You’ve got your eyes on a Nissan Rogue or a Nissan Rogue Sport, but the decision isn’t as easy as you thought, right? Maybe you’re trying to figure out the difference between the two. Or, you’re simply wondering if the smaller Rogue Sport has enough room for your family, or whether the larger Rogue is the better choice for your daily drives.
Let’s break down everything about the Nissan Rogue and Nissan Rogue Sport to help you make an informed decision—no confusing tech jargon, just the facts, served up conversationally like we’re having a coffee chat.
What’s the Deal with the Nissan Rogue?
The Nissan Rogue has been one of the most popular compact SUVs in the US for years. It’s bigger, more powerful, and offers a more premium experience than its sibling, the Nissan Rogue Sport. If you’re in the market for a family-friendly vehicle with a bit more room and power, the Rogue is the one that’ll catch your eye first.
Key Highlights of the Nissan Rogue:
- Spacious Interior: You’ve got plenty of room for your passengers and your stuff. Perfect for road trips or everyday errands.
- Fuel Efficiency: The Rogue balances power with fuel economy, making it easy on the wallet at the pump.
- Advanced Safety Features: Nissan packs the Rogue with safety tech like ProPILOT Assist, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring.
- Comfortable Ride: The Rogue’s cabin is all about comfort, with available leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, and premium audio systems.
But maybe you’re asking, “Do I need all this space? Or could the smaller Rogue Sport work just as well for me?”
The Smaller but Mighty Nissan Rogue Sport
Let’s shift gears and talk about the Nissan Rogue Sport. If you’re looking for a compact SUV that’s easy to maneuver around tight city streets but still gives you the features of an SUV, the Rogue Sport could be the one for you.
Why You Might Love the Rogue Sport:
- Compact Size: Perfect for city dwellers or anyone who doesn’t need a ton of space but still wants the SUV vibe.
- Affordability: The Rogue Sport is typically more affordable than its big brother, the Nissan Rogue.
- Fuel Economy: Even better fuel efficiency than the Rogue, which can make a difference if you’re using it for daily commutes.
- Practical Interior: While it’s smaller than the Rogue, the Rogue Sport still offers a good amount of cargo space for its size.
Now, let’s dive into more details, including differences between the Nissan Rogue and Nissan Rogue Sport that’ll make it clear which one is right for you.
Comparing the Nissan Rogue and Nissan Rogue Sport
1. Size and Space
Let’s start with the most obvious difference—size. The Nissan Rogue is larger in almost every way. It offers more cargo space, more room for passengers, and a more commanding presence on the road.
- Nissan Rogue: 74.1 cubic feet of cargo space when the back seats are folded down. This is one of the reasons it’s popular for families who need that extra room.
- Nissan Rogue Sport: 61.1 cubic feet of cargo space. Still decent, but more suited for those who don’t regularly haul large loads or gear.
2. Power and Performance
If you’re looking for an SUV with a bit more punch under the hood, the Nissan Rogue comes out ahead. It’s powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder engine that pumps out 201 horsepower.
- Nissan Rogue: More power, better acceleration, and a more engaging driving experience, especially if you do a lot of highway driving.
- Nissan Rogue Sport: Equipped with a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine producing 141 horsepower. It’s perfectly fine for city driving, but it won’t give you that extra kick on the freeway.
3. Fuel Efficiency
Both models offer solid fuel economy, but the Rogue Sport takes the cake for being slightly more efficient.
- Nissan Rogue: 30 MPG combined (city and highway).
- Nissan Rogue Sport: 28 MPG combined, but it edges out the Rogue in the city, thanks to its smaller size.
4. Tech and Features
Both the Nissan Rogue and Nissan Rogue Sport come equipped with impressive tech, but the Rogue is going to give you a bit more luxury and advanced features, especially in higher trims.
- Nissan Rogue: Offers an available digital dashboard, a large 9-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, and a full suite of driver-assist features.
- Nissan Rogue Sport: A bit simpler in terms of tech, but still offers the essentials like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Nissan’s Safety Shield 360.
So, Which SUV is Right for You?
If you’re a family or someone who regularly needs more space and power, the Nissan Rogue is probably the better choice. It’s bigger, stronger, and offers more of the premium touches that make long trips more comfortable.
