2023 Nissan Rogue Review: No Soggy Bottom Here

Like much of the world over the past three years, we’ve been finding ourselves planted in view of our television a bit more than in the past. Streaming services have supplanted broadcast shows by offering episode after episode ready for gluttonous consumption. One glutinous show has taken over our screens in particular - The Great British Bake Off.

While I’m usually confined to my basement office pounding out screeds like this one in my hours away from the office, my wife and kids will devour a quartet of episodes in a single evening. I’ll wander to my recliner after a particularly nasty fight with writer’s block only to be greeted with aproned bakers covered in flour. I’ll admit to having attempted a few loaves and pastries in the recent past, too, inspired by these heroes of gluten. Beyond the competitors, the revolving cast of hosts and judges has taken the Netflix screen by storm. I know that there is one host who looks suspiciously like Joan Jett circa 1982, for example. But the patriarch of the series is celebrity baker Paul Holywood, known for harsh criticism and some signature accompanying quips. 

I mention this as I consider the arc of Nissan commuter vehicles since the turn of the century. Cost cutting and taking chances on innovative new tech have been the two often opposing hallmarks of non-enthusiast vehicles wearing the chrome hamburger on the nose. As a result, it often feels as if many products make it to the showroom floor before the new tech is fully baked. Is their latest compact crossover, the 2023 Nissan Rogue, under-proofed? Or does it have a tight crumb?

I often wonder if I’m overly harsh on Nissan’s products, or if their mainstream vehicles are simply underwhelming. Disclosure for those who haven’t read my work over the years, but I have long been what in the modern lingo would be called a Nissan fanboy. The vehicles of Nissan and Datsun have played an outsized part in making me an automotive enthusiast, so perhaps my critiques come from a mix of nostalgia and disappointment.

There’s no question that Nissan’s focus on sales volume alongside a dogged dedication to the massive investment in continuously-variable transmission technology has led to certain impressions most have of the brand over the past couple of decades. Journalists generally harp on how much they hate driving a CVT-equipped vehicle, of which Nissan has made an overwhelming majority. But we’ve seen a number of other automakers invest in the CVT - clearly engineers, beancounters, and buyers aren’t putting a ton of stock in what we reviewers have been saying.

After spending time in this latest Rogue, however, I’m beginning to feel a bit better about the future of the CVT. Perhaps they’ve ironed out the issues within the transmission, or they’ve finally paired the ideal engine with the funky ‘box. If you’ve glanced at the data panel above, you’ll note a decrease in the cylinder count from the past - the latest Rogue makes do with a 1.5-liter three-cylinder using the company’s variable compression technology. I’m convinced that this is an excellent pairing of engine and transmission, each complementing their strengths while minimizing weaknesses. 201 horsepower out of this tiny mill is impressive.

More impressive is the fuel economy. Rated for 31mpg combined, I found that numbers of 35mpg or higher were easily achieved with even a fair bit of city driving. For the size of this vehicle, that’s excellent - and is achieved without the need for hybrid technology. That’s especially important as batteries add plenty of weight and can be very difficult to source at times. 

The Rogue has never been a styling champ, I’m afraid. It’s handsome enough, I guess, but it’s really hard to make a crossover look like anything more than yet another crossover. The soft edges of prior generations have been creased just a bit in this latest update, but it’s not what I’d call stunning. The Midnight Edition package fitted here, which adds black wheels, roof, and other trim for $1,535, doesn’t do much for me - I’d likely leave it off to save a few bucks. 

On the interior, the only significant complaint I have is with the finishing of a couple of plastic surfaces. Most notably, the windshield wiper stalk on the right side of the steering column has a sharp ridge where the two halves of a mold came together during production. I’d normally write it off as a one-off issue, but I’ve noticed it on several Nissan products of late. It’s not enough to draw blood by any means, but just annoying enough to make a negative impression. A few minutes with sandpaper and/or a file would knock it down, I’m sure. The rest of the interior generally feels well-made and up to the competition, but I’d hate to ignore this and I’m surprised that Nissan lets their wiper stalk supplier off the hook with this oversight.

Most importantly, the interior comfort is excellent, with plenty of room for four good-sized folks or even five if the smallest three like each other. Rear cargo space is plentiful, too - this is a nicely sized compact that rides and drives nicely. My tester was fitted with the $2,660 SV Premium package, which adds heated front seats and steering wheel, a power liftgate, and a panoramic moonroof. I’ll admit that heated seats are wonderful, but I’d be tempted to ditch the package to make this a $32K crossover value.

I get it. It’s hard to get excited over a crossover. These loaf-shaped vehicles are the white bread of the automotive industry, not some artisan sourdough sportscar or luxury focaccia. But sometimes people just need a sandwich, and the 2023 Nissan Rogue makes the usual bologna and cheese commute a little less miserable.

[Images © 2023 Chris Tonn/TTAC]

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