Peter Palmer: 2020 Nissan Rogue: A Brief Walk Around

The Nissan Rogue, that smallish SUV/crossover aimed at the younger market is still here, and still selling well. The Rogue is Nissan’s best-selling vehicle in the U.S. which is kind of surprising at first. But when you look at the thing and realize it starts at only $25,200, and doesn’t balloon too much higher than that, the sales success makes a lot of sense. No, it’s not going to win the Baja 1000 or anything like that, but if you want to get from Point A to B with enough space and capability, it’s hard to overlook. We will spend a few minutes here running through the ins and outs of the 2020 Nissan Rogue.

2020 Nissan Rogue Overview

The 2020 Rogue has a great combination of features for younger, more urban oriented buyers, being compact in overall size yet having plenty of interior room. The Rogue comes in S, SV, and SL, each offered in front-wheel or “Intelligent All-Wheel Drive” (that’s Nissan’s marketing jargon). The 2020 Rogue offers the automaker’s Intelligent Mobility tech that includes Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist and Safety Shield 360 technologies.

ProPILOT Assist is standard on Rogue SL and available on SV, and both Rogue SV and SL trims come with Safety Shield 360. Safety Shield includes Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking, Lane Departure Warning, radar-based Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and High Beam Assist.

2020 Nissan Rogue Sport. Photo: Nissan North America.

Styling & Design

The new Rogue’s exterior has body-color and heated outside mirrors (with available integrated turn signals); a rear spoiler, privacy glass, and roof rails if you have to haul even more stuff. That could also come in very handy for your camping and outdoor types; think carrying kayaks and bikes and such. There is also an available panoramic moonroof for a nice wide view of the outside world for everyone riding inside. The styling for 2020 also includes that Nissan signature “V-Motion” grille and LED daytime running lights. Yes, the grille is a bit overdone, but it sure beats what Lexus is doing in the grille department.

There’s also a handy, motion-activated liftgate standard on SV and SL grades. 17, 18 or 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels are also available.

Related: Nissan among the automakers competing for the attention of Generation Z.

Interior Treatments

On the inside, the 2020 Rogue tries to offer you a premium look and feel throughout. The steering wheel is D-shaped to ape the look of race cars. There’s a leather-booted, sport-mode shifter, memory for driver’s seat and mirror settings, and even a remote start. All premium features. Every 2020 Rogue, regardless of trim level, has NissanConnect featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, run through a seven-inch touchscreen display. Adding a Navigation package is an option for SV models, while the Rogue SL comes standard with it.

The 2020 Nissan Rogue has tons of flexibility when it comes to dealing with both passengers and cargo. It has the Divide-N-Hide Cargo System, and the standard Rear Door Alert system reminds you if you left something in the rear seat. The Rear Door Alert is designed to be simple and unobtrusive, but can be turned off if you find it neither of those things.

2020 Nissan Rogue interior layout. Photo: Nissan North America.

Power & Performance

Irrespective of trim level, all 2020 Nissan Rogue models are powered by a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine. The mill puts out 170 horsepower and 175 lb-ft. of torque. Again, nothing you’re going to be setting records with at Bonneville Speed Weeks, but for the everyday it’s not too bad. The plant is mated to an Xtronic transmission with Sport and Eco switches. Fuel economy for front-wheel drive models is 26/33 city/highway and 29 combined. AWD models return 25/32 city/highway and 27 combined. Not that much of a hit for the all-wheel drive option.

Here’s a handy chart showing the price and model breakdown for the 2020 Nissan Rogue:

Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.