The 2021 Nissan Rogue has just made its official debut. Nissan's hottest seller in the United States has been completely revamped with a new platform, styling, interior, technology, and engine under the hood. At launch, Nissan will offer the new Rogue with just one engine: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder sending 181 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque out through a continuously variable transmission.

This is the same engine that does an admirable job powering the Altima but during a roundtable discussion with Nissan, we wanted to know if any other, more exciting drivetrain options are being considered. Could there, for instance, ever be a sportier Rogue Nismo in the works? Nissan didn't confirm any specifics but left the door open to a few possibilities.

Nissan Vice President of Product Planning Jared Haslam was asked about additional powertrains, specifically the inclusion of the company's variable compression turbocharged engine.

"Stuffing the 2.0-liter VC-Turbo in is not something that we've done. I don't have a prototype floating around with a 2.0-liter turbo in it," said Haslam. "We are launching with the 2.5-liter. It is a great balance of terms of performance and efficiency. There is always a consideration in the future. We are open to study potential options."

One of these potential options includes a sporty Nismo variant, which doesn't seem to be in cards but has not been completely ruled out. But even without a Nismo version, this new Rogue will be much nicer to drive than the car it replaces thanks to revised steering and a new independent rear suspension, which are changes that were first implemented on the latest Sentra.

"Overall, there is going to be a very recognizable difference," Christian Spenser Senior Manager, Marketing explained of the Rogue's driving characteristics. "One of the biggest attributes is the steering feel. The precision is really good. The feedback is really good. New dampening helps the handling and ride and the rear end is much more sophisticated. You will notice a huge difference in handling and in addition to that, we are a class above in terms of NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness)."

A special edition of the previous Rogue tied into the aptly-named Star Wars film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. When asked if this new model could have any special editions, like the Rogue One Edition, Nissan left the idea open-ended as well.

"As we go through the lifecycle we are always looking for those opportunities to tie in with customer needs and segment trends," said Haslam. "We have nothing to announce today but are always looking at ways to keep the vehicle fresh."