ride are definitely the ones Nissan wants in their showrooms because that is exactly what the Rogue delivers.
Stepping inside the cabin you are greeted with a set of some pretty fancy seats that Nissan calls Zero Gravity Seats, The seats look amazing in the tan leather upholstery and are extremely comfortable and supportive, certainly one of the best in the segment. They come equipped with 6-way power adjustment with two memory presets on the driver side(With ORVM presets) and are heated as well on the higher up trims, though some of the competitors do offer cooled seats in the segment. The rear interior space in the Rogue is in bucket loads, the seats are comfortable and nicely supportive and there is excellent lateral and lower back support. The headroom and legroom in the rear is also nothing to be complained about as even taller occupants should be very comfortable. It has three adjustable headrests and a minimal floor hump thus making it ideal for even three passengers in tandem but the party trick is the fact that the second row is still adjustable for recline and linear movement which is something that it’s competitors have bid adieu to. The 32 cubic ft. of storage space in the rear is what the average buyer is going to adore. Not only is the cargo area extremely accessible, it something of a wizard! Nissan equips the Rogue with its special stow away system that lets the users configure a total of 18 different presets that come in more than handy when loading your luggage or groceries. The ingenious solution might look gimmicky but is something that you would cherish during your ownership once you surpass the learning curve.
The moment you step inside the cabin of the 2020 Rogue, one is greeted with almost every panel covered with either leather or soft-touch materials, there are very few panels that are hard plastics and that too aren’t scratchy. Small touches like a padded leather knee rest on both sides make the interior look upscale and luxurious. There is also no shortage of space and the generous center armrest, side door pockets, and a decent glovebox aid in practicality.
The Steering wheel is a nice sporty flat-bottom unit wrapped in leather and can be optioned out with heating if one chooses the SL Trim, a welcome touch for the colder climates.
The infotainment on offer in the Nissan Rogue comes standard with the Nissan Connect system that provides navigation, Digital radio, Bluetooth, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Mobile Apps. The optional 9-Speaker Bose Audio system on the SL Trim is the way to go if one is a true audiophile but even the 6 speaker setup present on the lower SV and S Trims do a decent job. The 7-Inch touch screen is slightly outdated with it’s older looking graphics and slight lag but should serve most customers well and in general, the infotainment package in the Rogue has an above-average experience.
The Rogue comes with a whole host of interior features based on your preferred variant and the number of boxes you tick on the add-on list. Some Notable features on the 2018 Nissan Rogue are:
• 360 Reversing Cameras with ProPilot(SL Trim Only)
• Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
• Panoramic Powered Sunroof(SL Trim Only)
• Intelligent Cruise Control
• Forward Collision Warning and Braking with Pedestrian Detection
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Blind Spot Monitoring
• Lane Departure Warning and Prevention
On the safety front, the Nissan Rogue comes with dual-stage front airbags, seat-mounted side airbags, and roof-mounted curtain airbags
The Rogue, therefore, is every bit deserving of the place that it resides in and definitely keeps the competition on their toes. The fact that the Nissan Rogue 2020 price starts at a very reasonable $25,200 for the Base variant gives it a double thumbs up from us and definitely earns a click from you. Yes, the starting price of the 2020 Nissan Rogue might be a tad on the higher side for the segment, but due to the level of practicality it brings, it is more than justified.
Alex is a professional writer and digital marketing expert.