2024 Nissan Rogue vs 2023 Mazda CX-50

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 exhibited a distinctive blend of style and ruggedness. It featured a blunt nose, a long hood, and a rakish windshield, with a cabin pulled back toward the rear wheels. This design gave the car a subtle seductiveness that had become characteristic of Mazda's lineup over the past decade. However, the CX-50 distinguished itself with newfound ruggedness through blistered and boxed fender swells, lower body and wheel arch cladding, and the same fake front and rear skid plates found on other crossovers mimicking SUVs. The oversized air intake and vent designs added a performance-oriented flair without being offensive to the eye.

When combined with the standard black grille and mirror caps, and the available 20-inch wheels, these elements created a compelling exterior aesthetic. Later in the model year, Mazda planned to introduce the CX-50 Meridian Edition, which would include exclusive wheels, all-terrain tires, splash guards, and a roof-mounted load platform designed to accommodate a rooftop tent.

Comparatively, the 2024 Nissan Rogue’s styling update brought notable changes, with a new, larger grille that seamlessly blended with the stack headlights and distinctive daytime running lights. While Nissan claimed the rear fascia was new, the primary difference lay in redesigned inner taillight elements. Satin-finish exterior badging, new 18-inch wheels for the SV grade, and new 19-inch wheels for the Platinum model, with a machined-finish look, rounded out the exterior enhancements. The top Platinum trim also featured more black exterior trim and an optional black roof.

To accommodate the new 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, Nissan made several modifications to the Rogue’s dashboard. This freestanding screen, coupled with the rest of the redesigned dash, provided a more premium feel than some competitors. The Rogue SV models came with new materials on nearly every surface of the interior, including the door panels, seats, center console, and dashboard, enhancing the cabin’s upscale vibe.

Most buyers of the 2023 Mazda CX-50 were likely drawn to the 2.5 S model for its affordability and fuel efficiency. This version boasted a 187-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 186 pound-feet of torque, distributed to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. Mazda projected that this base-engine version of the CX-50 would achieve 27 mpg in combined driving.

For those seeking stronger acceleration and increased towing capacity, the CX-50 2.5 Turbo was the better choice. This model had a turbocharged version of the standard engine, delivering between 227 and 256 horsepower depending on the fuel grade, and torque varying from 310 to 320 pound-feet. The turbocharged engine was paired with the same six-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel-drive system. Mazda estimated that the CX-50 2.5 Turbo would return 25 mpg in combined driving, though real-world tests often showed slightly lower figures.

In our tests, the CX-50 Turbo showcased impressive acceleration across a broad power curve. The turbo engine eliminated noticeable turbo lag, providing smooth power delivery. Different driving modes (Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Towing) worked with the SUV’s G-Vectoring Control technology to ensure natural vehicle behavior in varying conditions. Nevertheless, the driving differences between modes were subtle.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue's powertrain was a marvel of modern engineering. Its 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, part of Nissan’s VC-Turbo lineup, could vary its compression ratio to optimize power or fuel economy depending on the situation. This engine produced an impressive 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque, outperforming many competitors in the segment.

Despite the engine's performance, the Rogue's continuously variable transmission (CVT) often struggled to transfer power efficiently, leading to a less responsive driving experience. Most Rogue models were available with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

While Nissan did not promote the Rogue as a driver’s car, its suspension, particularly in the Platinum trim, felt firmer than expected, compromising ride quality without offering significant handling benefits. The Rogue was quiet during our tests, maintaining a serene cabin environment that was appreciated. However, the drone of the engine at certain speeds detracted from the overall driving experience.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 featured many amenities that would appeal to drivers in colder climates, including power-adjustable heated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, heated side mirrors, and heated windshield wipers. In warmer weather, ventilated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control helped keep the cabin comfortable.

Both the driver’s seat and front passenger seat were designed for long-term comfort, though they could have benefited from more side bolstering. The back seat offered ample room for adults, with rear air vents and charging ports available on nearly all trims. Ease of entry and exit was improved by rear doors that opened to nearly a 90-degree angle and unintrusive wheel wells.

Storage space in the CX-50 was adequate but not exceptional. Mazda missed some opportunities to enhance storage with bins in the door panel armrests or a shelf across the dashboard. The CX-50’s cargo area boasted 31.4 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up and 56.3 cubic feet with them folded down.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue, in contrast, offered a little more legroom in the second row compared to some competitors like the Subaru Forester. When it came to cargo space, the Rogue offered 36.5 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 74.1 cubic feet with them folded down, providing more space than the Mazda CX-50.

Nissan's versatile Divide-N-Hide system in the cargo area allowed for flexibility in managing storage space, either creating a flat cargo floor with hidden storage underneath or a lower floor to increase cargo height. Additionally, the Rogue featured a molded-in space for grocery bags and other storage needs. Similarly, Nissan provided several convenient features, such as a power liftgate and a motion-activated liftgate available on higher trims.

Mazda equipped every CX-50 with the Mazda Connect infotainment system, which included wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and Mazda Connected Services. The base model had an 8.8-inch display, while higher trims offered a 10.25-inch display. Historically, Mazda Connect lacked touchscreen control, instead relying on center console buttons, steering wheel controls, or voice recognition. Though Mazda maintained that touchscreens were distracting, they did start to offer touchscreen control for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the CX-50.

The CX-50 also featured an available 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround-sound system that provided a high-quality audio experience. An Active Driving Display (head-up display) was also available, projecting useful information within the driver’s line of sight, including blind-spot warnings.

For the 2024 Rogue, lower-level S and SV models came with an 8-inch touchscreen and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims like the SL and Platinum received significant upgrades, including a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Amazon Alexa connectivity, and Google built-in apps. The Rogue was the first Nissan model to feature Google built-in software, integrating Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Google Play app store directly into the vehicle’s infotainment system.

Additionally, Nissan extended the free trial period for its Nissan Connect Services from six months to three years, allowing owners to access services like remote door lock/unlock, remote engine start/stop, vehicle health reports, and emergency calling via a smartphone app.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 had not yet been crash-tested by the IIHS as of this review, but expectations were high based on Mazda's previous performance in safety assessments. Mazda equipped the CX-50 with an extensive package of driver assistance systems, with most features standard across the lineup. The top-tier Turbo Premium Plus trim added exclusive features like Traffic Jam Assist, an advanced blind-spot monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system. However, during testing, the adaptive cruise control occasionally failed to recognize vehicles cutting into the gap ahead, necessitating manual intervention.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue boasted strong safety credentials, with top "Good" ratings from the IIHS in several crash tests and an "Acceptable" rating in the updated side-impact test. It also received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and rear automatic emergency braking. Higher trims offered adaptive cruise control and ProPilot Assist, Nissan's advanced driver assistance system.