But if you’re looking for something smaller, more affordable, and perfect for navigating urban landscapes, the Nissan Rogue Sport may be your new best friend.
Nissan Rogue and Nissan Rogue Sport: Which is Best for Everyday Driving?
One of the biggest questions people ask is whether the Nissan Rogue or Nissan Rogue Sport is better suited for daily driving. This can include everything from commuting to work, running errands, or driving the kids to school. Let’s break it down further.
1. City Driving
The Nissan Rogue Sport shines here. Its smaller size makes it easier to park and manoeuvre around tight spaces, which is key if you’re constantly dealing with city traffic and narrow streets. Plus, its turning radius is tighter than the Rogue’s, making it feel a little more nimble in urban environments.
The Nissan Rogue, while larger, can still handle city driving just fine, but you might find it a bit bulkier when it comes to parallel parking or squeezing into tighter spots.
2. Highway Driving
When you’re on the highway, the Nissan Rogue starts to pull ahead. Thanks to its more powerful engine, it’s got better acceleration, making it easier to merge onto highways or overtake slower vehicles. The Rogue’s larger size also means a smoother, more comfortable ride at higher speeds, which is great for long commutes or weekend getaways.
The Rogue Sport holds its own on the highway but doesn’t have the same kind of power as its bigger sibling. You might find that it feels slightly underpowered when you’re trying to speed up quickly or carry heavier loads.
3. Fuel Costs
Both the Nissan Rogue and Nissan Rogue Sport offer competitive fuel efficiency, but as we mentioned earlier, the Rogue Sport edges out the Rogue slightly in terms of city driving fuel economy. If you do a lot of stop-and-go driving or short trips, the Rogue Sport might save you a little more on fuel in the long run.
However, if your daily routine involves a mix of city and highway driving, the Rogue’s fuel economy is still impressive for its class. You won’t be making constant stops at the pump.
Interior and Comfort: What’s the Experience Like?
When you’re spending a lot of time in your car, comfort is a priority. Whether you’re stuck in traffic, on a long road trip, or just dropping the kids off at school, you want to feel good behind the wheel.
Nissan Rogue Comfort
The Nissan Rogue has one of the most spacious and comfortable interiors in its class. The cabin feels open, and even rear-seat passengers get plenty of legroom, which is crucial for long journeys.
- Seating: The Rogue offers available leather seats, heated front and rear seats, and even a heated steering wheel—perfect for those cold winter mornings.
- Cargo Space: As mentioned earlier, you’ve got up to 74.1 cubic feet of space with the seats folded down, so loading up for a camping trip or a big grocery haul is a breeze.
- Quiet Ride: Nissan has done a great job making the Rogue’s cabin quiet and peaceful, with minimal road noise even at high speeds.
Nissan Rogue Sport Comfort
The Rogue Sport offers a more compact version of the comfort found in the Rogue. It’s comfortable, but if you’re tall or regularly have rear passengers, the back seats might feel a bit cramped compared to the larger Rogue.
- Seating: While the Rogue Sport doesn’t have all the premium options of the Rogue, you can still get cloth or leatherette seats, and heated front seats are available on higher trims.
- Cargo Space: The 61.1 cubic feet of cargo space is great for a compact SUV, but it’s noticeably less than the Rogue. If you don’t need to carry a lot of stuff, this won’t be a deal breaker.
Trim Levels and Customization
Both the Nissan Rogue and Nissan Rogue Sport come in multiple trims, so you can pick and choose the features that matter most to you. Let’s go over some of the key trims to look at.
Nissan Rogue Trims
- S Trim: This is the base model, but it’s far from basic. You still get Apple Car Play and Android Auto, a suite of safety features like automatic emergency braking, and a comfortable cabin.
- SV Trim: The mid-tier option adds things like a power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, and Pro PILOT Assist—Nissan’s advanced semi-autonomous driving system.
- SL Trim: This trim steps up the luxury with leather upholstery, a power liftgate, and a larger 9-inch touchscreen.
- Platinum Trim: The top-of-the-line Rogue comes with all the bells and whistles—quilted leather seats, a fully digital dashboard, and wireless smartphone integration.
