The 2020 Nissan Rogue, now in its second generation, offers buyers a versatile array of characteristics, including distinct styling, a spacious cabin and a solid list of standard amenities. (It’s not related to the Rogue Sport, which is a different model altogether.)

It comes in three trims: the base S, the SV and the premium SL. All variants are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine hitched to a continuously variable transmission that delivers 170 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. The Rogue can be configured with front- or all-wheel drive and offers Eco and Sport drive modes. Fuel economy is rated at 26 mpg in city driving, 33 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg combined (AWD models have a 1 mpg drop in each category). 

Nissan Rogue small SUV
The Rogue replaced the sporty, truck-based Xterra a decade ago and it became a hit among small families and singles. Today the small crossover, which features superior fuel efficiency and ample cargo space, remains a best seller despite some shortcomings in the performance department. Nissan

Acceleration won’t get the pulses racing, but the Rogue is a winner when it comes to ride quality. The engine provides adequate power for the compact crossover, but not enough to be considered quick. That’s not problematic, however, as it’s perfectly suited for its primary purpose as a grocery getter and family hauler.

The Rogue’s CVT is more tolerable compared with other vehicles, which is evidence that Nissan’s effort to improve this particular technology yielded somewhat impressive results. Again, it doesn’t make for a particularly thrilling experience, but it doesn’t need to.

The Rogue’s base 17-inch wheels have plenty of rubber to provide a cushy ride compared with the larger 18- or 19-inch wheels on higher trims. The Rogue’s fairly long wheelbase also aids comfort, and the crossover handles relatively well despite its taller height. The all-wheel-drive system boosts handling and give it more confidence inclement weather or undesirable road conditions.

A 7-inch touchscreen with NissanConnect and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is standard across the lineup. The button to access ProPilot sits of the right side of the wheel. Nissan

The Rogues’s interior is aimed squarely at families and is designed for comfort. The front seats are soft and supportive for most. There’s also a generous amount of legroom in the front (43 inches), and the tall roof gives passengers in all rows plenty of head room. All trims but the base S have eight-way power adjustable seats with strong lumbar support that soothes a tired back. The fully-loaded SL trim is the only to offer leather upholstery, the standard cloth upholstery in the S and SV models are high quality and feel well put together.

Taller rear-seat passengers might feel slightly squeezed with 37.9 inches of legroom and the bench lacks in padding–a combination that could thwart longer drives. The Rogue’s back seat is wide enough for three people (52 inches of hip room), but two is a better fit.

The backseat comfortably fits two adults, but kids will find it perfectly-sized. Adding a third body is possible on short commutes, but not recommended on road trips. Nissan

The tall roof makes for easy work of loading and unloading kids into car seats and helps prevent bumped heads. All trims feature a 60/40-splitting rear seat for flexible cargo carrying and a storage cubby hidden underneath the rear floor. With the rear seats folded down, the Rogue’s cargo hold opens up to an impressive 70 cubic-feet. Cargo space with the seats up is a class-leading 39.3 cubic-feet.

A 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is standard across the Rogue lineup. The top SL features a Bose nine-speaker stereo, navigation and SiriusXM radio. 

Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 suite of advanced driver-assistance safety technology is standard on all but the base S trim. The package includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, lane departure alerts, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and high beam assist. Nissan’s ProPilot system, which is a combination of adaptive cruise control and lane centering that is activated by a one-button push, in standard on the top SL trim and optional on the mid-grade SV. 

A 360-degree camera is optional for the SV trim and standard on the top SL trim. Nissan

All that safety tech, combined with solid crash test scores, helped the Rogue earn a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It earned “Good” ratings in all categories except passenger-side small overlap front crashworthiness, where it got an “Acceptable” score. The Rogue’s headlights only achieved a “Poor” or “Acceptable” rating depending on trim, but the robust package of standard safety tech was good enough to earn a “Superior” rating for front crash prevention.