2022 Toyota Highlander vs 2023 Nissan Rogue

The 2022 Toyota Highlander featured a modern, somewhat aggressive front-end design. Its flared fender arches and the third-row window's upward kick gave it a compact appearance despite its spacious interior. Inside, the Highlander offered ample cabin space and clever storage solutions for items like iPads and juice boxes. The XSE trim, in particular, stood out with its bold red leather interior, unique exterior styling, ambient interior lighting, and sport-tuned suspension.

The Highlander came in several trims: L, LE, XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum. The base L trim included 18-inch alloy wheels, pushbutton start, three-zone climate control, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. Higher trims added features like LED fog lights, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power liftgate, synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a power moonroof. The top-tier Limited and Platinum trims offered high-end features like heated and ventilated front seats, genuine leather upholstery, a hands-free power liftgate, and a panoramic sunroof.

The 2023 Nissan Rogue, on the other hand, had a design that balanced proper proportions with rugged SUV detailing. It was available in S, SV, SL, and Platinum trims, with prices ranging from $27,360 to $37,140, plus a $1,295 destination charge. The Platinum trim, which we tested, came with AWD, two-tone paint, a frameless rearview mirror, and various interior and exterior enhancements, pushing its MSRP to $43,100.

The Platinum trim offered upscale features like soft, diamond-pattern leather seats and a host of soft-touch materials. The Rogue's controls and materials met the quality standards of the compact SUV segment. However, the Rogue's remote keyless entry fob was criticized for its poor design, making it difficult to use in low light. The rear seat was roomy but not as comfortable as the front seats, and the storage spaces were mostly unlined, potentially causing unwanted noise.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander was 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, on certain trims, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The Highlander also offered drive modes like Sport, Normal, and Eco, as well as AWD modes like Mud/Sand and Rock.

The V6 engine provided better pickup once the Highlander was moving, with plenty of power for highway overtakes and a throaty exhaust note. The XSE trim's sport-tuned suspension reduced body roll while maintaining a comfortable ride. The Highlander could tow up to 5,000 pounds and had a max payload of 1,685 pounds in the FWD L and LE trims.

The 2023 Nissan Rogue, meanwhile, featured a new turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with variable compression design, replacing the previous 2.5-liter four-cylinder. This VC-Turbo engine produced 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The Rogue offered Eco, Auto, and Sport driving modes, with AWD versions adding Off-Road and Snow modes.

The VC-Turbo engine provided responsive performance in urban and suburban settings, though it lacked passing power on the highway. The engine's unusual note and vibration through the accelerator pedal might not appeal to all drivers. The Rogue's fuel economy fell short of expectations, averaging 28.9 mpg in combined driving. The Rogue's suspension and steering provided a good balance of ride compliance and body control, though the steering felt lifeless.

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 of cargo space behind the third row. The seats were easy to lower and raise, and higher trims featured a power liftgate.

The Highlander's interior was designed for convenience, with deep cargo pockets, extra ledges, and a spacious center console compartment. The XSE trim's second-row captain's chairs provided a center aisle to the third row, which was spacious enough for adults in the second row but only tolerable for short trips in the third row.

The 2023 Nissan Rogue, designed as a replacement for the traditional family car, offered good visibility and easy entry and exit. The Platinum trim featured a triple-zone automatic climate control system, a dual-panel panoramic sunroof, and premium semi-aniline leather upholstery with diamond-stitched inserts. The front seats were heated and comfortable, though the rear seat lacked leg support and comfort.

The Rogue's rear doors opened to a nearly 90-degree angle, making it easy to load and unload kids. The rear seat area included climate controls, air conditioning vents, USB charging ports, side window shades, and heated outboard seats. The Rogue offered up to 36.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat, expandable to 74.1 cubic feet with the back seats folded down. The Divide-N-Hide feature allowed for six different cargo area configurations.

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 for easy access. Higher trims offered a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen, a digital instrument panel screen, and an 11-speaker JBL premium stereo system.

The 2023 Nissan Rogue used an older version of Nissan's infotainment system, with a standard 8-inch or available 9-inch touchscreen. The test vehicle had the 9-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, satellite radio, wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, NissanConnect services, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a navigation system. It also featured a wireless smartphone charging pad and a Bose premium audio system. The Rogue Platinum included a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a head-up display (HUD).

However, the Rogue's voice recognition technology struggled with basic commands, and the remote keyless entry fob was difficult to use in low light. The HUD and digital instrumentation display worked well, but the infotainment system's limitations were evident.

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. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a surround-view parking monitor, a head-up display, and adaptive headlights.

The 2023 Nissan Rogue featured Safety Shield 360, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. Higher trims offered ProPilot Assist with Navi-link, combining adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assistance. The Rogue earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.