2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2021 Toyota Venza

The 2021 Toyota Venza was crafted with a distinct design philosophy compared to its sibling, the RAV4. It was five to six inches shorter in length and about one inch closer to the ground, but shared the same wheelbase with the RAV4, lending it a unique, streamlined silhouette. Upon its reveal, many observers noted that the Venza appeared more akin to a Lexus than a Toyota, thanks to its refined design elements. The resemblance was especially marked by its grille and elongated profile that blurred the lines between Toyota and Lexus. With its refined aesthetics similar to the Lexus LF-1 Limitless concept shown at the 2018 North American International Auto Show, the Venza stood out in Toyota’s lineup.

The Venza was available in three trim levels: LE, XLE, and Limited, and offered in seven paint colors, although some were exclusive to certain trims. Standard equipment on the Venza included a dual chrome-tipped exhaust, LED headlights and taillights, automatic high beams, puddle lights, and 18-inch alloy wheels. It also featured a comprehensive list of interior amenities, such as a wireless charging pad, 4.2-inch driver’s information display, leather-trimmed steering wheel, and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen. The Limited trim, being the most luxurious, boasted a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, a digital rearview mirror with Homelink, and an optional Star Gaze panoramic roof.

When examining the 2021 Nissan Rogue, it offered a more rugged and SUV-like appearance, completely revamped with a modern aesthetic. It featured dark gray plastic cladding along the lower perimeter, bold simulated skid plates, and clean LED lighting elements. The prominent V-Motion grille and aluminum wheels, sized up to 19 inches, provided a robust yet elegant look. Buyers could opt for a two-tone paint job with a black roof, giving the Rogue a custom appearance. Available in four versions—S, SV, SL, and the new top-tier Platinum—the Rogue varied in price and luxury options, from cloth upholstery in the S model to semi-aniline quilted leather in the Platinum.

Our test vehicle was the Rogue SL, equipped with the Premium Package, boasting a light and bright Almond interior complemented by a standard panoramic glass sunroof, simulated wood trim, and appealing fabric-wrapped windshield pillars. The overall design was ergonomic and user-friendly, with controls arranged in a clean, logical manner. The Platinum trim stood out with its premium materials, such as quilted leather, contrast stitching, and ambient lighting.

The 2021 Toyota Venza was equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a lithium-ion battery pack. These powered electric motors assisted the gasoline engine through an electronically-controlled continuously-variable transmission (eCVT). This hybrid system produced a combined 219 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque, slightly below some competitors but adequate for most driving needs. The Venza’s acceleration was smooth, albeit noisy, particularly during high throttle use due to the CVT and engine noise.

Handling was confident and predictable, embodying the typical Toyota driving experience—reliable but not overly exciting. Its standout feature was its impressive fuel economy, achieving an EPA-estimated 40 mpg on the highway, 37 mpg in the city, and 39 mpg combined, far surpassing competitors like the Murano, Passport, and Blazer. Toyota further backed the Venza with a 10-year/150,000-mile hybrid battery warranty and an eight-year/100,000-mile hybrid system warranty.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, considered just adequate for daily driving, but lacking the robust output desired for spirited performance. It weighed nearly 3,500 pounds, and while the CVT did a commendable job of mimicking traditional automatic behavior with programmed ratios and paddle shifters, it did not elevate the Rogue’s power dynamics significantly.

The Rogue’s ride and handling benefitted from a new, more robust architecture using 35% high-strength steel. It employed a strut front and multi-link rear suspension, aided by intelligent systems such as Brake-induced Intelligent Trace Control, Active Ride Control, and Vehicle Motion Control, all contributing to a smooth and controlled ride. New steering dynamics offered improved feedback and responsiveness, further enhancing the driving experience.

The Rogue’s fuel economy was competitive but not outstanding, with the tested FWD Rogue SL achieving 27.5 mpg during varied driving conditions, slightly below its EPA rating. The SUV was capable off-road, with AWD, 8.2 inches of ground clearance, and driving modes for Snow and Off-Road conditions.

Inside the 2021 Toyota Venza, practicality and functionality took center stage. The cabin sported a unique design not commonly found among Toyota models, incorporating premium materials and a sophisticated aesthetic. The center stack was adorned with piano black capacitive buttons for the climate and infotainment controls, flanked by shapely vertical elements with silver accents. The deep center console housed practical elements such as resizable cup holders, an electronic parking brake, and various connectivity options.

Passenger space in the Venza was generous, with comfortable seating for five adults. Those in the back seat enjoyed ample room during extended drives. Despite its elegant appointments, the Venza sacrificed some cargo space for its refined design, offering a maximum of 55.1 cubic feet of cargo capacity—significantly less than some competitors but sufficient for daily use, aided by quick-flip releases on the 60/40 split-folding rear seats.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue excelled in ergonomics and space utilization. Its Zero Gravity seat designs improved comfort significantly from the previous generation, with power adjustments and leather or premium leather upholstery on higher trims. Heating features were available across front and rear seats, enhancing comfort.

The Rogue’s interior was quieter and more refined, thanks to enhanced insulation and acoustic treatments. Storage solutions were clever and numerous, with spacious door pockets, an under-console storage tray, and a split-opening center armrest. The Rogue offered slightly more cargo space than the Venza, with 31.6 cubic feet in S and SV trims, and up to 36.5 cubic feet in SL and Platinum trims with the Divide-N-Hide cargo system. With the rear seats folded, the Rogue provided a roomy 74.1 cubic feet of cargo space, among the largest in its class.

The Toyota Venza’s infotainment system, while functional, paled in comparison to some rivals. The base LE and XLE trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen, while the Limited trim boasted a larger 12.3-inch screen, all using the Entune system. Despite improvements, Entune's user experience was still not the best. The system included standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a six-speaker audio system. The Limited trim added a nine-speaker JBL premium audio. A WiFi hotspot, with a trial period, was standard across all trims, alongside connected services like Safety Connect and Remote Connect.

The Nissan Rogue matched and in some aspects surpassed the Venza with its infotainment offerings. The base S trim included an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM. The SV and SL trims added NissanConnect services, a WiFi hotspot, and voice assistants. The top trim levels, SL with Premium Package and Platinum, enhanced the system with a 9-inch touchscreen, door-to-door navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, and a Bose premium audio system. Additionally, the Platinum trim offered advanced features such as wireless charging, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.8-inch head-up display.

The 2021 Toyota Venza came well-equipped with safety features as part of the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite. It included eight airbags, a rearview camera, hill start assist, and parking distance sensors. The suite added advanced driver assist technologies like pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, adaptive cruise control, and road sign assist. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was standard, with an upgrade to a system with automatic braking available on higher trims.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue also placed a strong emphasis on safety. Standard across all trims was the Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. Unlike some competitors, blind-spot monitoring was available even on the base trim. Additional safety features included ten airbags, a driver monitoring system, and a rear-seat reminder. Higher trims introduced more advanced systems like ProPilot Assist with lane-centering, enhanced with Navi-link technology in the top trims for improved accuracy and integration with navigation data.