2019 Nissan Rogue Sport Review: Good Value, Average Performance

It's a good value, but it doesn't blow me away

Crossovers are dominating the market and one of the perennial best-sellers is the Nissan Rogue family. There are two versions of the Rogue: The Rogue and the smaller Rogue Sport — our version of the global Qashqai. Is it one of the best crossovers in its class? We go over all the aspects of Nissan’s mini-Rogue to find out.

Styling

The 2019 Nissan Rogue Sport’s style came from Nissan’s “Emotional Geometry” design language. The body makes use of some interesting lines and the grille resembles a lot of Nissan’s lineup. Take a look at the Rogue and Rogue Sport next to each-other and the family resemblance is quite strong.

The headlights feature LED daytime running lights and our tester came with the available LED low beams as well. The taillights have their own name too, Nissan calls them the “boomerang” and they are similarly fit with LEDs.

Overall, the Rogue Sport looks sharp, modern and well thought out in terms of design. Though, styling is really a personal choice. Let us know how you like the looks in the comments below.

Performance

Under the hood is a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder. This powerplant produces 141 horsepower and 147 lb-ft of torque. The Rogue Sport is available with AWD, for the price of $1,350. Regardless of the driven wheels, power is transmitted through a CVT. Our tester was front wheel drive, which is helpful for fuel efficiency. According to the EPA, our rogue sport gets 25 MPG in the city, 32 MPG on the highway and 28 MPG combined. In our time with the Rogue Sport, we saw just over 28 MPG.

Listen, the Rogue Sport is not a rocket ship. Our real-world 0-60 testing saw the highway run take well over 10 seconds (closer to 12 seconds). This is not such an issue. Where the lack of power becomes concerning is when you are on the highway and try to pass someone. The Rogue Sport just doesn’t move quickly. However, if gas mileage is your priority, the Rogue Sport is a pretty good option. Especially for a crossover, 28 MPG combined is nothing to scoff at.

Ride & Handling

The 2019 Nissan Rogue Sport features independent suspension at all four wheels. Handling-wise, things are pretty good. The Rogue Sport feels planted, with a hint of sportiness while remaining fairly comfortable. The biggest complaint comes from the wheels. Our tester came with 19-inch alloy wheels, leaving very little sidewall to soak up bumps. This provided some harshness despite the suspension’s best efforts. I would skip the 19s, but otherwise ride and handling were good.

Comfort and Convenience

Being a crossover, the Rogue Sport offers a good amount of cargo capacity. Behind the 2nd row is 20 cu-ft of storage space. Give those a fold and you’ll find a respectable 53 cu-ft of space to put your things. Plus, there is a good amount of room in the back seat for your friends. The only issue with interior space came to me in the form of driver legroom. I found my knees hitting the dashboard and steering column slightly uncomfortably. Though, I am 6’2″.

Technology

Loads of standard tech is a must for new cars now. The Rogue Sport does offer a respectable amount of standard tech. Our test model is the SL trim, which is the top-end trim. A such, it comes standard with Nissan Pro Pilot Assist and Nissan Safety Shield 360. These are a combination of driver safety and enhancement features including: Automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beams and adaptive cruise control.

On the interior, you get a 7.0-inch touchscreen display that now includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Overall, there is a good amount of tech in the Rogue Sport. You don’t feel like you’re missing out on the tech front.

Competition

The Rogue Sport competes with a wide range of vehicles, due to its in-between size. This list includes vehicles like the Honda HR-V, Toyota C-HR, Mazda CX-3, and the Subaru Crosstrek, to name a few.

Pricing

The 2019 Rogue Sport starts at a very reasonable $22,240 base. Our SL tester starts at $27,96, though we had quite a few options. This brought the final as-tested price up to $31,275. Pretty much the only way to make a Rogue Sport more expensive is to give it AWD. Once again, that option costs $1,350.

2019 Nissan Rogue Sport

Sure, our test model was on the pricey side. However, consider this: You can buy a 2019 Nissan Rogue Sport with AWD for under $25,000. That is a compelling offer for someone who needs an affordable ride and AWD.

Verdict

The Rogue Sport doesn’t blow me away. It is slow, and the interior materials aren’t amazing. But, the value proposition seems quite good. You get great gas mileage and available AWD at a very low price point. Plus, you have enough room to bring your friends and your stuff with you. The driving experience is relatively nice and you have enough technology to stay entertained for an entire road trip.

Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for the latest news, views & real-world reviews and more information about the 2019 Nissan Rogue Sport.