2019 Nissan Rogue

2019 is a carry-over year for the second-generation (T32) Rogue, so the 2.5L four stays at 170 hp, near the floor of the SUV band. The Rogue Hybrid, in its final model year, tops the range at 176 hp combined.

175 lb-ft arrives high in the rev range, typical of a naturally aspirated compact SUV and behind turbo rivals.

Tests of the 2019 2.5L average about 9.5 s, among the slowest in the mainstream compact SUV class.

The 2.5L is quiet at a steady cruise. It turns strained and buzzy when merging or passing, and reviewers consistently call it underpowered.

The Xtronic CVT is smooth and shock-free around town. Under hard throttle it holds high revs with drone and a rubber-band feel.

About 1,100 lbs covers only the lightest utility trailers, which is at the floor of the SUV band and below the 1,500 lb CR-V and RAV4.

Intelligent AWD with a driver-selectable AWD Lock is optional on every trim (S, SV, SL). It is a basic on-demand system with no terrain modes or low range.

About 8.4 in of ground clearance and AWD Lock handle gravel and snowy roads. There is no off-road trim, skid plating or terrain selector.

2019 is the last year of two powertrains: the 2.5L gas four and the Rogue Hybrid (2.0L plus electric motor), each with FWD or AWD. There is no turbo or plug-in option, and the hybrid is dropped for 2020.

The EPA rates the 2019 Rogue AWD at 27 MPG combined and the FWD at 29, which is mid-pack for a gas compact SUV of its era.

25 MPG city with AWD (26 with FWD) is typical for a naturally aspirated compact SUV.

31 MPG highway with AWD (33 with FWD) is solid for the class, though 1 MPG below the 2017 AWD rating.

A small 14.5-gallon tank at 27 MPG combined gives about 392 miles for the AWD, below average for a gas compact SUV.

The EPA estimates $2,400 a year for the AWD and $2,250 for the FWD on regular fuel, which is middling for the class.

The naturally aspirated 2.5L runs on regular unleaded on every trim.

The 2019 Rogue earned 4 stars overall in both drivetrains. A 3-star driver-side frontal result and a 4-star rollover rating held it below the 5-star overall scores most compact-SUV rivals posted.

It won 2019 Top Safety Pick (not TSP+), but the award applies only to Rogues with the Acceptable-rated LED projector headlights. Every crash test was rated Good except the passenger-side small overlap, which was Acceptable.

Every trim gets AEB with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with Intelligent Lane Intervention, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert and high beam assist. The volume SV adds rear automatic braking. Adaptive cruise comes only with ProPILOT Assist, which costs extra on the SV (Premium or Sun & Sound Touring Package) and is standard only on the SL.

The standard pedestrian-detecting AEB earned IIHS's top Superior rating in the vehicle-to-vehicle test. Daytime pedestrian AEB was rated Advanced, one step below Superior, and IIHS had no nighttime pedestrian result for this model.

Radar blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert are standard on every trim, and the volume SV adds rear automatic braking. Blind-spot coverage only warns the driver and does not steer or brake, and there is no safe-exit alert.

Every trim gets lane departure warning plus brake-based Intelligent Lane Intervention. Lane centering requires ProPILOT Assist, which is extra-cost on the volume SV and standard only on the SL. Reviewers found it helpful but noted it wanders on weakly marked roads.

The S and a plain SV have ordinary cruise control. Where fitted, ProPILOT's Intelligent Cruise Control works across the full speed range with stop-and-hold and is reasonably well liked. It is not on the volume configuration by default.

No hands-free option exists. ProPILOT Assist is a hands-on system, and hands-off ProPILOT Assist 2.0 was never offered on the Rogue.

The halogen reflector headlights on the S and the volume SV were rated Poor by IIHS. The only better lamps, rated just Acceptable, are the LED projectors on upper SL configurations. High beam assist is standard.

It has an upright greenhouse and decent forward sightlines. The thick D-pillars and a sloping rear window create rear-quarter blind zones. The volume SV relies on a rear camera, rear sonar and blind-spot warning; the 360-degree Around View Monitor is limited to option packages and the SL.

