2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2021 Kia Sorento

The 2021 Nissan Rogue took a significant leap forward in its styling, moving away from its car-like appearance to more rugged SUV aesthetics. The new Rogue wore a handsome and technical design, complete with dark gray plastic cladding, bold skid plates, and lower door protection. This robust look was particularly striking on the SUV's back bumper, which some might argue to be a tad too audacious. Clean LED lighting elements, a prominent V-Motion grille, and well-proportioned lines gave the Rogue a modern, attractive appearance. Buyers could opt for aluminum wheels up to 19 inches in diameter and a two-tone paint with a black roof for a custom look.

Nissan offered four trims for the 2021 Rogue: the entry-level Rogue S, the popular Rogue SV, the slightly more luxurious Rogue SL, and the top-tier Rogue Platinum. The Platinum trim was particularly noted for its semi-aniline quilted leather and upscale amenities, adding a touch of luxury. Our test vehicle, the Rogue SL, was equipped with the Premium Package and additional paint options, bringing the total price to $35,195.

Inside, our Rogue SL test vehicle featured an Almond color leather interior and a panoramic glass sunroof, creating a light and airy cabin feel. The use of soft-touch surfaces, simulated wood trim, and fabric-wrapped windshield pillars contributed to a sense of quality. The Platinum trim further enhanced the interior with quilted semi-aniline leather, contrast stitching, and ambient lighting.

In contrast, the 2021 Kia Sorento took a major step forward with its new design, shedding its previous jelly-bean styling in favor of a more athletic and muscular silhouette. The SX Prestige trim with the X-Line package included stylish roof rails, a shark fin antenna, and a rear roof spoiler. The front featured Kia's enlarged tiger-nose grille, which curved towards the front corners and connected to the squinting, yet attractively designed, headlights. Silver accents on the side and cohesive vertical rectangular taillights added to its sophisticated, outdoor-ready look.

Inside, the Sorento also shined with high-value features such as heated outside mirrors, second-row air vents, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. Seating comfort varied by trim level, with the SX Prestige providing the best experience with 10-way adjustable seats for both driver and passenger, while lower trims offered more basic seat adjustments. Visibility was excellent thanks to the large windows and panoramic sunroof, which occasionally let in too much hot sunlight during our lengthy road trip.

Critics noted that the 2021 Nissan Rogue needed more power, with its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. Weighing nearly 3,500 pounds, the Rogue's power output was deemed adequate for daily driving but left much to be desired for more spirited driving or loaded conditions. The CVT performed well in mimicking a traditional automatic transmission, with paddle shifters provided for manual control. Despite its lackluster power, the Rogue excelled in handling with features such as a strut front and multi-link rear suspension, Intelligent Trace Control, Active Ride Control, and the new Vehicle Motion Control, which collectively enhanced ride comfort and predictability.

In contrast, the 2021 Kia Sorento offered a more robust powertrain lineup. The entry-level models featured a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission. However, our test car was equipped with the significantly more powerful turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. This configuration, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, delivered impressive performance, making merging and passing on the highway effortless.

The Sorento's AWD system, with torque vectoring and a center-locking differential, along with an additional 1.3 inches of ride height in the X-Line package, provided enhanced traction and off-road capability. The suspension's smooth ride, even with 20-inch wheels, and the distinct driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport, and Snow) allowed for adaptable driving experiences. Overall, despite its heavier weight of approximately 4,000 pounds, the Sorento managed corners with minimal lean and maintained comfort on long drives.

Nissan's Zero Gravity seat design aimed to replicate a neutral spine position, reducing stress and fatigue. The 2021 Rogue featured improved Zero Gravity seats, wrapped in cloth for the S trim, leatherette for the SV (with optional upgrade), leather for the SL, and premium leather for the Platinum trim. Despite the lack of ventilated seats, the Rogue offered heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats in higher trims. The rear seat space was generous, with headroom and legroom improvements from the previous model. Rear doors opened almost 90 degrees, facilitating passenger loading, and the new LATCH system enabled the accommodation of three child safety seats.

The Rogue concentrated on reducing interior noise with aerodynamic improvements, acoustic glass, and a thicker dashboard insulator. Storage solutions included a center console with a butterfly-style lid, an electronic shifter that freed up space, and door pockets that could hold 32-ounce water bottles. Cargo capacity was competitive, with the Rogue S and SV offering 31.6 cubic feet, and the SL and Platinum, equipped with the Divide-N-Hide system, offering up to 36.5 cubic feet. Foldable rear seats provided a maximum cargo space of 74.1 cubic feet.

On the other hand, the 2021 Kia Sorento, especially in the top trims, functioned best as a four-seater due to the second-row captain's chairs. The third row was cramped, suitable only for small children. Cargo space was limited, with just 12.6 cubic feet behind the third row, but improved significantly with the seats folded, offering a total of 75.5 cubic feet. The front and second-row seats provided ample legroom, and storage spaces included a wireless charging spot ahead of the gear selector, center console bucket, door pockets, and second-row cupholders. Despite its compact crossover size, the Sorento offered practical cargo solutions for smaller items.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue offered a competitive technology suite. The base S trim featured an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, SiriusXM, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a trial subscription to Nissan Concierge Personal Assistant. Higher trims added NissanConnect Services, WiFi hotspot, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant integration. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim upgraded to a 9-inch touchscreen with advanced navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, and a Bose audio system. The Platinum trim further included wireless smartphone charging, a digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster, and a 10.8-inch head-up display. Despite the functional glitches, the system overall worked efficiently, with good voice recognition and sound quality from the Bose audio components.

Kia upped the tech game for the 2021 Sorento with an intuitive system but had its quirks. The lower trims came with an 8-inch touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Meanwhile, the SX and SX Prestige trims featured a larger 10.25-inch screen with haptic touch buttons, knobs, and easy navigation. The downside was the need to plug in for smartphone projection, which limited the screen's usability. The car featured ample USB ports (though none were USB-C), and the optional Bose stereo system, while adequate, didn’t impress. The Sorento's navigation system required improvement, especially in voice command accuracy and search functionality, though Apple CarPlay and Android Auto provided a viable alternative for navigation needs.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue provided a suite of ADAS under the Nissan Safety Shield 360 umbrella, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert. Additional safety features included ten airbags, a driver monitoring system, and rear-seat reminders. The ProPilot Assist system, standard from the SV trim, improved adaptive cruise control and lane-centering, offering a more accurate and smooth experience. However, it still presented some operational quirks. Higher trims with the SL Premium Package and Platinum trim included upgraded ProPilot Assist with Navi-link technology, enhancing navigation integration.

The 2021 Kia Sorento also came equipped with a comprehensive set of standard safety features, such as automatic emergency braking, driver-attention warning, lane-keeping and lane-following assist, and auto high beams. Our test car included a surround-view camera, which facilitated parking but also pandered to obsessive tendencies. The adaptive cruise control was noted for its smooth operation, and the lane-keeping assist worked efficiently, despite occasional overcorrections. The Sorento earned a solid safety rating with four out of five stars overall from NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from IIHS, with discrepancies based on trim-specific headlights.