2023 Nissan Rogue Performance

The Nissan Rogue comes with a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine that replaces the 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated mill used when the current Rogue was first launched. Producing 201 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque, the new engine has considerably more mid-range punch than before. The Xtronic continuously variable transmission remains, and it includes a manual shift mode with paddle shifters. Based on independent testing, the Rogue will go from 0 to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds, slightly quicker than the previous 2.5L model. From 50 to 70 mph, it also represents a small improvement. As before, power goes to the front or all four wheels.

Although the latest engine is an improvement overall, the Nissan Rogue is much slower than rivals like the turbocharged Mazda CX-5. The Rogue is rated to tow a maximum of 1,500 lbs, which is an improvement on its predecessor but still not top of the class, especially when the RAV4 manages up to 3,500 lbs on select trims.

Now making 201 hp and 225 lb-ft, the 1.5-liter turbo-three has better outputs than the previous 2.5-liter's 181 hp and 181 lb-ft. With the ability to vary its compression ratio, Nissan says that the 1.5-liter can be optimized for either better power delivery or improved efficiency, based on the specific driving scenario.

Although the transmission hesitates slightly when you plant the throttle, the Rogue is pleasant to drive most of the time and mid-range urge is better with the new turbo engine. Once that initial hesitation is overcome, there is a sudden boost of power that is welcome when you're in a rush but not always smooth, as the Rogue can lurch forward. For a three-cylinder engine, it is quite refined around town, only becoming a little noisier when pushed.

The transmission features paddle shifters for the manual shift mode, although this doesn't markedly improve performance. Overall, the powertrain is perfectly adequate for most needs, but it wouldn't hurt if Nissan sold a more powerful range-topper as well.

Unsurprisingly, the 1.5-liter is more economical than the old 2.5-liter, getting around 3 mpg more on average. With FWD, the Rogue returns 30/37/33 mpg city/highway/combined, dropping to 29/36/32 mpg for the better-equipped SL and Platinum trims. With AWD, those numbers drop to 28/35/31 mpg for lower trims and 28/34/31 mpg for the SL and Platinum. With a 14.5-gallon gas tank, you'll see a range of between 449 and 478 miles depending on the model.

While these gas mileage figures are good, the Rogue isn't the best in the segment. Toyota's RAV4 Hybrid can get 40 mpg combined, and the same applies to the Honda CR-V with FWD.