IIHS rated the LATCH hardware Acceptable, up from Marginal on 2015–18 models. Only two seating positions have full lower anchors, and the rear center has a tether only. Wide-opening rear doors and a sliding, reclining second row help when fitting seats.

Two-row, five-seat compact SUV on every 2019 trim.

Generous front headroom for the class.

Class-typical front legroom.

Good rear headroom; a 6-ft-2 tester cleared the ceiling.

Competitive rear legroom, and the second row slides and reclines.

No third row is offered on the 2019 Rogue.

Near the top of the compact class at the time.

Solid maximum for the class.

Divide-N-Hide cargo system with 18 configurations and flat load floor is a class standout; cabin bins are ordinary.

Zero Gravity front seats are broad and well cushioned, though lightly bolstered; rear seat slides and reclines.

Pleasant and compliant on most roads, but bouncy over undulations.

Road isolation is decent, but the CVT and 2.5L howl under hard throttle.

Heated front seats, dual-zone auto climate and remote start arrive on the volume SV; heated wheel only on SL; no ventilated seats.

The 2019 Rogue S FWD started at $25,020 before destination, which undercut a base CR-V and RAV4. The 2019 model is a carry-over year in the second generation (2014–2020, refreshed for 2017), and Rear Door Alert became standard.

The SV was the Rogue's volume trim and most buyers chose AWD. At about $28,800 delivered, it cost a couple of thousand dollars less than comparably equipped CR-V EX and RAV4 XLE AWD models.

Routine service on the port-injected 2.5L QR25DE is inexpensive. However, the second-generation Rogue's Jatco CVT has a documented history of out-of-warranty failures, which pushes the projected repair cost to the middle of the class or a little worse.

Heavy fleet and rental volume at the Rogue's 2019 sales peak, plus deep incentives, held down its residuals. It retains well below the CR-V and RAV4, which hold closer to 60%.

Nissan's basic coverage is the industry-baseline 3 years / 36,000 miles, matching Honda and Toyota and falling short of Hyundai and Kia's 5 years / 60,000 miles.

Nissan's 5-year / 60,000-mile powertrain coverage sits at the bottom of the band, which is a real exposure given this generation's CVT reputation.

The Rogue came with no complimentary scheduled maintenance, which put it behind ToyotaCare's 2 years / 25,000 miles. Buyers received roadside assistance for the basic-warranty term, plus NissanConnect and SiriusXM trial periods on equipped trims.

$28,785 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (47% retained, or about $13,529) leaves about $15,256 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,600 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $20,856 in total.

The 2019 Rogue is a carry-over year of the facelifted second generation (T32). Model-specific ratings sit above average: Consumer Reports gives it 4/5 and J.D. Power rates it above average. The Xtronic CVT's complaint history keeps it out of the top tier.

In this era Nissan sat mid-pack to slightly below average in dependability studies, and its CVT reputation weighed on its brand standing. It was never a top-5 brand.

The gas 2019 Rogue has light recall activity: two campaigns, neither a powertrain or fire recall. NHTSA's phantom-AEB preliminary evaluation named only 2017–2018 Rogues, although the 2019 carries the same radar-based system and its owners report similar complaints.

The naturally aspirated 2.5L QR25DE has a proven high-mileage record. The Jatco Xtronic CVT carries a widely reported history of judder, shudder and early failures, which puts the powertrain at the low end of the middle band. Later T32 units fare somewhat better than the 2014–2016 cars.

The cabin is competitive for the class: soft-touch surfaces on the upper dash and door tops, hard plastics in lower zones, and an upscale-feeling SL. It sits a step behind the class benchmarks.

Assembly at Smyrna and Kyushu is generally solid, and complaints are scattered. By the third year of the facelift the car is mature, with no assembly-escape recalls such as the 2016–2017 seat-weld or water-intrusion campaigns.

The network is dense nationwide, but Nissan's service satisfaction runs around or below the mass-market average.

The Rogue was Nissan's best-selling US model and one of the top-selling SUVs in 2019, and its QR25DE powertrain is widely shared, so parts are abundant and cheap with broad aftermarket support. An out-of-warranty CVT replacement is the one expensive risk.

Small screen for the segment and the only size offered.

Simple to use, but graphics are dated and the screen small; physical knobs help.

Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all trims; wireless not offered.

Native navigation only on SL; basic voice recognition; most owners use phone projection.

Four speakers on S, six on the volume SV, 9-speaker Bose on SL.

Analog speedometer/tachometer flanking a 5-in Advanced Drive-Assist Display; no full-digital cluster.

No meaningful over-the-air update capability on the T32 Rogue.

NissanConnect Services telematics (remote start/lock via app) on equipped trims, subscription-gated after trial.

Two front USB ports standard; rear USB only optional and no wireless charging.

Intelligent Key push-button start and hands-free liftgate on the volume SV; remote start available; no phone-as-key.

Rear camera standard, rear sonar on SV/SL, Intelligent Around View Monitor on SL/SV packages.

No head-up display offered on any 2019 Rogue.

Easy LATCH access, sliding/reclining rear bench, wide cargo area and new standard Rear Door Alert suit family use.

AEB, BSW and RCTA standard, but NHTSA 4 stars overall and Safety Shield 360 extras (rear auto braking) skip the S trim.

Comfortable seats and 39.3 cu ft of cargo, but rear amenities are thin (no rear USB, basic rear vents).

Comfortable and easy in traffic, but the CVT has rubber-band lag and the brakes feel soft.

Average fuel costs for a gas compact SUV, on regular fuel.

Mid-pack footprint and 37.6-ft turning circle; rear sonar on SV and surround view on SL help.

A 1,102-lb tow rating and a weak 170-hp powertrain make it unfit for real work.

Big fleet/rental presence, but CVT durability concerns on this generation argue against hard use.

Divide-N-Hide cargo shelving and 12V outlets only; no 120V outlet or work-oriented provisions.

Comfortable seats and ~390-mile range; ProPILOT Assist only on SL/SV packages; CVT drone on grades.

Intelligent AWD with lock mode and ~8.4 in clearance handle gravel roads; tow rating is tiny.

Generous 39.3/70 cu ft with flat floor and Divide-N-Hide; roof rails available.

Surprisingly decent grip, but comfort-tuned and less engaging than most rivals.

Light, numb steering with little sense of connection.

Average 127-ft 60-0 stop, but a squishy, slow-reacting pedal and noisy ABS.

CVT has rubber-band lag at launch and in passing; 170-hp engine is underpowered.

Engine and CVT howl under hard throttle.

Mid-pack turning diameter for a compact SUV.

Commanding view and simple controls; 8-way power driver seat on SV; some cheap-feeling plastics.

Competent but dull: weak engine, droning CVT and numb steering.

Every 2019 Rogue has automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert and Rear Door Alert as standard. Apple CarPlay/Android Auto comes on SV and up, while the base S keeps a 5-inch display. That is competitive equipment for the price, though the S trim is sparse on infotainment.

A low sticker price and deep transaction discounts give fair content per dollar. That is offset by a slow 170-hp CVT powertrain, weak resale and a short warranty, so the Rogue is fair value rather than a bargain.

There are three gas trims (S/SV/SL) plus SV and SL Hybrid, all available in FWD or AWD. Options include an SV Premium package and ProPILOT Assist, a reasonable spread for 2019, the final year of the Rogue Hybrid.

Calendar 2019 was near the Rogue's all-time peak, with roughly 350,000 US units. That made it Nissan's best seller and one of the three best-selling compact SUVs, behind only the RAV4 and CR-V, though fleet sales inflated the total.

In 2019, Nissan's brand was weighed down by fleet dumping and incentive-heavy selling, CVT reliability worries, and the Ghosn arrest and leadership turmoil. It lacked the loyalty halo of Toyota, Honda and Mazda.

Nissan was among the most incentive-heavy brands in 2019. Large cash-back offers and low-APR financing on the Rogue were routine, a clear buyer benefit.

The 2019 model was the sixth year of a generation that launched for 2014 and was refreshed for 2017. It was an aging platform, and the all-new third generation arrived for the 2021 model year.

Reviewers praised its cargo flexibility (Divide-N-Hide), comfort and the available ProPILOT Assist. It was consistently ranked behind the CR-V, RAV4 and CX-5 because of weak acceleration and CVT drone, and it won no major awards.