A Sporty, Family Crossover for All Seasons: The 2021 Nissan Rogue
Jill Robbins
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I spend a lot of time in my car—probably more than I want to—so I value comfort above all.
The 2021 Nissan Rogue threw its hat into the ring as a formidable competitor for one of the most comfortable cars I’ve reviewed lately.
This was my second time driving a Nissan Rogue. I rented one in 2018 for a road trip (I didn’t want to put the miles on my car, so I opted to rent), and I didn’t love it. When I had the opportunity to drive the 2021 Nissan Rogue Platinum AWD, I was curious to see if my opinion would change.
I drove a 2018 Nissan Rogue, and I like driving the 2021 model much better. It’s much easier to drive and park. Photo: Jill Robbins
If you’ve driven a Nissan Rogue in the past and didn’t like it, this one is definitely worth a second chance. My biggest issue in the earlier model was that the front end felt too boxy. I had a hard time getting used to the car’s boundaries. I never felt 100% comfortable in it. However, the 2021 Nissan Rogue Platinum AWD was instantly comfortable for me, and I had none of that “where is my front end now” feeling. This new model measures 1.5 inches shorter and 0.2 inches lower than the previous generation Rogue, enhancing driving maneuverability. It made a ton of difference to me.
Related: 2020 Nissan Sentra: Newly Redesigned And Extremely Stylish
Photo: Jill Robbins
Premium Comfort No Matter Where You Sit
The interior of the 2021 Nissan Rogue has a premium feel. It’s classy but sturdy enough to handle kids and all their stuff getting in and out on a regular basis. There are front and rear Nissan Zero Gravity seats that provide comfortable support on long and short trips. As I said, I spend more time in my car than what I think is ideal. I’m definitely in the “Chauffer the kids everywhere” season of life, and it’s important that the driver’s seat be comfortable. This was.
There’s also plenty of legroom for an adult to sit in the rear seats if need be.
The interior leather is soft and gorgeous. Photo: Nissan
Related: Nissan goes rugged but approachable with it’s 2022 Pathfinder and Frontier
The Connected Family Hub Helps You Get It All Done
Car buyers in 2021 need—and expect—their ride to be tech-forward. One of the things that impressed me about the Rogue is the ease of connecting without cords. It has wireless Apple CarPlay, which allows the driver or passenger to initiate CarPlay while leaving their iPhone in their pocket, purse or bag. How many times have you started driving and realized you’re sitting on your phone, or it is in the bottom of your bag that you can’t reach?
Looks good in my driveway, doesn’t it? Photo: Jill Robbins
A couple of years ago, wireless smartphone chargers were the new, fancy thing. Now, they’re rapidly becoming something the consumer expects. I love being able to lay my phone down on the charger without fiddling with a cord. I have an Otterbox, and my phone was able to charge in its case. There are also both USB Type-C and Type-A charging ports in the center console, so you’ve got options.
I really loved the one-touch fold-down seats that can be configured to carry whatever you need to carry and the motion-activated liftgate. If you need to change up the configuration to load something or to get groceries or other cargo into your car, there’s not a lot of messing around to get it done.
Even though the Rogue is oh-so-practical, I think it does live up to its name. The sleek design style also managed to be sporty, fun and a little bit edgy.
Related: The 2021 Acura MDX: The Luxury 3-Row SUV You’ll Need to Hear to Believe
ProPILOT Assist with Navi-Link
ProPILOT Assist is a hands-on, driver-assist technology that reduces the hassle of stop-and-go highway driving. It makes long drives on the open highway easier. I drove mostly in town and on suburban streets, so I didn’t get a chance to fully test out how this works. It’s a neat feature that makes the driver’s life easy on long drives. If you’re a road tripper or a commuter, this is something you’ll definitely want to scope out.
This feature is standard on the Platinum and available on the SL model.
Car Basics: What you need to know
The 2021 Nissan Rogue is great for small- to medium-sized families. We’re a family of four, and it would meet our needs most of the time. Everyone is comfortable, and it’s got plenty of room for sports equipment, luggage and groceries.
Wondering where to store your milk so it won’t rattle around in the back of your car? Photo: Nissan
Whether you’re looking for a family car or not, the Rogue can meet your needs if you require space and flexibility at a solid mid-range price. It starts at $25,750 for the S model and $36,930 for the Platinum, which is the one I drove.
There are four different trim levels: S, SV, SL and Platinum, which is what’s pictured here.
There’s quite a jump in pricing between the S model and the Platinum. Some of my favorite features on this car are only available at the premium trim levels, such as the wireless charger, motion-activated liftgate and heated rear seats. My kids just got out of booster seats, and they’ve got a newfound appreciation for heated rear seats.
Both my kids are FINALLY tall enough to ditch their booster seats AND we test-drove this car during some of the coldest weather they’ve experienced. Naturally, their favorite feature was the heated rear seats. Photo: Jill Robbins
The 2021 Nissan Rogue gets 35 MPG on the highway and 27 in the city, with an average of 31 MPG. It’s available with 4WD or AWD. I love that this choice is offered. The type of terrain you typically drive on makes a difference in what you choose. If you want a Nissan Rogue, you do have the choice to get what fits your life and your drive style.
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