2021 Honda CR-V vs 2021 Nissan Rogue

• 2021 Honda CR-V

  

  Starting at

  $25,350¹

  2021 Nissan Rogue

  

  Starting at

  $25,650

  190	Horsepower (HP)	181
  75.8	Max Cargo Space (cu.ft.)	74.1
  102.9-105.9	Passenger Volume (cu.ft.)	100.4-105.4

  The crossover class of vehicles has quickly vaulted to the forefront of popular vehicle classes. Crossovers, like the 2021 Honda CR-V vs 2021 Nissan Rogue, are heavily debated over as to which one of these crossovers is the best. That's because crossovers are perfect for pretty much every driver. For commuters, crossovers offer a comfortable interior with exceptional fuel economy, so they don’t spend too much on gas driving to work. For families, most crossovers give you plenty of room in the back seat so your kids won’t be complaining when you drive them places. And for older couples, many find that it is easier to enter and exit a crossover than a standard sedan, as it is higher off the ground.

  These are the advantages offered by two of the most popular crossovers on the market, the Honda CR-V and the Nissan Rogue. What is more, Nissan has fully updated the Rogue for the 2021 model year, but can it compete with the classic and beloved Honda CR-V? Let’s take a look at how these two popular crossovers stack up when we compare the 2021 Honda CR-V vs 2021 Nissan Rogue.

• Performance

  

  Engines

  Both the 2021 Honda CR-V and the 2021 Nissan Rogue come with one standard engine for all models. The CR-V is equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged 16-valve I-4 gas engine. This engine utilizes its turbocharger to produce 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque. The standard engine on the 2021 Nissan Rogue is a 2.5-liter 16-valve direct injection I-4 gasoline engine. It produces up to 181 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. Although the engine on the CR-V is smaller, it produces more horsepower and almost the same amount of torque as the engine on the Rogue as the result of its turbocharger.

  Transmissions

  The 2021 Honda CR-V utilizes a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Instead of having set gear speeds, the CVT automatically adjusts the engine’s speed to best fit the driving conditions. This will lead to a more overall efficient ride. The 2021 Nissan Rogue utilizes a similar transmission, which Nissan calls the Xtronic CVT with manual mode. This gives drivers the option of switching to a more conventional transmission mode if they prefer. As far as driving experience goes, there isn't much of a difference between the two transmissions, and they both are working to get you the best fuel economy.

  Fuel Economy

  One of the biggest selling points for a crossover is its fuel economy. With both the 2021 Honda CR-V and the 2021 Nissan Rogue, you will see better mileage results if you go with the standard front-wheel drivetrain as opposed to the optional all-wheel drive. In comparing the two models head-to-head on fuel economy, the CR-V achieves better overall fuel economy than the Rogue.

  The 2021 Honda CR-V with front-wheel drive will give drivers 28 miles per gallon in city driving, 34 miles per gallon on the highway, and a combined 30 miles per gallon.² The 2021 Nissan Rogue with front-wheel drive comes in slightly lower at 27 miles per gallon in the city, 35 miles per gallon on the highway, and a combined 30 miles per gallon. Similarly, the Honda CR-V with all-wheel drive provides an estimated 27 miles per gallon in the city, 32 miles per gallon on the highway, and 29 miles per gallon combined, while the all-wheel drive Rogue achieves 26 miles per gallon in city driving, 33 miles per gallon in highway driving, and 29 miles per gallon combined.²

  Drivability

  Drivers will find both of these vehicles fun to drive, with the all-wheel drive versions of both the Honda CR-V and Nissan Rogue providing greater traction, particularly in inclement weather. This is especially important if you get a great deal of snow and ice in winter. With that being said, the 2021 Honda CR-V will provide two key advantages over the 2021 Nissan Rogue.

  First, the CR-V has a tighter wheelbase of 104.8 inches as opposed to the 106.5 inches on the Rogue. This will allow you to turn the CR-V in tighter spaces, making parking slightly easier. The second advantage is that the CR-V provides better acceleration. The 2021 Honda CR-V has been clocked going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 7.6 seconds. The 2021 Nissan Rogue needs 8.2 seconds to go the same distance.

• Trims

  

  The 2021 Honda CR-V and the 2021 Nissan Rogue offer drivers four different trims with an affordable base MSRP. The Honda CR-V has a slightly lower MSRP of $25,350 for the base model LX.² It also has an overall lower price point for each of the four trim levels.

