2023 Nissan Rogue Platinum Review: Handsome Exterior and Gentle Nature

The naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder, with 181 horsepower, is still available in more affordable versions of the 2023 Rogue. A Midnight Edition SV version joins the 2023 model year with a darkened appearance, while the SL and Platinum get Amazon Alexa integration. The new Midnight Edition package adds black trim, black badging, and black wheels to the 2023 Rogue's exterior. Inside, it includes black faux-leather upholstery.

Doing this review, I came to conclusion that because of its gentle nature the 2023 Nissan Rogue is a good family SUV for daily driving and for rather running errands. Pricewise, the Platinum trim is a little expensive, coming close to Inifiniti's territory. For that reason I would recommend the mid-level SV trim, which offers a good mix of features for the money. Overall, the 2023 Nissan Rogue is offered in these four general trims: S, SV, SL and Platinu. Also, add to this the Midnight Edition package, which is based on the SV trim for 2023.

The rest of the Rogue lineup remains largely unchanged for the 2023 model year, with a front-wheel drive base S model starting at $28,655, an increase of $210 from last year. The top-of-the-line Rogue SL Premium and Rogue Platinum add Amazon Alexa compatibility this year, and Nissan's full suite of driver-assist technology with ProPilot Assist highway driving technology is standard on SV grade and above.

Every 2023 Rogue uses a variable compression 1.5-liter turbo-3 engine that generates 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque.

It's more powerful and more efficient than the 2.5-liter inline-four that powered the 2021 Rogue when it was redesigned. It's paired with a CVT that drives the front wheels; four-wheel drive is available across the range for about $1,500. In short, the new engine is more dynamic, but it consumes less fuel; that's basically the mission of this new powertrain. Already, the consumer leaves winning. Thus the 2023 Nissan rogue consumes 31 miles per gallon combined and 28/34 city/highway respectively.

To our great disappointment, no electric or hybrid motorization is on the menu, not even the option of a second turbocharged engine found in some competitors. However, competing models such as the Kia Sportage, the Hyundai Tucson, the Mazda CX-5, the Ford Escape or even the Chevrolet Equinox all offer more powerful turbocharged engines as an option. If the Rogue offered it, it could grab a piece of that market.

The Exterior and Interior of the 2023 Rogue

As I said the Rogue was completely redesigned in the 2021 model year. Visibly, the new design is more adventurous than its predecessor, while retaining the manufacturer's signature design traits, such as the dual V-Motion grille, the "floating" roof and the lights. Standard features include 17-inch wheels, LED headlights and taillights, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

The Rogue is also based on an all-new architecture made up of 35% reinforced steel, unlike 19% for its predecessor. In the latest update Nissan has also taken the opportunity to improve the aerodynamic coefficient of the model by integrating an active shutter grille as well as a closed underbody and by rethinking the shape of the A-pillars, among other things.

Every Rogue comes with driver assistance features like automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, and blind-spot monitors.

The new Rogue gains a lot with its highly redesigned and, in all honesty, pretty good-looking interior. Moreover, Nissan promises the most luxurious and quietest Rogue in history, and it shows.

The quality of the materials is rich, the "Zero Gravity" seats are attractive, and the design of the dashboard is attractive and incorporates, a first for Nissan, fully digital gauges and customizable through a screen.

The center console of this new Rogue has also been completely redesigned in the 2021 model year to enhance the feeling of luxury that the manufacturer promises. Of the floating type, it allows both to accommodate mobile devices while integrating a new driving mode selector – a first for the Rogue –, allowing you to alternate between Standard, Eco, Sport, Off-road modes ( AWD) and Snow (AWD), which vary the behavior of the gearbox, the all-wheel drive and the traction control system.

The Platinum trim, which Torque News reviewed this week, tops the line at $43.00 MSRP and adds navigation that can adjust the speed of the adaptive cruise control system to match the road, wireless Apple CarPlay, a Bose sound system, a 9.0-inch touchscreen, and a cluster of 12.3-inch digital instruments.

Drive

Rogue has never been recognized for its sporty behavior. Strong acceleration was once accompanied by a painful complaint from the 4-cylinder and the steering was lighter than precise.

We feel the gain in power from the first turns of the wheel. The Rogue is faster at the start, but then the engine feels a little lazy. After that it picks up speed. The elastic effect of the CVT box, on the other hand, is still present. In fact, this feature of the vehicle means that you let go of the right pedal more quickly, when the effect reaches its peak and you realize the speed reached.

Also note that the sound of the vehicle has nothing to do with that of a 4-cylinder normally aspirated. Nissan's 3-cylinder rumbles on start-up, it rumbles even more when you press the right pedal and this effect is even amplified during times in the fast lane.

And besides, despite the gain under the hood, you still have to plan for overtaking on the highway, the gearbox which requires a good second and a half before finding the right engine speed to propel the vehicle forward.

During its career, any normally constituted vehicle is upgraded. This generally takes place mid-term, that is to say after three years. The Rogue breaks this rule by arrogating a mechanism that is both more efficient and more sober, which today makes many first buyers say, "if only I had known."

Completely redesigned for the 2021 model year, the Nissan Rogue has taken leaps and bounds over its predecessor in quality, refinement, versatility, design and technology.

The 2023 Rogue a comfortable, quiet and very versatile SUV with an affordable price (in the lower trims). Moreover, Nissan has considerably increased its interior layout and its cargo space, without having changed its exterior dimensions. We therefore obtain up to 2,064 liters of space in total (once the seatbacks are folded down), which allows it to position itself at the top of the category in this regard.

Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebok, Linkedin and Youtube.

Reference: Auto 123, La Presse.