2022 Toyota Highlander vs 2022 Nissan Rogue

The 2022 Toyota Highlander featured a modern, somewhat aggressive front-end design. Its flared fender arches and the third-row window's slight kick-up helped make the spacious Highlander appear smaller to the eye. However, once inside, it offered ample cabin space and clever storage solutions for iPads and juice boxes. The XSE trim stood out with its bold red leather interior, navy blue exterior, unique exterior styling, ambient interior lighting, and sport-tuned suspension. The Highlander’s trim lineup included L, LE, XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum, each adding more features and luxury as you moved up.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue, redesigned in 2021, carried forward its mature and sophisticated look. It featured Nissan’s V-motion grille, multi-level LED headlights, and a floating roof design. The interior boasted a layered dash with contrasting colors and surfaces, an electronic gear selector lever, and ample storage options. The Rogue’s Zero Gravity bucket-style front seats were comfortable, and the second row offered good legroom. The Rogue’s fit and finish were exemplary, especially in the top-of-the-line Platinum model.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. This power was routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission to either standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or available all-wheel drive (AWD). The transmission featured a tap-shift function and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters on certain trims. The Highlander also offered drive modes (Sport, Normal, Eco) and AWD modes (Mud/Sand, Rock, Normal). The V6 engine provided better pickup once the Highlander was moving, with plenty of power for highway overtakes and a throaty exhaust note. The Highlander’s handling was commendable, with the XSE trim’s sport-tuned suspension reducing body roll while maintaining a smooth ride. When properly equipped, the Highlander could tow up to 5,000 pounds, with a max payload of 1,685 pounds in the FWD L and LE trims.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue received a performance boost from its new 1.5-liter VC-Turbo engine, producing 201 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. This engine featured Variable Compression technology, adjusting the combustion chamber size for optimal power and efficiency. The Rogue’s new engine improved its performance in all situations, and its fuel economy was impressive, achieving 30 mpg city/37 mpg highway/33 mpg combined. The Rogue’s CVT transmission had wider gear ratios, enhancing its responsiveness. The chassis and suspension handled the new engine’s lively character well, delivering a smooth, controlled ride with minimal body roll. The electric power-assisted steering provided good feel, and the 35.4-foot turning diameter was tight.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander offered up to 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the second- and third-row seats folded. With the second-row seats in use, there was 48.4 cubic feet of cargo space, and with all seats deployed, 16 cubic feet behind the third row. The seats were easy to lower and lift, and every trim above the base L came with a power liftgate. The Highlander’s interior was practical, with deep cargo pockets, extra ledges, and spacious center console compartments. The XSE trim featured second-row captain’s chairs, providing a center aisle to the third row. While the second row was spacious for adults, the third row was only suitable for short trips.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue excelled in interior storage options, with bottle holders, cupholders, a glove compartment, a center console bin, a tray beneath the center console, and cubbies in the dash. Rear-seat passengers had storage options in the doors, seatbacks, and center armrest, along with USB-A and USB-C charge-only ports. The second-row seat was a 60/40 split reclining bench. The Rogue offered 31.6-36.5 cubic feet of cargo space, depending on configuration, and 74.1 cubic feet with the second row folded flat.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with a WiFi hotspot, five USB ports, and an 8-inch touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The infotainment system had a straightforward layout with hard buttons on either side of the screen. The XSE trim featured a wireless charging pad and a combination of USB and USB-C ports. A larger 12.3-inch touchscreen and an 11-speaker JBL premium stereo system were available.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue’s technology upgrade included a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 9-inch center infotainment touchscreen, and a 10.8-inch head-up display on upper trims. The Rogue used Google Maps and Waze with voice commands when equipped with navigation. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with wireless Apple CarPlay available on upper trims. ProPilot Assist, Nissan’s hands-on driver-assist technology, was available and integrated with the navigation system on models with ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, and automatic high beams. All but the base L trim had blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Optional or upper-level trim features included front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a surround-view parking monitor, a head-up display, and adaptive headlights. The lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist systems were very active, sometimes feeling too intrusive.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue featured the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite across all trim levels, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking. The Rogue had ten supplemental airbags and extended crumple zones for passive safety. ProPilot Assist combined steering-assist and adaptive cruise control, with enhanced ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link adding navigation system integration for predictive speed control. The 2022 Rogue received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, and the 2021 model received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.