Comparison Test: 2024 Kia Sportage vs. 2024 Nissan Rogue

The 2024 Nissan Rogue and the 2024 Kia Sportage are not our favorite compact SUVs—we prefer more engaging offerings, such as the current and former 10Best-winning Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5. But these two mundane models aren’t without their appeal, and Nissan and Kia moved 271,458 and 140,780 units of each in 2023 alone.

The Nissan is the elder statesman of this duo, with the current SUV dating back to the 2021 model year. A light refresh for 2024 adds revised front and rear fascias and an available 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with the Google built-in interface.

Following a complete redesign for 2023, the Sportage carries over largely unchanged for 2024. The latest model is physically larger than its predecessor. It also now offers hybrid and plug-in-hybrid powertrains, though a gas-only setup serves as the default option.

What We Tested

Unlike the Sportage, the Rogue comes strictly in gas-fed form. All variants, from the entry-level $29,810 S to the $40,090 Platinum, rely on the same 201-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder that mates to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The triple incorporates Nissan’s variable-compression tech that slightly alters the pistons’ stroke to raise or lower the compression ratio from 8.0:1 and 14.0:1, optimizing the engine for greater torque or fuel economy as needed.

Although the Rogue comes standard with front-wheel drive, the Platinum example we tested included all-wheel drive for $1500. A $350 black-painted roof, $445 worth of floor mats, and the $990 Platinum Premium package, which added a third climate zone for those in the back, rear sunshades, heated rear seats, a motion-activated liftgate, and a head-up display, brought this Champagne Silver Metallic SUV’s as-tested price to $43,375.

Our Sportage was likewise a gas-powered model in flagship form. The $39,365 X-Pro Prestige combines the tougher-looking exterior decor, all-terrain tires, and heated windshield of the less expensive X-Pro with the amenities of the SX Prestige, such as its ventilated front seats, power-operated passenger’s seat, and 360-degree camera.

All-wheel drive is standard, as is a 187-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed automatic gearbox. With just $665 in extras (an X-Pro-exclusive coat of Wolf Gray paint with a contrasting Ebony Black roof for $395, floor mats for $175, and a cargo mat for $95), our Kia compact SUV rang in at $40,030.

How They Drive and Perform

Both the Rogue and Sportage prioritize a cushy ride and quiet cabin, and the pair hit their strides on long stretches of clear and open highway. The Nissan was the quicker of the two off the line—no surprise, considering its engine packed an additional 14 horsepower and 47 pound-feet of torque.

Getting to 60 mph took an acceptable 8.0 seconds, and the quarter-mile blew by after 16.1 seconds at a speed of 87 mph. Meanwhile, the Sportage needed a wheezy 9.1 seconds to reach 60 mph and 16.9 seconds to complete the quarter-mile at 84 mph.

Neither SUV fared well passing slower-moving traffic, and the Rogue’s languid 4.6-second run from 30 to 50 mph put it 0.1 second behind the Sportage’s. Both took 6.3 seconds to go from 50 to 70 mph.

Kia Sportage

HIGHS: Quiet cabin, cushy ride, solid value.
LOWS: Sluggish acceleration, frustrating climate and infotainment controls, drab cabin.
VERDICT: Not great in any way but good enough in many.

Whereas the linear throttle response and amenable gearbox of the Sportage made passing maneuvers slow but steady affairs, the Rogue suffered from a laggy throttle and a sluggish CVT. This left it accelerating leisurely until the transmission lackadaisically engaged a lower ratio, at which point the SUV would finally hit the peak of its powerband—often right around the time we no longer needed the extra oomph.

Bringing the Rogue to a halt was no less frustrating due to its spongy brake pedal. It suffered from an initial dead spot and only started adding adequate stopping force at the far end of its travel. The Sportage’s binders, meanwhile, applied stopping power proportional to the stroke of its squishy pedal.

