As I bit down into a quesadilla, a stray thought wandered across my prefrontal cortex: The Nissan Rogue crossover that everyone keeps buying is pretty good. It’s spacious, well-appointed, and offers enough unexpected features to fill a Costco-sized shopping cart, from available semi-aniline leather to an infotainment system that supports FLAC files. Hell, judging by year-to-date sales figures, Nissan sells a Rogue in America every one minute and 18 seconds. So why had I forgotten about it despite the Rogue being the best-selling Nissan in America and Canada? Is it because I don’t see many in my local area, or does every compact crossover have its Warhol moment before being swept under the rug for something with a bigger grille and more ambient lighting? Something tells me the answer won’t fit on a postcard. Regardless, the current Nissan Rogue is looking for another turn in the news cycle, because the 2024 model gets a light facelift and a prescribed injection of available tech. Given how popular these cars are, shall we see what’s new?
Up front, the 2024 Nissan Rogue gets a new grille bountiful in horizontal slats. Does it look a bit like orthodontic gear? Sure, but it’s not quite as weird as the lines on the bumper that stretch down from the headlamp cluster bezels and just die when they meet a massive slab of lower valence trim. Yeah, this face will take getting used to.
Around the back, Nissan’s taken away the hardwearing unpainted plastic that previously stretched up to the load lip, replacing it with sleeker-looking but more scratch-prone painted surfacing that seems to take an unorthodox three-piece design. We’ll have to see the new Rogue in person to discern whether or not the center section of the rear bumper is truly separate, but modular construction could have potential collision repair benefits, an intriguing proposition to those with street parking.
Minor styling tweaks aside, the big story is a massive tech upgrade for 2024. The Rogue already had one of the best optional digital clusters in the segment, but the infotainment on pre-facelift models is rather barebones, with the UI sophistication of an off-brand tablet. For most customers used to just plugging their phones in and using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, it was perfectly fine, but Nissan needed a new infotainment system for the electric age and it just so happens to debut in an entirely gasoline-powered crossover.
Powered by Google built-in, this largely tile-based infotainment system makes its future ambitions known in a press photo highlighting available apps. You won’t need Plugshare, an app for EV public charging system locating and rating, in a Rogue, but you might want it in an EV. Then again, all these downloadable apps suggest the need for an internet connection, so that raises some question marks.
In any case, the new Rogue’s Google-based infotainment system still features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as opposed to telling customers to take a hike like in certain EVs. That’s quite nice. Also nice? A big 12.3 inch screen so you won’t need fingers like cocktail sticks to poke icons, and a decent set of physical controls. Then again, only SL and Platinum trims get the new infotainment system, while S and SV trims make do with the old system.
Not exactly new but certainly novel, the engine in the Rogue is a liter and a half of mind-boggling complexity. This 201-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged three-banger can vary its compression ratio using a multi-link arrangement with an actuator instead of a traditional connecting rod and crankshaft arrangement. Unquestionably the weirdest engine in the compact crossover segment, time will tell whether it’s complex genius or a warranty department’s nightmare. Still, this complexity certainly hasn’t put a damper on sales.
In any case, expect the 2024 Nissan Rogue to roll onto dealer lots in 2024, with pricing likely to be announced in the next few months. We’d be surprised if it’s substantially more expensive than the current car. That being said, the current Mitsubishi Outlander is basically a Nissan Rogue with a normal 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine and a massive warranty, so if the Rogue strikes your fancy, it might also be worth swinging by your local Mitsubishi dealer. That being said, with 211,091 pre-facelift examples sold in America during the past three quarters, expect to see the new Nissan Rogue everywhere soon. Who knows? It might even be your next rental car.
(Photo credits: Nissan)
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Oh the Rogue. This car has become the official mascot of “giving up” in my friend group, especially the 2nd gen example, most notable for being one of the cheapest and saddest cars on the road, for far too much outlay.
My in-laws owned one of the 2nd gen examples and dear god did it suck. They managed to get rid of it before any major mechanical issues because they claimed they didn’t trust a Nissan off warranty… then bought another Nissan (Pathfinder) to replace it. I will never, ever understand whatever logic they used to convince themselves to do that.
I’ll give Nissan some credit; this Rogue is way, way better looking than the second gen. And the interior doesn’t suck quite like the last one. But it still has a Jatco CVT and therefore I will steer anyone I don’t hate away from it.
This article reminds me that I should go change my transmission fluid.
If anyone in real life ever suggests I buy a Nissan Rogue, I will know that person is you, and you hate me.
I rented one of these during the 2017 solar eclipse. It drove like shit and had zero power, but it was a lot of car for the money.
So yeah if it’s cheap enough, people will buy them by the pallet. USA USA!
When I bought my new ’23 Subie Forester, the Rogue was very much in the running, and the thing that got it disqualified is the absolute trash reputation of the local Nissan/Honda dealer.
very happy with my Forester, but the Rogue had some nice convenience features that the Forester doesn’t.
My in-laws had the last gen and it was probably the worst SUV I’ve ever driven. Gutless motor paired with a stretch-Armstrong CVT made even the shortest of trips enraging. I borrowed it a few times and it sucks at a level that catches your attention. Even the faintest of pedal presses sends the revs up to what sounds like the redline with only subtle changes in power. Floor it? Oh wait, it was the whole time. My mother-in-law liked it so much she traded in her 18 month old Rogue for a lower trim model one year newer (same gen) and somehow paid even more.. cause thats the kind of person who buys these.
This has got me thinking… Rogue with the 1.5L 3 cyl turbo or the Outlander with the 2.5L 4 cyl.
Well in terms of fuel economy from fueleconomy.gov, the 3 cyl Rogue has a combined rating that ranges from 31-33mpg.
The 4 cyl Outlander has a combined rating ranging from 26-27mpg.
So the Nissan gets 19-22% better fuel economy.
Also of note… the base Rogue in Canada comes with the 2.5L 4cyl… which is odd when you think about it given that gasoline is more expensive up here.