The Nissan Rogue is the Japanese automaker's best-selling vehicle in the US and a vital money maker. Given that overall Nissan sales dropped by 15 percent from 2018 to 2019, the Rogue is more important than ever. In fact, the compact crossover remained one of America's top 10 best-sellers last year. However, the current Rogue dates back to late 2013 and its redesigned successor is coming soon. But even with the Covid-19 outbreak currently happening, Nissan has still decided to press ahead with the new Rogue's launch.

Automotive News reports the new Nissan Rogue will debut in the near future but we expect this will be an online premiere. In addition, "the all-new Nissan Rogue will be in US showrooms this fall," a Nissan spokesperson confirmed.

Recently, leaked patent filings from the Brazil Economic Ministry gave us a very good idea of the crossover's new design, pictured above. Called X-Trail in other countries, the new Rogue looks like it'll have a more aggressive exterior featuring the brand's familiar V-shaped grille and slim headlights.

The interior will feature a larger infotainment screen and digital instrument cluster, among other new and improved items. What will be under the hood is still a mystery, though we wouldn't be surprised to see it receive the Altima's 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 188 hp and paired to a CVT. Front-wheel-drive will be standard while AWD can be had for an additional cost.

North American market Rogue production will continue to take place at Nissan's Smyrna, Tennessee production facility.

That factory is currently one of many shut down because of the coronavirus, though Nissan emphasizes this shutdown will not affect the new Rogue's showroom arrival. If all goes to plan, Nissan's plant will be back online by this summer, if not sooner. The success of the next Rogue is a must, especially given Nissan's troubled financial state.

Aging models like the Nissan Murano have experienced a sales decrease over the past couple of years. The all-new Nissan Sentra is another critical model for the brand, though this latest generation compact sedan is a significant improvement over its immediate predecessor in every way possible. While the outgoing Rogue is still a fine crossover, it's notably dated compared to its main competitors, including the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4. The third-gen Rogue, needless to say, has high expectations to meet.