Highlights of the 2023 Nissan Rogue

The compact Nissan Rogue utility vehicle enters its third year for this third-generation model for 2023. It is one of the most popular models in the segment and Nissan’s top-selling passenger vehicle. New this year is a Midnight Edition package, available with the SV. It supplies a blacked-out look and parallels the design landscape of other special Nissan models.

Overview of the 2023 Nissan Rogue

Nissan offers the 2023 Rogue in S, SV, SL, and Platinum grades. Prices start at $27,360 and reach $38,640 with the Platinum AWD. All four grades come with standard front-wheel drive and available all-wheel drive, the latter a $1,500 upgrade. All sales are assessed with a $1,295 destination charge.

The Rogue seats five and comes with a turbocharged three-cylinder engine. It works with a continuously variable transmission.

Dynamic Design

You won’t mistake the Nissan Rogue for any other model, especially when viewing its front end. That nose features the company’s recognized V-motion (horse collar) grille. The stacked headlights are flared and split; a large air intake spans nearly bumper to bumper. The Rogue’s profile is fairly anonymous, although beltline and rocker panel sculpting gives it form and distinction. We also like the two-tone color scheme as it delivers a class-above look. The rear fascia has a blocky look with the upper and lower portions of the liftgate divided by deep body sculpting.

Nissan equips the 2023 Rogue with standard aluminum alloy wheels. They measure 17 inches in the S, 18 in the SV, and 19 inches in the SL and Platinum. Most trims come with full LED lighting and power-adjustable side mirrors (available heating). Fog lamps, a power liftgate, and roof rails are available.

Inside, the cabin is roomy and bright. The front seats are very comfortable and come dressed in cloth, imitation leather, real hides, or semi-aniline leather. Manually controlled seats are standard, but power seats are available. The rear seat is comfortable for three with ease of access and egress. They also recline slightly, a nifty feature for long-haul rides.

Air conditioning, of course, comes standard; dual-zone climate control is included on all but the base model. Other features include four cup holders, four bottle holders, and double map lights. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are available.

Leading-Edge Safety Tech

You’d expect Nissan to offer a robust safety equipment platform. That they include its most popular suite as standard demonstrates its commitment to the market.

For instance, every grade is equipped with the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite. It comprises several features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Also, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and high beam assist. Lastly, lane departure warning and rear automatic braking complete the package. Other available features include blind spot intervention and traffic sign recognition.

In-Cabin Connectivity

The tech revolution continues apace in new vehicle cabins. Just as soon as a feature becomes available, manufacturers routinely deploy them across the model line.

The 2023 Rogue comes with a standard 7-inch digital meter display or an available 12.3-inch full-color display. An 8-inch touchscreen is standard; a 9-inch touchscreen is available. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Siri Eyes Free come standard. Also available is a wireless charging pad and a 10.8-inch full-color head-up display.

As for the audio system, a 4-speaker unit comes with the S grade. Choose the SV or SL and a 6-speaker audio system is included. Standard with the Platinum and available with the SL is a 10-speaker Bose audio system. Satellite radio, Bluetooth, and voice recognition come standard. Advanced connected services and navigation are available.

All grades come with two USB ports in the first row. All but the S grade offer a pair of additional USB ports in the second row.

Powerful Engine

When the third-generation Rogue appeared in 2021, it came with the carryover 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The following year, Nissan replaced the naturally aspirated four-pot with a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine.

The previous engine developed an even 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. The turbocharged three-cylinder engine boosts power to 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque. In both cases, the engines work with a continuously variable transmission.

Despite the power boost, the current powertrain is more economical as well. This one earns as high as 30/37/33 mpg city/highway/combined. The previous powertrain goes no better than 29/36/32 mpg. It’s a modest boost in efficiency, but a noteworthy one nonetheless.

Available Options

Nissan makes available a sizable list of options for the Rogue. The automaker divides them into two categories – factory-installed and port-installed.

Buyers can stick with the standard paint colors — choose Premium Paint ($395), Two-Tone Paint (Body/Roof) $350, or combine the two for $745. Our test model reflected the latter.

Nissan also makes available packages pertaining to specific grades – SV Premium ($2,660), SL Premium ($1,530), Platinum Premium ($620), and Midnight Edition ($1,535).

Among the port-installed accessories are such features as splash guards ($210) and chrome rear bumper protectors ($170). These features are available across all four grades. Some features, however, are available only in select grades. For example, external ground lighting ($620) is offered only with the SL and Platinum. The same can be said for interior accent lighting ($350). Other available features include a retractable cargo cover ($195) and illuminated kick plates ($400).

The Drive

We took the Nissan Rogue on an uncommonly long trip that brought us to eastern Tennessee. That was the location of the inaugural Southeast Regional Automotive Media Association (SERAMA) drive event on the “Tail of the Dragon.”

Although we drove the dragon in other vehicles, we did not take the Rogue on that route. Still, the Rogue navigated winding and climbing roads en-route to our destination as well as on the return. We were impressed by how well the engine responded under the strain of climbing mountain roads. Under hard acceleration, the CVT caused the engine to whine, but the software also calms things down

We found that the Rogue offers sufficient power. We’ve driven the Rogue with the previous engine and noticed the difference, especially under full power. What we cannot say is how the Rogue would operate with five individuals and all their gear onboard. Moreover, the Rogue has a 1,500-pound tow rating. That’s a lot of “ask” on a vehicle with a small, yet potent engine.

Competitive Set

As you might imagine, the market is filled with compact utility vehicles. Nissan also sells the slightly smaller Rogue Sport along with the Rogue.

Competing models include the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, and Ford Escape. Hyundai offers the Tucson and Kia delivers the Sportage. Mazda has two models – the CX-5 and CX-50. Other models include the Volkswagen Tiguan, Subaru Forester, and Mitsubishi Outlander.

Our Recommendation

Start your search with the SV grade and the Rogue brings with it many of the features customers want. Stay with front-wheel drive and your price will barely nudge above $30,000. That’s a reasonable price point for this vehicle.

2023 Nissan Rogue Specifications

Specifications supplied by the manufacturer. Compiled by Tom Keegan.

See Also — History of the Nissan Juke

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