2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2022 Ford Expedition

The 2021 Nissan Rogue presented a fresh, modern aesthetic with its handsome new styling and technical appearance, making it look more like an SUV than a car. Its exterior featured dark gray plastic cladding, bold simulated skid plates, and lower door protection, which added a rugged touch, though perhaps a bit too audaciously on the back bumper. The clean LED lighting elements, prominent V-Motion grille, and well-proportioned design contributed to its contemporary look. All trim levels came with aluminum wheels, up to 19 inches in diameter, and the optional two-tone paint with a black roof treatment gave the Rogue a custom appearance. Inside, the Rogue's interior was light and bright, thanks to the Almond color leather and standard 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 controls were arranged in a clean and logical fashion, and the Platinum trim offered a luxurious feel with quilted semi-aniline leather, contrast stitching, and ambient lighting.

The 2022 Ford Expedition underwent several changes, including exterior styling revisions and updated infotainment tech. The front featured a new grille, headlights, and bumper, while the rear received revised taillights, tailgate trim, and a new bumper. Redesigned wheels were introduced across the model lineup. The Expedition came in various trims, including the new Timberline trim for off-road enthusiasts, which added standard 4WD, all-terrain tires, suspension modifications, more ground clearance, and off-roading tech. The Stealth Edition packages, available with Limited trim, added black 22-inch wheels and a mixture of blacked-out and body-color exterior trim. Inside, the Expedition's redesigned dashboard housed the new Sync 4 and Sync 4A infotainment systems, with the latter featuring a large 15.5-inch touchscreen display. The test vehicle, a Stone Blue Metallic Limited Stealth Edition, had leather seats, soft padding, and impressive tech, though it retained some F-150 pickup-grade plastic trim and switchgear.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue was powered by a direct-injected 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 181 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 181 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. Weighing nearly 3,500 pounds, the Rogue's power output was adequate for daily driving, and its continuously variable transmission (CVT) did a decent job of leveraging the available torque. The CVT was well-tuned, with programmed ratios that made it feel more like a traditional automatic, and paddle shifters were provided on the steering wheel. The Rogue offered available all-wheel drive (AWD), up to 8.2 inches of ground clearance, and new Snow and Off-Road driving modes, making it more capable off the beaten path. The tested Rogue SL with front-wheel drive (FWD) achieved 27.5 mpg on a driving loop, slightly below the official EPA rating. The Rogue's ride and handling were enhanced by a new, more robust architecture, with 35% high-strength steel, a strut front, and multi-link rear suspension. Brake-induced Intelligent Trace Control and Active Ride Control systems added to the ride and handling satisfaction. The new steering system, with electric assist moved to the steering rack and a quickened ratio, resulted in dramatically improved steering feel.

The 2022 Ford Expedition was equipped with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, producing 380 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 470 pound-feet of torque at 2,250 rpm. The engine drove the rear wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission, with 4WD as an option. Fuel economy ranged from 17 mpg to 19 mpg in combined driving, and the Expedition's powertrain could tow between 9,000 and 9,300 pounds, depending on the model and equipment. The twin-turbo V6's power was addictive, and Ford tuned the engine and exhaust to deliver a pleasing sound. The test vehicle achieved an observed fuel economy of 16.2 mpg, slightly below the official EPA rating. The Expedition's driving dynamics could have benefited from the adaptive damping suspension available on higher trims, as the sport-tuned suspension of the Stealth Edition Package resulted in some impact harshness and bounciness. The 22-inch wheels and 285/45 tires improved handling and grip but contributed to a harsh ride quality. Despite its size, the Expedition was surprisingly easy to park, thanks to excellent outward visibility, front and rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree surround-view camera system. On the highway, the Expedition excelled, offering a quiet and comfortable ride, making it ideal for long road trips.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured improved Zero Gravity seats, providing comfort with cloth upholstery and manual driver's height adjuster in S trim, eight-way power adjustment in SV trim, standard leather in SL trim, and premium leather in Platinum trim. The Rogue offered Quick Comfort heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats, though ventilated seats were not available. The SV trim added dual-zone automatic climate control, while the SL and Platinum trims featured a triple-zone system. Rear-seat headroom and legroom were generous, and the rear doors opened to a nearly 90-degree angle for easy passenger loading. The Rogue could accommodate up to three child safety seats, and a rear-seat reminder system was standard. Interior noise was reduced through aerodynamic improvements and acoustic front glass. Storage was well-sized, with a new electronic shifter freeing up space under the center console. The Rogue offered a power rear liftgate, with SL and Platinum trims featuring a hands-free design. Cargo capacity was 31.6 cubic feet in S and SV trims, and up to 36.5 cubic feet with the Divide-N-Hide cargo management system in SL and Platinum trims. The maximum cargo volume was 74.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded.

The 2022 Ford Expedition offered exceptional comfort, with power-adjustable, leather-wrapped, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The wide console housed a large storage bin, hidden cupholders, and a wireless smartphone charging pad. Massaging seats were available on higher trims. The second-row captain's chairs provided ample legroom and comfort, with their own climate controls and overhead air vents. The third-row seat was easy to access and offered outstanding leg support, though headroom could be tight for taller passengers. Cargo room behind the third row measured 19.3 cubic feet, with a small lip to prevent items from rolling out. The Expedition Max offered a larger 34.3 cubic-foot cargo hold. Folding the third-row down provided 57.5 cubic feet of space, and with both rear rows folded, the Expedition carried 104.6 cubic feet of cargo (121.5 in the Max).

The 2021 Nissan Rogue offered a competitive infotainment package, with an 8-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto in S trim. The system included knobs for power/volume and station tuning, though they were small and hard to grasp. Moving up to SV or SL trim 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 2022 Ford Expedition featured Ford's next-generation Sync 4 and Sync 4A infotainment systems. The standard Sync 4 system included a 12-inch touchscreen display, while Sync 4A offered a larger 15.5-inch touchscreen. Both systems included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, FordPass Connect with a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a connected navigation system. Sync 4A added features like SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, wireless smartphone charging, and Bang & Olufsen premium sound systems. The test vehicle's 12-speaker B&O audio system lacked high-volume fidelity with certain songs. Sync 4A had some quirks, such as difficulty restarting Apple CarPlay and issues with the voice-recognition system. The Expedition also offered an upgraded dual-touchscreen rear-seat entertainment system with Amazon Fire TV and Pro Trailer Backup Assist 2.0 with Trailer Reverse Guidance.

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. The Platinum trim added an airbag between the driver and front passenger. ProPilot Assist, standard on SV trim, included adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assistance. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim offered an upgraded ProPilot Assist with Navi-link technology.

The 2022 Ford Expedition's driving-assistance systems were grouped into three Ford Co-Pilot360 collections. The standard package included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and more. Co-Pilot360 Assist+ added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, lane-centering assist, and new features like intersection assist and evasive steering assist. Co-Pilot Assist 2.0, standard on King Ranch and Platinum trims, included a surround-view camera system and rear automatic emergency braking. The Expedition also offered Ford's BlueCruise hands-free driving technology. The adaptive cruise control was smooth and refined, but the lane-centering assist had issues with sensing hands on the steering wheel and steering the vehicle to the right side of the lane.