Nissan is taking bold steps to reshape its identity and image as swiftly as a large corporation can manage. A cornerstone of this endeavor will be the new Nissan Rogue, which appears to have significant potential.
Last week, Nissan revealed the new 2027 Rogue, featuring a design that is both futuristic and recognizable, a hybrid powertrain unlike anything seen from competitors, and the assurance of bridging toward an electric future.
Nissan invited me to one of its exclusive testing facilities and allowed me to drive a prototype of the new Rogue to provide a small preview of what lies ahead. The immediate impression? This is not the Rogue we’ve come to know as the economical rental vehicle, and it may mark the beginning of a new chapter for the automaker if it can fulfill some ambitious commitments. I believe the new Rogue is a strong entry for the mass market.
Exterior and Interior
The Rogue I tested in Japan was entirely cloaked in camouflage both inside and outside, though you can view images of it at the unveiling above.
We don’t have exact dimensions yet, but the new Rogue appears slightly broader than the current version, although this might be a visual illusion created by its new grille. The overall design is familiar and evolutionary, yet futuristic and striking, incorporating dispersed LED daytime running lights merging into the front grille, sharply defined sheet metal that bulges at the fenders, a geometric wheel design with a star motif, and a full-width LED taillight. It’s visually striking and appears less economical than today’s Rogue, less rugged than a RAV4, and more polished than the Tucson.
Inside, the vehicle was nearly completely shrouded in dark fabric, but I can mention there’s a two-spoke steering wheel with genuine buttons, a real volume knob in the center of the dashboard, a pushbutton gear selector located on the left of the center console, and I was informed there’s a single piece of glass over a 14.3-inch screen that encompasses both the digital gauge cluster and touchscreen infotainment system. The rear seat area, where I placed my backpack, which was also concealed, seemed slightly larger in terms of space than the current model, although I wasn’t permitted to sit back there. The legroom appeared ample.
Driving Impressions
Initially, the new Rogue will be hybrid-exclusive, but not in the typical manner most people associate with hybrids today. Rather than a gasoline engine combined with an electric motor or transmission, such as in the Hyundai Tucson hybrid, or a gasoline engine with dual motor generators like in the Toyota RAV4, the Rogue employs a battery pack to drive the wheels, using a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine solely as a generator for the battery pack. The gasoline engine does not connect to the drive wheels. Each Rogue will feature a dual-motor setup with a 150-kW motor at the front and a 100-kW motor at the rear. Nissan did not disclose final power specifications, but Corporate Executive Product Planner Richard Candler mentioned to The Drive that the Rogue Hybrid will provide around 200 horsepower.
Final fuel economy ratings are not yet determined nor discussed, but Nissan anticipates the Rogue Hybrid will be approximately 20% more efficient than today’s gasoline model. Theoretically, this would lead to EPA ratings of about 33 mpg in the city, 42 on the highway, and 37 combined. There’s no plug or necessity (or method) for recharging the system. It operates entirely automatically in the background. Nissan labels the system e-Power, but to prevent consumer confusion regarding its electric nature or charging needs, it will feature a hybrid badge and be referred to as the Rogue Hybrid e-Power.
Nissan allowed me to experience today’s Rogue equipped with its (entirely unrelated, yet ironically and confusingly the same displacement) 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine for two laps before transitioning to the new Rogue Hybrid to notice the distinctions. And indeed, these are two markedly different vehicles.
The new Rogue Hybrid distinctly feels heftier, presumably due to a more centralized and lower weight compared to the current Rogue. It conveys a sense of solidity. The steering has a surprisingly well-balanced weight, but don’t expect significant feedback or feel.
Both at start and during motion, acceleration feels more seamless, with reduced surging than contemporary models, which struggle to harmonize a turbocharged engine with variable compression and a continuously variable transmission simultaneously. There’s sufficient power for what this vehicle represents and requires within a competitive segment, and its powertrain operates noticeably smoother and quieter than leading contenders in this field.
The Rogue Hybrid’s suspension tuning appeared slightly stiffer than today’s model, with fewer bobbing motions, reduced body roll in corners, and more controlled handling overall.
The new brake-by-wire system applies brakes early in the pedal travel with minimal progressiveness. While the brakes engage quickly and firmly, achieving smoothness wasn’t difficult, unlike in other vehicles where this lack of progression is an issue. This power configuration enabled the team to integrate the electric Leaf’s e-pedal braking system into the Rogue Hybrid. Such a feature provides the Rogue Hybrid with a one-pedal braking option, akin to an EV, allowing for up to 0.2 Gs of regenerative braking, similar to the Leaf. At higher speeds, for instance at 80 mph—which I would never attempt, given the test course limited speed was 60 mph—there’s less force from regenerative braking, with more effect being noticeable at lower speeds. This experience is akin to what you find in the Leaf. It functioned effectively and can serve entirely as a one-pedal system with full stopping capabilities. However, much like the Leaf, due to EPA guidelines and certification requirements, the e-pedal setting to enable one-pedal driving must be activated each time the Rogue Hybrid is turned on. A challenge that seems unlikely, and which numerous manufacturers, from Lucid and Rivian to Tesla, Ford, and GM, have found ways to navigate.
Verdict
Pricing details for the new Rogue Hybrid remain undisclosed, nor do we have actual fuel economy figures. Much depends on these two elements aligning correctly.
However, from the brief experience that involved just a short test drive of two laps, a quick debut, and substantial interaction with the engineering team, it appears that, upon initial reflection, the new Rogue Hybrid, if marketed effectively, could offer a more sophisticated and potentially attractive alternative to the segment leader, the Toyota RAV4.
The evolution of the Rogue from a rental option and budget model to a competitive choice challenging class frontrunners is the transformation if Nissan can deliver in practice.
Nissan provided The Drive with travel and accommodations, along with the use of a vehicle for the purpose of writing this review.