2020 Nissan Rogue: Model overview, pricing, tech and specs
One of America's best-selling SUVs soldiers into the 2020 model year relatively unchanged.
The Nissan Rogue is one of the best-selling SUVs in the US, constantly locked in bitter battle with similarly sized competitors like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V . It's a tough segment, so automakers need to bring their A-game, which Nissan definitely has.
The Nissan Rogue entered its second generation in 2017, receiving a thorough update that added creature comforts, tech and more. Not much changed for the 2019 model year, and the story is much the same for 2020, save for the usual year-over-year price bump.
Read next: Our 2018 Nissan Rogue review
Powertrain and specs
All three trims of Nissan Rogue receive the same engine. It's a 2.5-liter, naturally aspirated four-cylinder gas engine, good for 170 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. A continuously variable transmission is standard on all trims. Sport and Eco modes are also standard, in case you prefer responsiveness or thrift.
While front-wheel drive is also standard, all-wheel drive is available for a small charge. Its AWD system sends power to all four wheels for improved traction while starting from a stop. Once the car is up to speed, it shifts the power to the front wheels alone to improve efficiency. It can send up to 50% of its power to the rear wheels.
The Rogue is sufficiently efficient, with FWD variants rated at 26 miles per gallon in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, while AWD Rogues are rated at 25 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.
There used to be a hybrid variant available for the Rogue, but alas, it has been canceled for the 2020 model year.
The CVT might not be the most enthralling transmission on the planet, but its efficiency makes it a hard act to beat.
Interior
The 2020 Nissan Rogue's interior sports a straightforward layout, with seating for up to five and a solid amount of cargo capacity. There's 39.3 cubic feet of space for your stuff behind the second row, and folding those seats down expands that space to 70 cubic feet. That's ahead of the Toyota RAV4 (37.6 cubic feet out back, 69.8 cubic feet total), but the Honda CR-V trumps the Nissan with a positively capacious 75.8 cubic feet of total cargo space with the second row folded.
The Rogue's S and SV trims make do with cloth seats, while the SL upgrades to leather-appointed surfaces. The driver's seat is manually operated in the S trim, with higher levels receiving power adjustment. A power passenger seat is only available on the SL variant. All three trims receive a 40/20/40 split bench seat in the second row with a center pass-through.
Technology
The base infotainment system on the 2020 Rogue is actually pretty capable. Its 7-inch NissanConnect touchscreen getup includes both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto , which helps give it the technological edge in a busy segment. Satellite radio is also standard. The middle SV trim ditches the base four-speaker audio system in favor of a six-speaker layout. A nine-speaker Bose audio setup and embedded navigation are optional on SV and standard on SL.
On the safety front, Nissan's suite of active and passive driver aids is standard on both SV and SL trims. This includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, blind spot monitoring and automatic high beams. A surround-view camera system is optional on SV-trimmed Rogues, but SL models get it standard.
If that's not enough, there's also ProPilot Assist, Nissan's single-lane highway holding system. Optional on SV and standard on SL, this holds the vehicle in the center of its lane on the highway to help reduce tedium -- think of it as a more capable combination of adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist.
Every trim of Rogue also gets Nissan's Rear Door Alert system. If the car detects an open rear door prior to a trip, it will remind the driver at the end of that trip to check the backseat. The goal here is to ensure that nothing gets left in the car, whether animate or inanimate.
Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto gives the Rogue an edge over the competition.
Options and pricing
The base 2020 Nissan Rogue S starts at $26,245, including $1,045 for destination and delivery. Standard equipment includes 17-inch steel wheels, folding power mirrors, automatic headlights, keyless entry and the aforementioned tech. The $800 S Special Edition package adds tinted windows, heated side mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, alloy wheels and heated front seats.
The Rogue SV starts at $27,715 including destination, and it adds even more standard equipment, including alloy wheels, roof rails, a handsfree liftgate, heated seats, a power driver's seat and dual-zone automatic climate control. The $1,800 SV Premium Package adds embedded navigation, surround-view cameras, a heated steering wheel, bigger wheels and ProPilot Assist. There's also a $3,530 Sun and Sound Touring Package that throws a panoramic moonroof and a Bose audio system into the mix.
At the top of the Rogue lineup is the $32,685 SL trim. This trim picks up a heated steering wheel, leather-appointed seats, 19-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, a power passenger seat, embedded navigation, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and ProPilot Assist. The only option package here is the $1,820 SL Premium Package, which adds LED headlights and a panoramic moonroof.
Any trim can add all-wheel drive for $1,350.
Availability
The 2020 Nissan Rogue is on sale nationwide.
Originally published Aug. 28, 5:00 a.m. PT:
Update, 6:15 a.m. PT: Clarified that Rogue Hybrid will not return for 2020.