2019 Nissan Rogue Review
Everywhere you go, it seems you see the Nissan Rogue. It doesn’t appear that will change anytime soon. The 2019 Nissan Rogue is built for comfort on the open road.
2019 Nissan Rogue – usa.nissannews.com | Shop 2019 Nissan Rogue on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2019 Nissan Rogue?
The 2019 Nissan Rogue, other than a facelift in 2017, has been with us since it began production in 2014. Five years in the SUV world is like 35 in dog years. But regardless of its age, the fact that it’s second in sales to Toyota’s RAV4 tells you a lot about the public’s love for the Rogue. It has Memory Foam Zero Gravity seats, lots of people space, and some standard creative cargo options. Let’s check out the nitty-gritty and see if it’s the SUV for you.
The Breakdown
We like the ample cargo space
We like the spacious interior
We like the miles per gallon
We don’t like the noisy engine
We don’t like the infotainment system
2019 Nissan Rogue Specs
- 170 horsepower from base engine
- 175 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 3 available trims
- 39.3 cu-ft. of cargo capacity
- 70 cu-ft. of cargo capacity with seats down
- Towing capacity of 1,102 lbs
- 2.5-liter 4-cylinder
- 0-60 mph in 9.6 seconds
2019 Nissan Rogue Powertrain
The 2019 Nissan Rogue has to plod along with its 170 horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that gets you to 60 mph in 9.4 seconds. You can also get the Hybrid’s 2.0-liter plus the 40 horsepower electric motor and battery that gives you 176 total horsepower. And so you know, sales of the Hybrid is a tiny portion of overall Rogue sales.
Nissan’s powertrain isn’t the strongest in its class, but it may be the noisiest under full-throttle acceleration. It’s noisy enough with the CVT rubber-banding about, but there’s also a lot of unpleasant mechanical noise from the engine. Some 4-cylinders sound good, but this isn’t one of them. The good thing is that you’ll never hear it in your everyday driving.
Another disappointment is the cornering. In a straight line, the 2019 Rogue is a sweet ride – absorbing everything in its path. But once the wheel turns, it’s as responsive as a cat on a leash. You feel like you have to convince the car to corner and it eventually turns. As it leans over in the turn, you almost hear the Rogue sigh with indignation. We expect that kind of behavior from a Suburban, but with Honda, Mazda, and Hyundai producing responsive handling competitors, we’d expect more from Nissan. It’s not a Chevy Equinox or Subaru Forester kind of lazy, but it’s not far off.
We humbly suggest that Nissan dump the 2.5-liter that’s been around since the Rogue was first introduced and put the 268 horsepower VC-Turbo 2.0-liter engine in to make amends. Do this as an option and add the sport suspension from the Altima, and you’ll have a winner. But that’s just us talking.
Towing & Payload
The 2019 Rogue will tow up to 1,102 lbs which means you can pull a small trailer with a class-I trailer hitch. It’s not much compared to the competition’s 1500 lbs capacity but ask yourself, when was the last time you pulled anything?
2019 Nissan Rogue Fuel Economy
The EPA gives the 2019 Rogue an impressive estimate of 26 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway for front-drive models. All-wheel-drive models get 25 city and 32 highway. If you pick up a hybrid, you’ll get better city miles at 33 with a slight increase on the highway to 35 mpg.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
In our 2019 Rogue, most likely aided by the light-colored interior seating, the look and feel were exceptional. While BMW and Audi wish to charge a premium for a sport-oriented flat bottomed steering wheel, Nissan gives you one standard in an SUV. Hilarious, but we appreciate it. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is perfectly positioned while we’re sitting in the Zero Gravity seats even though it’s not a sport SUV. And, as an aside, there’s not enough to be said about the seat comfort – bravo Nissan.
If you’re looking for space, Nissan gives everyone maximum head and legroom, regardless of the seating position. Rear passengers have a comfortable place to hang out, and each seat will adjust forward and backward if you want your child within arm’s reach.
The Rogue has 39.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity that expands to 70 cubic feet with the second row down. Nissan’s Divide-N-Hide cargo system makes it helpful storage, regardless of the configuration.
Entertainment & Technology
We’re in the middle of many changes to interior entertainment layouts these days. Even pickups are beginning to have huge 12-inch screens. But even with all that in mind, the 2019 Rogue lets us down a bit on the infotainment side. The seven-inch screen infotainment system works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is a bonus compared to a 2019 Mazda.
The experience with the infotainment system isn’t bad, but the user interface looks very dated. There are worse systems, and we should be happy that it’s easy to understand and operate.
We suspect that Nissan will offer an update to the system to make things look better. The good thing is that you have everything you need.
Safety Features
The 2019 Rogue includes the basic driver-assist package called Safety Shield 360. Nissan’s ProPilot Assist is standard on the SL but optional on the SV. ProPilot Assist provides adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, and lane centering. IIHS gives the Rogue a Top Safety Pick for the Rogue SL when equipped with optional LED headlights.
2019 Nissan Rogue Trims & Pricing
S -$25,020
The S trim includes the NissanConnect infotainment system and a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the base trim. More convenience comes in the form of Hill Start Assist with driver-assist features, including Blind Spot Warning, Intelligent Lane Intervention, Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert.
SV -$26,440
The 2019 Rogue SV adds chrome exterior door handles, a leather-wrapped steering wheel plus dual climate control, and a power driver seat. Nissan’s Rear Sonar System comes standard and provides safety while you back up.
SL -$31,490
The Nissan Rogue SL has more convenience features. With the auto-dimming rearview mirror, you also get leather seats, a Bose sound system, and other luxury conveniences. The SL also has Nissan’s Door-to-Door Navigation with Premium Traffic and the ProPilot Assist safety suite.
Warranties
The 2019 Nissan Rogue warranty is the basic 3 yr/36,000 mi and 5 yr/60,000 mi on the powertrain. Other than that, you’re on your own with basic maintenance, although the dealer may give you a freebie for the first oil change.
What we think
2019 Nissan Rogue – usa.nissannews.com | Shop 2019 Nissan Rogue on Carsforsale.com
Although lacking in sporty driving characteristics, the 2019 Nissan Rogue’s tranquil and very comfortable cabin and suspension will make long-distance travel easy. With the expandable cargo storage, safety technology, and protection that Nissan gives with the 360, and ProPilot Assist added, you have a very well-put-together SUV.
