About Rogue
The Rogue is the vehicle that keeps Nissan's lights on in America. Launched for the 2008 model year as a small crossover built on car underpinnings, it grew into the brand's best-selling model and one of the most popular vehicles in the country, outselling the Altima and every other Nissan by a wide margin. It is built in Smyrna, Tennessee, and shares its bones with the X-Trail sold in much of the rest of the world.
The current generation, launched for 2021, brought a far nicer cabin, a more upright and handsome shape, and a variable-compression turbocharged three-cylinder engine that replaced the old four. Reviewers praise its comfortable seats, quiet ride and family-friendly packaging, including rear doors that open nearly to a right angle; complaints tend to center on its continuously variable transmission and an engine that prefers relaxed driving. The Rock Creek trim adds a bit of off-road attitude to the formula.
Its rivals are the biggest names in the business: the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester. Many of them have offered hybrid versions for years, which left the Rogue at a disadvantage. A plug-in hybrid version, borrowed from Mitsubishi's Outlander, arrived and was discontinued within months. The bigger fix is the Rogue Hybrid, which brings Nissan's e-Power system, already sold abroad, to American buyers. In e-Power, a gasoline engine acts as a generator and the wheels are driven by an electric motor. This page follows that launch along with reviews, pricing, recalls, sales reports and the next generation's development.