Used 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport

The 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport is a small crossover slotting between the established subcompact and compact sizes. It’s one of those vehicles that isn’t the best in its class, yet certainly isn’t the worst either.

Why buy a 2021 Rogue Sport over one of its rivals? It could come down to personal choice regarding the looks and/or paint colors (Monarch Orange Metallic, anyone?). Or perhaps a current Nissan owner is looking to upgrade, yet wants to keep it in the family, so to speak.

It can be confusing when companies have similar names for similar vehicles. The Rogue, for example, is a compact crossover in the same bracket as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. But the Rogue Sport’s niche includes the Mazda CX-30. And although the Honda HR-V is considered a subcompact, it’s spacious enough to compete with these two.

Although 141 horsepower isn’t particularly thrilling in a vehicle weighing more than 3,000 pounds — and the typical “rubber band” feel of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is never going to be an enthusiast’s dream — this whole class of small crossovers features similar drivetrains. For some real fun, check out the Mazda CX-30.

If easy suburban manners are of utmost importance, then keep the Rogue Sport in mind. In that kind of context, the engine and transmission are adequate. At freeway speeds, though, and when trying to overtake, the engine struggles and starts to sound coarse, while the transmission has the typical CVT tendency to drone.

In everyday duties, the 2021 Rogue Sport is fine, but it doesn’t have much to offer beyond those parameters. The handling is safe and predictable, yet not so precise. And the ride quality suffers on the freeway, especially with the 19-inch wheel/tire combination of the SL trim. We prefer the 17-inch setup with bigger and more forgiving tire sidewalls.

A no-nonsense cabin with an uncomplicated infotainment system and plenty of space up front should please many buyers considering the 2021 Rogue Sport. The infotainment system’s touchscreen measures seven inches diagonally, and it’s the same in every trim.

Rear legroom of 33.4 inches is only a fraction better than the Nissan Kicks, which is technically Nissan’s subcompact crossover SUV, but doesn’t come with the potion of all-wheel drive. There’s more space in the Mazda CX-30 and Honda HR-V.

Regarding cargo area, the Rogue Sport in S trim has 22.9 cubic feet, opening out to 61.1 when the 60/40 split/folding rear seats are down. The higher two trims have 20/53 cubic feet. That’s better than the Mazda CX-30, but not as good as the HR-V. We like the Divide-N-Hide cargo system in the SV and SL, though, which stops items rolling around when the Rogue Sport is on the move.

To fully appreciate the exterior design of the 2021 Rogue Sport, we need to look past the “it’s another small crossover” first impression. Then accept the “Nissan corporate nose” second impression and take a closer look at the rear doors.

They’re relatively long, so they create a large aperture when they’re open. That’s a nicely practical touch, not just for easy entrances and exits, but also having room to maneuver when strapping a toddler into a child seat. The tailgate is similarly smart, creating easy access to the luggage area.

The S and SV trims come with 17-inch alloy wheels. The SL has 19-inch alloy rims.

INTELLIGENT AROUND VIEW MONITOR
Standard in SL trim, optional in the SV Technology package, this system pieces together camera images to provide a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the Rogue Sport. It helps with parallel parking and generally gives the driver more information about the surroundings than just a rearview camera.

EASY FILL TIRE ALERT
No need to consult the manual (wherever that might be right now) or look to see if it’s mentioned in one of those stickers inside the door frame. Now the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) knows how much air should go in. When the required level is reached, an audible alert is activated. Standard across the 2021 Rogue Sport.

In its entry-level S trim, the 2021 Rogue Sport comes with a somewhat basic inventory, like air conditioning instead of dual-zone climate control, no roof rails, a steering wheel that adjusts only for height but not reach, just one USB port, and a measly four speakers for the audio system.

On the positive side, the Safety Shield 360 driver assistance features are included, plus Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, satellite radio, rear-door alert, and rear parking sensors.

Unless finances were tight, we would pay the extra $1,570 for the SV trim, especially now that it has more standard equipment this year.

All-wheel drive is optional with any trim. So is premium paint, at $395. The S trim doesn’t qualify for many other extras.

SV trim comes with dual-zone automatic climate control and roof rails, plus a power-adjustable driver’s seat, keyless entry/ignition, sunshades with illuminated vanity mirrors, and the Divide-N-Hide cargo system. Newly standard in the SV for 2021 are fast-heating front seats, heated/leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote start, and fog lights.

This trim is eligible for a Technology package that includes a 360-degree camera system, memory settings for the driver’s seat and side mirrors, driver attention monitoring, simulated leather/real leather upholstery, ProPilot Assist (see our Safety section for details), and an electronic parking brake.

SL trim has 19-inch alloy wheels, navigation, 360-degree camera system, adaptive cruise control/ProPilot Assist, and road sign recognition.

An optional SL Premium package adds a powered sliding moonroof, full LED headlights, self-dimming rearview mirror with garage door opener, memory settings for the driver’s seat and side mirrors, power-adjustable front passenger seat, and an 8-speaker Bose audio system.

A 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine endows the 2021 Rogue Sport with 141 horsepower. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is the next link in the chain, with output going to either the front wheels in standard configuration (FWD) or all four with the optional all-wheel drive (AWD) system.

How good is the 2021 Rogue Sport’s fuel economy? Extremely similar to the CX-30 and slightly below the HR-V.

2.0-liter inline-4
141 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
147 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/32 (FWD), 24/30 (AWD)