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YARMOUTH PORT, Mass. – The Nissan Rogue has been the brand’s best-selling nameplate in the United States for almost a decade and after a week in the comprehensively equipped 2025 Platinum all-wheel-drive version, I can understand the reasons.
Fitting snugly into the compact sport-utility (SUV) segment at 183-inches long, the five-seater provides excellent interior room for people and their stuff, riding comfort, up-to-date technology and excellent fuel economy. And it is priced very competitively.
The Nissan Rogue has been a leader in the compact SUV (crossover/CUV) segment since its introduction for the 2007 model year and the positive qualities of the 2025 version should keep it there.
An odd powertrain gets the job done
A couple of years into the Rogue’s third generation saw Nissan move to a turbocharged three-cylinder (an odd number; most engine configurations employ an even number of cylinders) internal combustion engine (ICE) from the four-banger of previous versions.
The 1.5-liter variable-compression-turbo (VCT) continuously adjusts its compression ratio to optimize power or efficiency, depending on driver demand. The engine produces 201 horsepower and 225 pounds-feet of torque, a major leap from its 2.5-liter predecessor which produced 170/175, respectively.
Getting the power to the all-wheel system is a continuously variable transmission (CVT) Nissan calls Xtronic with manual-shifting capability through steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifter, and five drive modes — Auto, Sport, Eco, Snow, and Off-Road.
The result of this powertrain engineering is a respectable amount of performance – Car and Driver testing resulted in eight-second 0-60-miles-per-hour times – but not high-performance capabilities.
What the 2025 Nissan Rogue Platinum AWD is capable of is terrific fuel economy. My time behind the wheel resulted in 32.4 miles per gallon of consumption, a bit better than the federal Environmental Protection Agency rating of 31 mpg in overall driving (28 urban, 3e highway). This is amongst the best of any ICE member of the segment.
Platform delivers comfort and precision
The layout and components of the Rogue’s platform are straightforward, but the engineers did their homework in tuning a nice balance of ride comfort over most road surfaces and sure-footed handling.
The chassis setup is independent at both ends with MacPherson-type struts and 24.2mm stabilizer bar up front, while a multi-link arrangement with 28mm stabilizer bar gets the job done in the rear. Twin-tube shock absorbers work on all four corners.
The electric power-steering system has a 14.3:1 ratio, 2.5 turns lock-to-lock and a 34.5-foot turning circle.
Bringing the Rogue to a stop is a power-assisted brake system with four-channel/four-sensor/four-wheel anti-lock (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), brake-assist and vented rotors at all four wheels (11.65×1.02 inches up front; 11.5×0.63 in the rear).
The 7.5 x 19-inch aluminum-alloy, dark painted and machine-finished wheels wear 235/55R-19 all-season tires.
Comprehensive suite of ADAS
The list of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) throughout the Rogue range is long and comprehensive. In the review Platinum trim this included blind-spot warning; rear cross-traffic alert; lane-departure warning; intelligent lane intervention; high-beam assist; rear automatic emergency braking (AEB); blind-spot interventionÒ; intelligent forward collision warning; automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection; traffic-sign recognition, and intersection assist.
The review Rogue included the optional ($3,200) Technology Package which brought Nissan ProPILOT Assist 2.1 which allows hands-free driving on certain single-lane highways. When activated, ProPILOT Assist 2.1 can handle acceleration, steering assistance and braking.
Another ADAS feature of the Technology Package is the 3D-enhanced around-view monitor system which added the invisible-hood and front-wide views for 2025. Nissan explains these two views with:
Front Wide View, which provides a 176-degree view, ideal for “seeing around” pillars in garages or parked cars on the street; and Invisible Hood View, a first for Nissan in the U.S. market, which uses advanced image processing to take footage from the vehicle’s exterior cameras to project a view of the roadway under the engine bay to help with avoiding curbs, placing the vehicle’s wheels in a car wash track and other tricky situations.
And they work! The views definitely help when parking and maneuvering in tight spaces where forward vision is compromised.
Nissan brings a lot of advanced technology to the dynamic aspects of the 2025 Rogue, all of which enhance its safe operation. I spent a couple of days driving in heavily congested and trafficked northern New Jersey and these features provided an excellent layer of added information to what my eyes and decades of driving experience could provide.
Technology continues on the inside
The 12.3-inch color LCD touchscreen greets all who enter the 2025 Rogue, sprouting proudly from the top-center of the dash. The heart of the SUV’s infotainment system, the screen helps navigate the system’s SiriusXM satellite radio; wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; Google Built-in (Google maps for navigation; Google Play+, and Google Assistant), and HD Radio. All sound comes through a 10-speaker, including dual-driver subwoofer, BoseÒ Premium Audio system.
The optional ($990) Platinum Premium Package turns the dual-zone automatic climate control system into a tri-zone one, brings seat heating to the second row (Platinum models come with front-seat heat and power adjustment) and hands-free operation of the standard power liftgate.
It also brings a head-up display which works well even when the driver is wearing sunglasses.
Rogue range offers choices
There are nine variants wearing the Rogue nameplate for 2025 allowing a compact-SUV shopper to find just the right version for their needs and pocketbook. The front-wheel-drive S model leads the pack with a price of $28,590.
The top-of-the-range Platinum AWD like I drove carries a base price of $40,920. The review model added the Technology Package ($3,200), Platinum Premium Package ($990), Floor mats/cargo-area protection ($450), illuminated kickplates ($405), interior accent lighting ($350), external ground lighting ($625), and destination charge ($1,390) for a total of $48,330.
The Rogue offers lots of choices at competitive prices within the compact SUV segment. Solid in every aspect.
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