2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2021 Chevrolet Suburban

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban had a polarizing front-end design, borrowing heavily from the Camaro's design language. This resulted in small headlights and large, busy grilles that didn't favor the Suburban's massive frame. Despite the aggressive exterior, the interior remained familiar, with controls in their usual places, making it user-friendly. The High Country trim, which we tested, featured woodgrain and leather but lacked the soft-touch materials found in true luxury SUVs, making it more akin to an upscale pickup.

In contrast, the 2021 Nissan Rogue sported a handsome new styling with a more technical appearance, featuring clean LED lighting elements and a prominent V-Motion grille. The Rogue's interior was light and bright, thanks to an Almond color leather interior and a panoramic glass sunroof. The cabin boasted abundant soft-touch surfaces, appealing simulated wood trim, and fabric-wrapped windshield pillars, lending a sense of quality. The Platinum trim offered quilted semi-aniline leather, contrast stitching, and ambient lighting for a luxurious feel.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban came with a standard 5.3-liter V8 engine producing 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. A more powerful 6.2-liter V8 was also available, delivering 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Our test vehicle featured the newly available Duramax turbodiesel engine, a 3.0-liter inline-six generating 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. All engines were paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, with standard rear-wheel drive (RWD) or available four-wheel drive (4WD). The Suburban's independent rear suspension provided a more compliant ride, though it still exhibited some truck-like tendencies, such as body roll and susceptibility to crosswinds.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue, on the other hand, was powered by a direct-injected 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. While adequate for daily driving, the Rogue's engine felt underpowered for more adventurous endeavors. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) did a decent job of leveraging the available torque, and the Rogue's ride and handling were smooth and predictable. The Rogue's new architecture, composed of 35% high-strength steel, and features like Brake-induced Intelligent Trace Control and Active Ride Control systems, contributed to its athletic feel. The new steering system, with electric assist moved to the steering rack, provided dramatically improved steering feel.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban offered massive cargo space, with 144.7 cubic feet available with the rear seats folded. Even with the second-row seats in use, it provided 93.8 cubic feet of cargo space, and 41.5 cubic feet behind the third row. The Suburban's interior was spacious, with commanding views of the road and ample head- and legroom for passengers. The control layout was similar to GM's pickup truck lineup, though the button shifter design was less intuitive. The power-sliding center console was a complex feature that added little value.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured Nissan's Zero Gravity seat designs, which were comfortable and available in various materials depending on the trim level. The Rogue's interior was spacious, with generous rear-seat headroom and legroom. The rear doors opened to a nearly 90-degree angle, making it easy to load passengers. The Rogue also offered a power rear liftgate and a Divide-N-Hide cargo management system in higher trims, providing up to 36.5 cubic feet of cargo space. With the rear seat folded, the Rogue offered a maximum volume of 74.1 cubic feet, among the largest in the compact crossover SUV segment.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban came standard with a 10.2-inch touchscreen running GM's intuitive infotainment system, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A navigation system and a rear entertainment system with large touchscreens were available options. The head-up display provided large, easy-to-read graphics.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue offered a competitive infotainment package, starting with an 8-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Higher trims added NissanConnect Services, a WiFi hotspot, and Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integration. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim featured a larger 9-inch touchscreen display, door-to-door navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, and a Bose premium audio system. The Platinum trim also included wireless smartphone charging, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.8-inch head-up display.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban came equipped with automatic emergency braking, forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, and rear parking sensors. Optional safety features included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic assist, front parking sensors, and a surround-view monitor camera system. Unique options included the rear-view camera mirror and the Safety Alert Seat.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue was equipped with a comprehensive collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) under the Nissan Safety Shield 360 umbrella. This included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. The Rogue also featured ten airbags, a driver monitoring system, and a rear-seat reminder system. Higher trims included ProPilot Assist with Navi-link technology, which used navigation map data and GPS coordinates to adjust speed for curves and freeway junctions.