2021 Nissan Rogue Steps Up Its Premium Game, Improves Versatility

Keeping its focus on the Rogue— its most popular family vehicle—Nissan has introduced the “Family Hub” to the new Rogue. A few nifty features include unlock buttons on all door handles that open each door individually so long as the smart key is near enough to the car. The rear doors now open almost 90 degrees for easier ingress and egress, and also make it easier to put the child seat in.

The child seat placement is more versatile than before, and you can place the seat in the middle as well, allowing the adults to sit on either side. Nissan’s NASA-inspired Zero Gravity seats, with impeccable back support, are back and come with heating. The 2021 Rogue also offers a first-in-class tri-zone climate control system that allows rear passengers to adjust their temperature independently from the front AC zones. Lastly, there is the motion-activated tailgate.

As for convenience equipment, the Rogue is clearly aiming for a class above. You get wireless charging and a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen system with wireless Apple CarPlay. The driver gets to gawk at a 12.3-inch digital dashboard instrument cluster. The Rogue also gets a 10.8-inch heads-up-display. According to Nissan, the lower trims will get a seven-inch MID compared to the five-inch in the previous model. This indicates that the digital dashboard will probably only be available on the top trim, though it could be an optional extra on the penultimate one.

In terms of safety, the 2021 Rogue will come with Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 as standard, while the new ProPILOT Assist will be available on the higher trims only. Even then the safety features on Safety Shield are far from scant. It comes with auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and rear automatic braking. The ProPILOT system adds adaptive cruise control with stop and go along with Navi-link. The system draws data from the navigation system and uses it too slow down for curves ramps and intersections automatically. Also, Navi-link will be standard on the Platinum and SL trims.

As for the design, the Rogue now looks quite interesting. It seems to have taken a few pages out of a certain Korean manufacturer. Nissan has split the DRLs and headlamps which, along with the V-motion grille, gives the face an appealing aesthetic without a hint of aggressiveness. The rear end gets a prominent character line above the wheel arch and the tailgate design is clean with high-set tail lamps. The design looks restrained and appealing. It’s not all show however. The front fascia comes with air-curtains and active grille shutters to help streamline the crossover at highway speeds.

The engine however will be carried over unchanged. It will be the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 181 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque and will come mated to a CVT. The Rogue will go on sale in fall this year and will likely start at a higher price compared to the current car. The powertrain might be the least exciting attribute of the new Rogue but what it lacks in performance, it should make up in technology and versatility, and should be a well-performing model for Nissan.