Nissan Rogue Sport Trims
- S Trim: Like the Rogue, the base Rogue Sport comes with solid features like a rearview camera, a 7-inch touchscreen, and key safety tech.
- SV Trim: The mid-level trim adds niceties like roof rails, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and push-button start.
- SL Trim: The top-tier Rogue Sport gets leather seats, a heated steering wheel, and an around-view monitor that helps with parking and maneuvering in tight spaces.
Personal Stories: Choosing Between the Rogue and Rogue Sport
A friend of mine was in this exact situation a few months ago. She lives in the city and spends a lot of her time driving to client meetings, but also likes to escape on the weekends for camping trips. She test-drove both the Nissan Rogue and Nissan Rogue Sport. Initially, she was leaning toward the Rogue Sport because of its smaller size and better city maneuverability.
But after driving the Rogue, she realized the extra power and space made a huge difference for her weekend adventures. She liked having the ability to throw all her camping gear in the back without worrying about running out of space. And, on the highway, she appreciated the Rogue’s smoother ride and quicker acceleration.
In the end, she went with the Nissan Rogue, despite the fact that it’s bigger than she initially thought she needed. For her, the extra space and comfort won out over the more compact feel of the Rogue Sport.
Safety First: How Do the Nissan Rogue and Rogue Rogue Sport Compare?
When it comes to safety, both the Nissan Rogue and Nissan Rogue Sport come with Nissan’s Safety Shield 360. This suite of safety features includes:
- Automatic Emergency Braking: Detects pedestrians and vehicles in your path and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision.
- Blind Spot Warning: Alerts you if there’s a vehicle in your blind spot before you change lanes.
- Lane Departure Warning: If you start to drift out of your lane, this system will let you know and gently nudge you back into position.
- Rear Cross-Traffic Alert: While backing up, this system alerts you to any vehicles or objects coming from either side.
Rogue’s Additional Safety Features
If you opt for the Rogue, you can also get Pro PILOT Assist, which is essentially semi-autonomous driving. It helps with steering, braking, and accelerating on the highway, making those long drives a little less stressful.
Verdict: Nissan Rogue vs Nissan Rogue Sport
If you need more space, power, and a bit more luxury, go with the Nissan Rogue. It’s perfect for families, those who take long road trips, and anyone who wants an SUV with all the bells and whistles.
If you’re after something more compact, easier to park, and better on gas in the city, the Nissan Rogue Sport will serve you well. It’s ideal for single drivers, couples, or small families who don’t need a ton of space but still want the versatility of an SUV.
Last Tip: Take Them Both for a Spin
Still can’t decide? Head to your local Nissan dealer and test-drive both models. Feeling them out in person will give you the best idea of which one truly fits your lifestyle.
Let’s Answer a Few Common Questions (FAQs)
Q: What’s the price difference between the Nissan Rogue and Nissan Rogue Sport?
A: The Nissan Rogue typically starts around $27,000, while the Rogue Sport starts at a lower price point of about $25,000. Keep in mind, prices can vary depending on trim and features.
Q: Is the Nissan Rogue Sport good for long road trips?
A: While the Rogue Sport can handle long trips, its smaller size might feel a bit cramped for families or if you’re loading up with a lot of gear. The larger Rogue offers more comfort for extended drives.
Q: Are both the Rogue and Rogue Sport all-wheel drive?
A: Yes! Both the Rogue and Rogue Sport offer optional all-wheel drive, making them great choices for varying weather conditions.
Q: How do the safety features compare between the two models?
A: Both models come equipped with Nissan’s Safety Shield 360, which includes automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Rogue, however, offers more advanced driver assistance features like Pro PILOT Assist in higher trims.
Final Thoughts
Choosing between the Nissan Rogue and Nissan Rogue Sport comes down to what you value most in an SUV. The Rogue gives you more space, power, and features, making it a better fit for families or those who need a versatile vehicle. The Rogue Sport, on the other hand, is ideal for city driving, offering an affordable, efficient, and compact option.
Whether you’re navigating urban streets or taking the family on a road trip, Nissan has a Rogue model that fits your lifestyle. So, which will it be—the Nissan Rogue or Nissan Rogue Sport?