2024 Nissan Rogue Platinum SUV Review

This week, I am taking a look at the heavily re-designed and updated 2024 Nissan Rogue, one of the most popular SUVs in America.  I am really happy to see these changes, Rogue was getting a little long in the tooth.

In this very competitive crossover SUV segment, exterior looks can make or break the success of an SUV, and the designers at Nissan really pulled off a terrific look, but without abandoning the previous looks altogether.  This 2024 version is a real eye-catcher.

Exterior

Starting in the front of this top-of-the-line Platinum version, you notice the front fascia that is now chrome and surrounded by LED headlight and running lamps.  The front area is heavily vented to feed air into the turbocharged engine. 

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The raised hood looks awesome and is very aerodynamic.  19” alloy wheels look fantastic and modern, and the rear spoiler is a nice addition.  This SUV is now a real looker, especially in Deep Ocean Blue with a black roof.

Powertrain

Under that hood is still the 1.5-liter dual overhead cam engine that is turbocharged.  It is mated to the Xtronic continuously variable transmission, and it has shift paddles.  So, let’s address the transmission.  Some years ago I had serious and founded concerns about the Nissan CVT.  As I’ve said now for over five or so years, they got everything right on it and that continues to be true.  Nissan programs simulated shifts into the transmission to give the illusion of actually shifting, and that made it way more enjoyable.  For the record, I am just fine with this transmission and have no concerns at all.

Stats are good on the drive train with the horsepower coming in at 201-horses, and it has 225 pound-feet of torque.  Will you get a whiplash when you floor it?  No, but it’s more than ample for getting up on the freeway.  The review vehicle Nissan supplied me with for a week has the Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system, and I am a huge fan, even if you don’t live where the weather gets rough in the winter.

Interior  

As attractive as the exterior is, it is the interior that really tripped my trigger.  As you open the door, you will think you are entering a luxury SUV, and the truth is, you are-just without the price.  A two-tone motif is prevalent on the door panels and across the seats, door panels, and dash. 

The diamond pleated seats are stunning in Chestnut with darker trim.  Stitching is abundant throughout the cabin, and you’ll find a lot of real wood on the dash and surfaces that are heavily touched.  It’s beautiful, but it also won’t show fingerprints like gloss black always does.

As you sit, the Nissan zero-gravity seats are comfortable and supportive.  The flat-bottomed steering wheel is beautiful, and as you hit the start button, the new 12.3” digital dash comes to life, and it is really pleasant and easy to read, also colorful.  This is a huge improvement.

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An even bigger improvement is the infotainment system center dash, up high, which is also 12.3” and colorful, too.  Of all the changes to the 2024 Rogue, this is probably my favorite, and was the most needed item.  Nissan did it right.  The Rogue is now loaded with new tech featuring Google built-in with pinch-to-zoom and swipe features, enhanced voice recognition, wireless Android Auto compatibility, a terrific Head-Up Display, Alexa Built-in, wireless Apple CarPlay integration, Wi-Fi, and convenient front and rear USB-C ports.  The navigation system is great, and the cameras are fantastic, especially the 360-degree view that circles the Rogue to make sure everything is good to go.

Google Built-In

The addition of the Google software really is a big deal for the Rogue, which at least to me, was not “upscale” in years past, so let’s take a little deeper dive into this.  For 2024, Rogue SL and Platinum will feature Google built-in, with Google Assistant, Google Maps and more on Google Play.  The 12.3-inch HD color touchscreen system has so much computing power that engineers found it challenging to reach its limits during their testing process – a huge improvement over previous generation hardware.

Google Assistant is really cool, too. Drivers can ask questions about destinations, speak addresses in plain English, search for generic points of interest like, "car washes near me" – or even ask Google Assistant to operate certain vehicle functions, like adjusting the climate control temperature.  Nissan engineers did extensive testing on Apple and Android phones, including older versions of both to make sure everyone had maximum usage.  Because app and map functionality is built into the vehicle's infotainment system, plugging a phone into USB ports or pairing it by Bluetooth isn't strictly necessary to use these connected functions, which is awesome. In the unlikely case you leave your phone at home, all your favorite apps will still be accessible with Google built-in through the vehicle's data plan.

