The Nissan Rogue has been a great value for money over the last few years. It was never as much fun to drive as something like the Mazda CX-5 nor was it as spacious as the Honda CR-V. But it was less expensive than both and it came equipped with a lot of the same features. For 2024, the Nissan Rogue receives a plethora of updates including a tweaked design and a new infotainment system.
Performance
Engine – Not too long ago, the Rogue was available with a 2.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine and a 1.5L 3-cylinder turbocharged engine. For 2024, only the latter is available across all trim levels. It produces 201 hp & 225 lb-ft of torque (150 kW & 305 Nm) which is pretty reasonable considering the size of this little engine. With the Nissan Rogue tipping the scales at 1,707 kg (3,763 lbs), this little engine has plenty of grunt to get the SUV moving. It takes less effort from your right foot to bring the Rogue up to merging speeds on highways. It feels so much more effortless than the old 4-cylinder engine. With this 3-cylinder engine, the Rogue can tow up to 1,500 lbs.
This 3-cylinder turbo engine utilizes Nissan’s variable compression technology. This was first introduced on the Infiniti QX50 and without getting into too much detail, the combustion chamber can change the compression ratio. Under light throttle applications it has higher compression for improved fuel efficiency. Vice versa when you stomp on the throttle and the turbo produces more boost, the compression ratio decreases to allow for a larger volume of air/fuel mixture for more power. You don’t feel any of this change as it is seamless but you can see it happening on the digital driver display.
Fuel Economy – With the size of the engine and the variable compression technology, the 2024 Nissan Rogue AWD can return impressive fuel efficiency numbers. It is rated for 8.4 L/100 km (28 MPG) in a city and 6.8 L/100km (34.6 MPG) on a highway. During my time with the SUV, I managed a respectable 7.9 L/100 km (29.7 MPG) with the majority of my driving being in a city environment. However, on one trip that involved mostly highway driving, I managed to get 5.9 L/100km (40 MPG). That’s hybrid territory.
Transmission – Like many Nissan vehicles, this 3-cylinder engine is paired with a CVT automatic. These are not the most enjoyable transmissions for driving enthusiastically but this is not a car to do that in. The Mazda CX-5 is your answer for driving dynamics. This CVT is, honestly, forgetful. And that’s a good thing. It performs well depending on the situation. It reacts within a reasonable amount of time for a quick burst of acceleration, it quietens down the engine when cruising on highways, and it gives you a few virtual gears when you require a bit more control.
Braking – The Nissan Rogue’s brakes provide enough force to bring the 1.7 tonne SUV to a stop in an emergency situation. The brake pedal has a lot of travel – more than I’d like – but it allows for smooth stops at intersections.
Handling – This new generation of the Nissan Rogue drives better than the outgoing version but, as mentioned earlier, it’s no CX-5. However, it feels more planted around corners and the steering is direct, as are all other electro-assisted steering racks. The feel is light which makes it easy to maneuver the SUV on city streets or parking lots. In Canada, all trim levels come standard with AWD. In the United States, AWD is optional on all trim levels.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – The 2024 Nissan Rogue has arguably one of the most comfortable rides in this class of vehicles. Bumps and road imperfections are very well ironed out by the suspension. It’s not like the ride of a Range Rover, but it is good for this class of vehicle.
Further aiding to the comfort in this top Platinum trim are the quilted leather seats. They are extremely comfortable to sit in for long…. really long periods of time without any back pain. Also, the 2024 Nissan Rogue has a three zone climate control system. A rare feature for a compact SUV.
Interior Space – The 2024 Rogue – like many new generation vehicles – offers more interior space than the outgoing model. However, the increase in size is not in all axes. Front and rear passenger legroom is greater as is total cargo volume with the rear seats folded. But headroom and cargo capacity with the rear seats up is a tiny bit less than the previous generation Rogue. While the headroom is a few millimeters less than last year’s model, there’s still ample headroom for tall adults like me at 6’4”. Getting in and out of the Rogue is a breeze, especially in the back row, thanks to the rear doors that open at an almost 90 degree angle. This also aids in loading and unloading with the seats folded.