  2021 Honda CR-V Trims

  The 2021 Honda CR-V LX features the suite of Honda Sensing active safety features, as well as 17-inch alloy wheels for an MSRP of $25,350. The next trim is the EX that adds dual-zone automatic climate control and a blind spot information system. The CR-V EX has an MSRP of $27,860. The CR-V EX-L has an MSRP of $30,450 and includes a leather-trimmed interior, power tailgate, an automatic-dimming rearview mirror, and power-adjustable seats. The top trim is the CR-V Touring, and it adds a wireless phone charger, a hands-free access power tailgate, a heated steering wheel, and 19-inch alloy wheels. The Touring has an MSRP of $33,650.¹

  2021 Nissan Rogue Trims

  The base trim on the 2021 Nissan Rogue is the S, and it has an MSRP of $25,650. It offers standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. The Rogue SV has an MSRP of $27,340 and includes 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, an Intelligent Around View Monitor, and the ProPILOT Assist cruise control safety feature. The Rogue SL, $32,000, adds 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, a motion-activated liftgate, and a dual-panel panoramic moonroof. The top trim of the 2021 Nissan Rogue is the Platinum. It adds navigation to the ProPILOT Assist system and quilted leather seats for an MSRP of $35,430.

• Interior

  

  Passenger Space

  Both the 2021 Honda CR-V and 2021 Nissan Rogue have room for up to 5 passengers. The Honda CR-V LX has a full 105.9 cubic feet of space in its passenger compartment. The other three trims have slightly less as a result of the moonroof, but it is still 102.9 cubic feet. In contrast, while the 2021 Nissan Rogue has 105.4 cubic feet of passenger space without a moonroof, this shrinks to only 100.4 cubic feet on models that come with this feature.

  This translates into some issues with the allotment of passenger space, particularly with respect to the back seat of the vehicle. For example, the rear seat in the CR-V with a moonroof has a full 39.1 inches of headroom, while the Rogue with a moonroof provides only 37.8 inches. Similarly, the CR-V provides a very roomy 40.4 inches of legroom in the rear seat, while the Rogue only gives rear row passengers 38.5 inches of legroom. This could be problematic, particularly on long drives or family road trips. As you can see, those extra cubic feet of passenger space can translate into the difference between feeling comfortable and being cramped.

  Cargo Capacity

  The 2021 Honda CR-V has 39.2 cubic feet of space in its trunk. This cargo volume increases to 75.8 cubic feet when you fold down the rear seats. The 2021 Nissan Rogue has slightly less, 36.5 cubic feet in the trunk. If you fold down the rear seats, you can get a maximum of 74.1 cubic feet of cargo space. However, this is slightly reduced on the Rogue models with a moonroof. The trunk on these Rogues is 36.3 cubic feet but only expands to 72.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.

  Safety

  Both Honda and Nissan should be commended for putting so many standard active safety features on the 2021 CR-V and the 2021 Rogue. However, the 2021 Honda CR-V has the full complement of Honda Sensing features on all trim levels, while Nissan requires you to get a 2021 Nissan Rogue SV or other higher trim in order to get certain of the features like ProPILOT Assist as standard equipment on your crossover.

  Honda Standard Safety

  Each model of the Honda CR-V, including the base trim LX, comes equipped with tons of Honda standard safety features. Brake specific safety systems include electronic brake distribution, brake assist, anti-lock brakes, and the collision mitigation braking system. There are also several warning systems like the forward collision warning, lane departure warning to keep you alert. Assist features like road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, and vehicle stability assist with traction control to keep you safely on the road. Finally, some other safety features include adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, a multi-angle rearview camera, LED daytime running lights, and a tire pressure monitoring system.

  Nissan Standard Safety

  In contrast, the Rogue S, the base trim of Nissan’s crossover, only has some control systems like the standard cruise control, intelligent trace control, and vehicle dynamic control with traction control. The S also comes standard with several rear focused systems like the rear cross traffic alert, a rearview monitor, rear sonar system, and rear automatic braking. Finally, you'll find intelligent forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, high beam assist, and intelligent driver alertness to complete the standard safety features. While these safety features will be helpful, they are not as comprehensive as on the Honda CR-V LX.

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