The Rogue and RAV4 are the two most popular cars in the compact crossover segment. And most buyers looking for a car in this class choose between them.
It makes sense to compare the Nissan Rogue and Toyota RAV4. We take the 2021 model year cars and compare them by all criteria - price, reliability, seat comfort, ride quality, acceleration dynamics, fuel economy and more.
Price
Winner: Nissan Rogue
Little separates these two compact crossovers in terms of cost-the difference doesn't exceed $400. Still, we can call the 2021 Nissan Rogue a better deal. The base package starts at $25,750; the RAV4 starts at $26,150.
That said, when you move up the lineup of packages, the RAV4 is often cheaper. For example, the top-of-the-line Rogue Platinum starts at $35,530. The best asphalt-oriented RAV4 model, the Limited , costs from $34,680.
Toyota also has an off-road TRD model with exclusive TRD suspension, fog lights and off-road tires. It is priced at $35,880. The Rogue has no comparable model.
Reliability
Winner: Nissan Rogue
JD Power rates the Nissan Rogue's predicted reliability at 81 out of a possible 100 points, which is considered an excellent score. The RAV4 has a ratio of 74/100, which is average.
Comfort seats
Winner: Nissan Rogue
The Rogue's front seats provide excellent lateral and back support and have soft and comfortable cushions. The rear seats are also good and offer more legroom than the previous-generation Rogue. Getting in and out of the second row is especially convenient thanks to the doors, which open almost 90 degrees.
The RAV4's seats are also quite good, and passengers in both rows enjoy excellent legroom and headroom. Even the passenger in the middle of the second row will remain happy on long trips. But the Rogue has better seat comfort.
Cargo Space
Winner: Nissan Rogue
The Rogue has the largest luggage compartment at 2,095 liters with the rear seats folded down, and for that reason it wins this category. The RAV4, on the other hand, offers just 1,954 liters behind the first row.
However, with the seats fully occupied, the RAV4 actually provides more space: 1,047 liters behind the second row. The Rogue has just 878 liters. However, buy the Rogue SL or Premium package, and the trunk behind the second row increases to 1,020 liters thanks to the adjustable floor surface.
If you regularly travel alone or with one companion, and the second row is usually occupied by camping or sporting equipment, opt for the Nissan Rogue. Traveling regularly with three or four passengers? The RAV4 will give you more room for travel bags.
Interior Quality
Winner: tie.
The updated Rogue has taken a big step forward, and its interior feels much better than before. The interior looks so stylish with soft-touch materials throughout the cabin and an attractive design. The RAV4 also has plenty of soft-touch materials throughout the cabin. In addition, it has a spacious center console - it gives the interior an open feel.
Both saloons also offer excellent visibility in all directions, and neither one feels cramped.
Infotainment features
Winner: Toyota RAV4
Infotainment systems continue to get more sophisticated, and the Nissan Rogue and Toyota RAV4 systems are not far behind in this competition. However, there are several reasons why the RAV4's system is superior to the Rogue's.
First, responsiveness to inputs is critical to a smooth and comfortable experience. The RAV4's 7-inch touchscreen deserves praise for how quickly it responds to user input, as well as for the clarity of the system's graphics and menu structure. The Rogue's 8-inch touchscreen also has a clear menu structure, but users find that the touchscreen is slow to respond to commands.
Second, the RAV4 has a couple of standard features that the Rogue doesn't have. Although both offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay , only the RAV4 has standard Amazon Alexa and Wi-Fi hotspot.
Engine power
Winner: Toyota RAV4.
The RAV4 has a powerful 203-horsepower four-cylinder engine that easily accelerates this compact crossover to high highway speeds. Compare that to the Rogue's 181-horsepower four-cylinder engine. It will take some time to accelerate.
Transmissions are important here, too. The eight-speed transmission in the RAV4 does a pretty good job of finding the right gear when accelerating. The Rogue's continuously variable automatic transmission does nothing to accelerate this Nissan.
Fuel economy
Winner: Toyota RAV4
The advantage of a less powerful engine, such as in the Rogue , is usually significant fuel economy. The Rogue does save fuel, but the equally racy RAV4 does just as well.
The front-wheel-drive Rogue consumes 8.7 liters in the city and 6.7 on the highway. The RAV4 is only slightly better: it spends 8.4 liters in the city and the same 6.7 liters on the highway.
Switching to all-wheel drive in the Rogue reduces fuel consumption to 9.1 liters in the city and 7.1 liters on the highway. The RAV4 with all-wheel drive consumes 8.7 liters in the city and 6.7 liters on the highway.
Ride and handling
Winner: Toyota RAV4.
The 2021 Rogue rides and handles clearly better than previous years' cars. It has a new suspension that smooths out bumps and provides a good ride overall, although the ride can still feel a little rough. Cornering is also better than in previous years. It's by no means a race car, but passengers will feel safe on winding roads.
The 2021 RAV4 does everything the Rogue does, but better. Throw it on a winding mountain road, and the RAV4 can handle anything they can throw at it. While the RAV4 isn't the most dynamic in its class - that honor belongs to the Mazda CX-5 - the RAV4 doesn't offer much in the way of criticism. In addition, the steering is very smooth, and the ride on rough asphalt is smooth and smooth.
Safety
Winner: Toyota RAV4
The RAV4 is slightly but slightly ahead of its rival and comes out on top. In IIHS crash tests, both the RAV4 and the Rogue receive the highest Good scores in all six tests. In addition, the frontal collision avoidance systems in both cars receive the highest IIHS Superior score.
The margin of difference is revealed in NHTSA testing. This gives the Rogue an overall crash test score of 4 out of 5 and the RAV4 a 5 out of 5.
One important note: While both the Rogue and RAV4 have long lists of active safety features, the Rogue has a few standard features that the RAV4 makes optional. Namely, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.
The winner is the ...
Toyota RAV4 2021
In almost every category we look at, the RAV4 and Rogue are very similar to each other. the difference between them is sometimes negligible. One category, interior quality, ends in a tie at all. Only in one category there is a clear winner. It is RAV4 - in the category of engine power.
Both crossovers are high-quality cars which are guaranteed to provide years of driving pleasure. However, if fast acceleration and dynamic handling are important to you, the RAV4 will be the most attractive. For those who prefer a quality interior and low prices, the Rogue will do.