Speaking of which, the trunk can accommodate 1,028 L (36.3 cu-ft) behind the rear seats and 2,064 L (72.9 cu-ft) with the seats folded. These are specifications with the panoramic moonroof. Without it, the capacities increase by 5 & 34 Liters respectively. The floor can be lowered by a few inches and the 2 different floor boards can act as a divider. Additionally, there is a spare wheel under the trunk floor.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – A refined interior is also one of the biggest changes to this latest generation Nissan Rogue. The cabin is insulated from most outside noises with very minimal intrusions from wind or tire noises at highway speeds.
The 3-cylinder engine is an inherently unbalanced engine by design. But the vibrations do not get translated into the cabin. The engine mounts are working overtime to keep the little engine isolated from the cabin occupants.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2024 Nissan Rogue S AWD starts at $33,648 CAD ($28,850 USD, FWD). At the other end of the price spectrum is this fully loaded Platinum AWD version which will cost you $45,198 CAD ($40,630 USD).
Gadgets – In base form, the Nissan Rogue S is quite well equipped. It has an 8-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a full suite of advanced driver and safety aids.
This fully loaded Platinum trim adds a panoramic sunroof, power liftgate, head-up display, surround view cameras, heated rear seats, three-zone automatic climate control, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, a 12.3-inch driver display, Bose premium audio, and wireless phone charging to name quite a few.
The big change on the inside for the 2024 model year is the introduction of the latest Nissan infotainment system. This system allows for a certain degree of customizability with different apps & widgets being available for the home screen. It still has some elements of the older infotainment system such as the fonts and some menu structures, but I found this new system fairly easy to get used to.
Interior Design – When you step inside the new Rogue, it still feels like a Nissan vehicle but it also feels modernized. The steering wheel is a traditional D-shape that Nissan always likes to use but it’s just a tad on the skinny side for my extra long fingers to grab a hold of. The infotainment touchscreen has physical quick access buttons & knobs on the bottom, however, the angle of the row of buttons can reflect direct sunlight in the driver’s eyes. And finally, the climate controls are pretty much dummy proof as Nissan has kept physical buttons & knobs instead of integrating them into the infotainment screen.
One interior design that I particularly like is the choice of trim on the floating center console. It’s plastic but it looks like a blend of wood & aluminum trim. It feels like it’ll stand the test of time and won’t show dirt & fingerprints like traditional piano black plastics.
Exterior Design – The exterior of the 2024 Nissan Rogue is the other change for this model year with a much larger grille design than before. The chrome “V-Shaped” trim pieces which flanked the old grille are gone but the very edge of the grille slots are chrome to reproduce the “V-shape” that Nissan’s have become synonymous with. The rear doesn’t see such a drastic change as the taillights look the same as the pre-facelift version.
Safety – The Rogue S has a vast majority of the available safety and driver aids. Moving up in the trims will add on things like front, rear and side parking sensors, surround view cameras, traffic sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control to name a few.
Warranty – The 2022 Nissan Rogue is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km new vehicle basic warranty and a 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For USA warranty, click here.
Conclusion – In the end, the 2024 Nissan Rogue is a good overall crossover SUV. It’s not as good to drive as the Mazda CX-5 nor is it as big as the Honda CR-V, but the Rogue is less expensive than both and features a lot of the same gadgets & gizmos. So in a way, you’re getting more value for your money with the Nissan Rogue than other competitor compact SUVs. In the past, I would not have recommended the base 2.5L engine. But now that it’s gone, hopefully the 3-cylinder engine and its variable compression technology will stand the test of time… and mileage.
Thank you to Nissan Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Nissan.ca
2024 Nissan Rogue Gallery
