Nissan revealed the third generation of its popular compact SUV today via an online presentation. The redesigned-for-2021 Nissan Rogue gets new features, a bit more horsepower, and wears fresh styling that is a bit sharper-edged than before.

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2021 Nissan Rogue

Despite an all-new platform, the new Rogue’s dimensions are barely changed. All exterior measurements stand pat except for overall length (1.5 inches shorter) and height (0.2 inches lower). The Rogue remains one of the most spacious vehicles in the compact SUV class; cargo volume behind the rear seats is unchanged at 39.3 cubic feet, but the capacity with the rear seats folded down grows from 70.0 to 74.1 cubic feet.

As before, S, SV, and SL trim levels are available, but a top-line Platinum model also joins the roster—it comes standard with features such as semi-aniline leather upholstery, a 12.3-inch Digital Dashboard display, and navigation-linked ProPILOT Assist driving-aid system. All Rogues get the same engine: a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that makes 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque—those figures are 11 hp and 6 lb-ft better than the previous-gen Rogue. As before, a continuously variable automatic (CVT) is the lone transmission, and all models are available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

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Nissan calls the new Rogue’s interior a “family hub,” and emphasizes the Rogue’s family-friendly features. A redesigned electronic gear selector frees up space for a “floating” center console with an open purse-shelf area underneath. The rear seats have been designed with child-seat installation in mind, and the rear doors open almost 90 degrees for easy ingress and egress. The available remote engine start with Intelligent Climate Control allows the driver to pre-heat or pre-cool the vehicle before getting in. The keyless-entry system now includes lock/unlock buttons on all four doors instead of just the front doors, and the Rogue’s novel Divide-n-Hide cargo management system, which uses configurable divider panels in the rear cargo area, has been redesigned.

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Newly available features include a wireless smartphone charger, full-color 10.8-inch head-up display, and tri-zone climate control. Other available features include heated front and rear seats, heated outside mirrors, heated steering wheel, wireless Apple CarPlay, hands-free power liftgate, and a 360-degree around-view monitor.

Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 suite of active safety technologies, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, rear automatic braking, and automatic high-beam headlights, is standard on all models. Also standard are a driver alertness monitor and a rear-door alert feature which reminds drivers to check the rear seat for children, pets, or items that may have been forgotten.

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The available ProPILOT Assist system, which pairs adaptive cruise control with lane-centering steering assist, has been updated with next-generation radar and camera technology that Nissan says enables smoother braking, better steering-assist feel, and improved detection performance when other vehicles cut into the lane. A ProPILOT Assist with Navi-Link feature is standard on the top-line Platinum and optional on SL; it pairs the driving-assist system with the navigation-system, which can automatically slow the vehicle for upcoming road curves and freeway exits.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue is slated to go on sale this fall. Full specs and pricing will be announced closer to that time.

CG Says:

No big surprises here; the 2021 Nissan Rogue strikes us as a fairly conventional redesign, with no radical changes from the previous generation. That’s sound strategy on Nissan’s part, because the Rogue is its best-selling vehicle in the U.S. The focus here is on family-friendly features and safety, as well as daily-commuter comfort and convenience. Value pricing has also been a key part of the Rogue’s appeal, and we expect that to continue with this redesigned model.

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