2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2022 GMC Yukon

The 2021 Nissan Rogue sported a handsome new styling with a more technical appearance, making it look more like an SUV than a car. Dark gray plastic cladding covered the Rogue's lower perimeter, and bold, simulated skid plates and lower door protection conveyed a ruggedness that was perhaps too audacious on the SUV's back bumper. Clean LED lighting elements, a prominent V-Motion grille, and proper proportioning lent the new Rogue a modern aesthetic, with all trim levels featuring aluminum wheels up to 19 inches in diameter. Optional two-tone paint with a black roof treatment gave the SUV a custom look.

Four versions of the new Rogue were available, starting with the Rogue S at $25,650 and moving up to the Rogue Platinum at $35,430, which included semi-aniline quilted leather and other upscale amenities. Our test vehicle, a Rogue SL, came with the Premium Package, extra-cost paint, floor mats, and a cargo area protection package, totaling $35,195. The interior featured an Almond color leather and a standard panoramic glass sunroof, emphasizing its improved roominess. Abundant soft-touch surfaces, appealing simulated wood trim, and fabric-wrapped windshield pillars lent a sense of quality to the cabin. The Platinum trim offered a luxurious look with quilted semi-aniline leather, contrast stitching, and ambient lighting.

The 2022 GMC Yukon, on the other hand, was a chrome lover's dream. Even the base SLE model had enough shiny elements to give it a premium look, and by the time you reached the Denali trim, the chrome was overwhelming. The front of the Denali was almost entirely chrome, dominated by a vast, multi-dimensional grille resembling an industrial-sized cheese grater. This gave the vehicle a unique look and a commanding presence. The Denali's 22-inch bright machined aluminum wheels, part of the optional Ultimate package, popped against the dark Redwood Metallic paint.

Inside, the Yukon featured a tastefully crafted, spacious cabin with standard seating for eight, or seven with second-row captain's chairs. Cloth seats were standard on the SLE, while all other trims came with perforated leather. The AT4 and Denali trims included heated and cooled front seats. The Denali also offered four exclusive interior designs, with our test vehicle featuring the Teak/Light Shale color combo, adding layers and textures for a premium look. The AT4 trim had a Jet Black interior with AT4-exclusive Brandy accents and dark brushed aluminum details, giving it a custom look.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue needed more power, as its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine produced 181 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 181 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. This output was adequate for daily driving, and the continuously variable transmission (CVT) did a decent job of leveraging the available torque. The CVT was well-tuned, making it sound and feel more like a traditional automatic, with paddle shifters on the steering wheel for those inclined to use them.

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 adept at off-road adventures. During a media program, Nissan hinted at the possibility of a more powerful turbocharged engine in the future. 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 commendable, thanks to a new, more robust architecture composed of 35% high-strength steel, a strut front, multi-link rear suspension, and various control systems. The new steering system, with electric assist moved to the steering rack and a quickened ratio, resulted in dramatically improved steering feel.

The 2022 GMC Yukon offered a choice of three engines, including an economical diesel option. Standard on all trims except the Denali was a 5.3-liter V8 engine making 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. The Denali and AT4 trims featured a 6.2-liter V8 producing 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. A new 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine, available on all trims except the AT4, produced 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, offering excellent fuel economy and a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

All three engines worked with a 10-speed automatic transmission, with most versions getting standard rear-wheel drive (RWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) as an extra-cost option. The AT4 trim was only available with 4WD. The Yukon's maximum towing capacity was 8,400 pounds with the 5.3-liter engine and the Max Trailering Package. The test vehicle, a Yukon Denali with the 6.2-liter V8, had an 8,200-pound tow rating and provided more than adequate power. The independent rear suspension, introduced in the previous redesign, improved passenger and cargo space, handling, and ride quality. The optional air ride adaptive suspension further enhanced the ride, especially on Interstate highways.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured Zero Gravity seat designs, which aimed to replicate the neutral spine position of astronauts in space. The new Rogue's seats were more comfortable than the previous generation, with cloth upholstery and manual driver's height adjuster on the S trim, eight-way power adjustment and optional leatherette on the SV trim, standard leather on the SL, and premium leather on the Platinum. Heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats were available on higher trims, though ventilated seats were not offered.

The Rogue's interior was designed for comfort and convenience, with standard air conditioning, dual-zone automatic climate control on the SV, and a triple-zone system on the SL and Platinum. Rear-seat headroom and legroom were more generous than before, and the rear doors opened to a nearly 90-degree angle for easy loading. The Rogue could accommodate up to three child safety seats, and a rear-seat reminder system was standard. Nissan also reduced interior noise with aerodynamic improvements, acoustic front glass, and a thicker dashboard insulator. The Rogue offered 31.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity in the S and SV trims, and up to 36.5 cubic feet with the SL and Platinum's Divide-N-Hide cargo management system. Folding the rear seat down provided a maximum volume of 74.1 cubic feet.

The 2022 GMC Yukon provided ample first- and second-row passenger space, with significant improvements to third-row legroom, increasing from 24.8 inches to 34.9 inches. Cargo space behind the third row also increased to 25.5 cubic feet. The extra space came from a nearly five-inch wheelbase stretch, six inches of additional length, and the move to an independent rear suspension. The second-row seats folded flat, and power fold-and-tumble bucket seats were available for easier access to the third row. The test vehicle featured power-folding second-row buckets and power fold-flat third-row seats.

The Denali test vehicle also had a power-sliding center console with additional storage space and a hidden storage drawer. Power-retractable, illuminated assist steps made it easier to get in and out of the vehicle, though they could be challenging to avoid in wet conditions. The pushbutton transmission controls, located to the left of the infotainment touchscreen, took some getting used to but eventually became second nature.

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 on the S trim. The SV and SL trims added NissanConnect Services, a WiFi hotspot, and Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integration. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim featured a 9-inch touchscreen display, door-to-door navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, an upgraded voice recognition system, 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 GMC Yukon came standard with a 12-inch reconfigurable driver information center, providing access to phone, audio, and navigation functions controlled via the steering wheel. The Denali test vehicle featured a 15-inch multi-color head-up display, the largest in its class, providing driving speed, speed limit, audio information, and safety aids. The Yukon's standard infotainment system included a 10.2-inch touchscreen with Google Built-In, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, wireless phone charging, and an available WiFi hotspot. The Denali Ultimate Package added a Bose 14-speaker audio system and a rear-seat media system with dual 12.6-inch LCD HD touchscreens.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue came equipped with Nissan Safety Shield 360, a comprehensive collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). 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 SV trim added adaptive cruise control with ProPilot Assist, which included lane-centering assistance. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim offered an upgraded ProPilot Assist with Navi-link technology, using navigation map data and GPS coordinates to adjust speed for curves and freeway junctions.

The 2022 GMC Yukon came with GMC's Pro Safety suite of driver aids, including automatic emergency braking with front pedestrian detection, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, following distance indicator, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Pro Safety Plus package, available on SLE and standard on SLT and above, added lane-change alert with blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear park assist. The test vehicle also featured a Safety Alert Seat and an adjustable rear camera mirror. The 2022 Yukon received an overall rating of four out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).