By signing in once to their Google account, drivers will have access to personalized traffic updates and recommendations based on their calendar. Plus, through Google Assistant, they can adjust compatible smart home devices like lights, thermostats and appliances – all while on the go.

Lastly, adopting Google Maps means that Rogue's navigation directions are always up to date – crucial for helping drivers get to their destinations with ease. Think about how businesses change their address or construction detours impact your commute. By contrast, keeping all that data fresh was a challenge with legacy navigation systems that needed to be physically updated by the dealership.

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Back to your regularly scheduled program:  I really like the center console, also.  There is storage under it, two cup holders, an electronic emergency brakes, the Auto Hold button, a wireless phone charger, a stubby gear shifter, and a large butterfly opening soft touch glove box between the seats.  All this was very well thought out for ease of reaching things easily.

Moving to the back seat, which has more legroom than I expected, there are air conditioner vents, the rear seats are heated, there is a soft fold down armrest with cup holders, and in a really nice touch, there are manual shades you can raise to keep the sun out.  This is great for little ones in car seats.  The back seats split in a 60/40 configuration.  One thing jumped out at me when I opened the back doors was how wide the opening is.  The doors open to almost 90-degrees, and entry height is high, too.  That means entry and exit out of the Rogue back seat is easy, as is putting a car seat in.  Very well thought out Nissan!

Utility

The cargo area is spacious, also.  Open the electric tailgate which you can also operate by waving your foot under the bumper (note:  you really look stupid doing this, so unless your hands are full, use the key fob) and you open up to a very large cargo area that even has storage underneath for valuables.  There are levers in back to drop either or both of the rear seats for longer cargo, and with everything folded down, there is an incredibly flat load floor to give you 74.1 cubic feet of cargo.

Safety 

Let’s look at what you get with the new Rogue on the safety side, which is impressive with the Nissan Safety Shield 360 protection.  You get automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring with intervention, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning with lane intervention, automatic high beam headlight assist, and forward collision warning.

You also get ProPilot Assist, which is a form of self-driving technology that gives you steering assist, adaptive cruise control with full speed stop and go capability for those times you want to let the car do the work when cruising down the highway.

Standard Equipment and Options

Standard features on the Platinum include:  dual-zone automatic temperature control, remote start, heated steering wheel with controls, wireless phone charging, traffic sign recognition, voice recognition, Bose premium audio, and a panoramic moon roof with a power sliding cover for front and also rear seat passengers.

Options on my tester include the $990 Premium package that gets you the foot-activated rear tailgate, heated rear seats, head-up display, and the rear sunshades I mentioned.  For $620 you get the exterior ground lighting which is pricey but nice, the bottom of the car lights up nicely as you approach.  Two-tone paint adds $360, floor mats and rear cargo protector is $445, lit kick plates as you enter the Rogue is $400, ambient lighting is $350, and a frameless rearview mirror with universal garage door opener is $400.  As you can see, there are options you can slice off if they are not appealing to you to get the price down.

Ride and Drive

This new Rogue rides and drives well, and the road noise aspect has improved for sure.  Engine noise is pretty loud as you accelerate in Sport mode, and that is my only complaint, I wish there were more insulation between the cabin and the engine compartment, but overall, it’s OK, just turn the radio up a little.  The Rogue changes pretty drastically as you choose the drive modes, from Sport, to Off-Road, to Snow, to Auto, and finally Eco.

Fuel Economy and What You'll Pay 

Fuel economy is 28 city, 34 highway, and 31 overall, really good mileage for a larger than compact SUV.  Equipped as this one is, MSRP is $45,145, which is fine for these days as compared to the competition.  At the time I am writing this, Nissan is already offering 0% APR financing for 36 months, which tells me Nissan will keep the incentives aggressive on this new model to try to steal away some RAV4 buyers.

Verdict 

In the first quarter of 2024, Rogue was the #3 seller in America, but not far behind the Honda CR-V, and with this new product, they may be able to close that gap by the end of the year.  It is doubtful they’ll catch the RAV4, but #2 would be a huge achievement for Rogue. 

If you have owned a Rogue in the past, forget that and take a look at this new one.  It’s a game changer for Nissan and its dealers across America.