With its 19-inch wheels shod in asphalt-friendly Bridgestone Alenza Sport A/S all-season tires, the Rogue came to a stop from 70 mph in 177 feet and circled the skidpad at 0.83 g, besting the 182-foot and 0.81-g figures the Kia achieved on its BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A all-terrain rubber and 17-inch wheels. Despite its additional grip, the Rogue was the worse of these compact SUVs to wring around twisting tarmac.

With more pitch and dive than the Summer Olympics, and steering that often required midcorner corrections, the Rogue struggled to maintain any semblance of cohesion in most off-highway settings. The Sportage was no dynamic darling either, but its body motions were less excessive, its chassis offered greater composure at the limit, and its steering was linear and responded accurately to inputs. It may be a bore, but unlike the Rogue, the Sportage at least avoided making spirited driving feel like a chore.

Interior Comparison

Nissan pulled out all the stops inside the Rogue, and its cabin looked and felt the part of an SUV with a price tag north of $40,000. Quilted leather covered the seats’ comfortable cushions, while soft-touch textiles adorned the dashboard and door panels. Scant use of silver and piano black plastic was a refreshing change of pace, adding a bit of interest to the interior without making the cabin look too busy.

The inside of the Rogue offers more than just visual and tactile appeal, and Nissan’s compact SUV featured a number of generously sized storage cubbies too. This included a sizable space just below the center console and a two-position cargo floor.

Nissan Rogue

HIGHS: Interior worthy of an Infiniti, convenience features of an Infiniti, ride quality of a Range Rover.
LOWS: Laggy throttle and lazy CVT, a brake pedal spongy enough to live in a pineapple under the sea, cluster and infotainment screens’ UX.
VERDICT: Easy to love in the showroom, hard to like on a test drive.

Comparatively, the Sportage’s cabin was more austere and less richly appointed. Its faux-leather seats looked and felt as fake as the wood that decorates the driver-oriented dashboard and door panels. Large swaths of black plastic failed to add much in the way of visual interest, and the liberal use of piano black trim was prone to attracting fingerprint smudges and dust.

The back seats in both offered plenty of room for two passengers but struggled to fit three comfortably. Unlike the Rogue, the Sportage lacked a separate rear climate zone and integrated rear sunshades.

Regardless, the Sportage’s dual-zone climate-control system proved itself an ergonomic disaster. Rather than utilize separate climate and infotainment controls, Kia integrated both into one capacitive panel that’s bookended by two knobs. Those knobs control either the interior temperature or adjust infotainment settings, such as audio volume and tuning, depending on the mode the panel is in, effectively eliminating the muscle-memory benefits of tactile controls that allow drivers to keep their eyes on the road. After a couple of incidents wherein we cranked up the stereo volume when attempting to turn up the heat, we eventually found ourselves temporarily taking our eyes off the road to look down at the control panel to make sure it was in the correct operating mode.

The Rogue may have a superior climate-control setup, but it suffers from an inferior infotainment system. Blame the 12.3-inch touchscreen’s delayed responses to inputs and the 12.3-inch cluster’s poor user experience. Rather than place the vehicle settings’ menu within the center-mounted touchscreen, Nissan hid it within the clunky cluster display.

The Sportage also included separate 12.3-inch displays for its touchscreen infotainment system and digital cluster. While Kia’s user interface looked a bit dated next to Nissan’s, its overall operating experience was—for the most part—straightforward.

Which Is Better

Nissan knows how to create an appealing compact SUV, and the sumptuous interior and lengthy feature list of the Rogue evince this. But looking past its fancy features revealed weaknesses, chiefly the disharmonious dynamics and infotainment issues.

The Sportage, on the other hand, proved itself an earnest machine that was poised, predictable, and eager to please. We appreciated its lower cost of entry too, even if we felt Kia could improve the vehicle by fitting a more powerful engine under its hood and sprucing up the cabin with a less austere look and better ergonomics.

Is the Kia Sportage the best vehicle in its segment? No. But you already know that. It is, however, a better compact SUV than the Nissan Rogue.

Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com