2024 Nissan Rogue vs 2023 Subaru Outback

The 2023 Subaru Outback underwent a significant facelift, featuring a new front end with redesigned LED headlights, a restyled grille, and a revised bumper with dark gray vertical cladding. This design gave the Outback a more aggressive appearance, especially with the addition of a jutting simulated skid plate, fog lights in oversized housings, and asymmetrical wheel arch trim reminiscent of the Wilderness model. The Onyx Edition, with its black wheels and trim, complemented the bold cladding, making it a more appealing choice for those who preferred a darker paint color to tone down the design's excesses. The Outback's interior, particularly in the Touring trim, was praised for its upscale feel, with Java Brown leather contrasting beautifully against the black interior, and light gray stitching adding a touch of elegance.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue received its first major styling update since the 2021 model year, maintaining its lineup of S, SV, SL, and Platinum trims. The Rogue's new, larger grille seamlessly blended with its distinctive stack headlights and daytime running lights, while the rear fascia saw minor changes with redesigned inner taillight elements. The Rogue Platinum trim featured more black exterior trim and an optional black roof, enhancing its premium look. Inside, the Rogue's dashboard was updated to accommodate a new 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, giving it a more upscale feel. The Rogue Platinum test car's interior, with its leather seats and quilted stitching, was well-appointed, offering a comfortable and premium experience.

The 2023 Subaru Outback featured horizontally opposed engines, known for their flat design, which helped lower the vehicle's center of gravity for better handling. The standard engine produced 182 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 176 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm, but the 3,781-pound test vehicle felt underpowered, especially during passing and climbing. The Outback's towing capacity was rated at 3,500 pounds, but the engine's fuel efficiency was disappointing, achieving only 25.6 mpg compared to the EPA's 28 mpg estimate. The turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine in the XT models offered 260 hp at 5,600 rpm and 277 lb-ft of torque, providing a more satisfying driving experience. The Outback's CVT was programmed to mimic an eight-speed automatic transmission, and all models came with an Active Torque Split AWD system. The Outback excelled in off-road conditions, thanks to its X-Mode traction system and generous ground clearance.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue's powertrain was a standout feature, with a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 201 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. This engine outperformed many competitors, including the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester. However, the Rogue's CVT was slow to transfer power to the wheels, and the suspension in the Rogue Platinum test car felt firmer than expected, affecting ride quality. While the Rogue was quiet, its handling was not as engaging as some rivals. Despite the impressive engine performance, the Rogue's droning exhaust note detracted from the overall experience.

The 2023 Subaru Outback prioritized utility with features like a robust roof rack, flat door sill trim, and a dashboard storage shelf. The Touring trim offered a comfortable interior with a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated and ventilated front seats, and premium Nappa leather upholstery. The Outback's rear seats were also heated, providing warmth and comfort in colder climates. The vehicle's cargo space measured 32.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 75.6 cubic feet with the seats folded down. The Outback's design made it easy to enter and exit, and the flat door sills served as steps for accessing the roof rack. However, the Outback could benefit from additional practical storage space.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue offered competitive passenger space, with slight differences in legroom compared to rivals like the Honda CR-V and Hyundai Tucson. The Rogue's cargo space measured 36.5 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 74.1 cubic feet with the seats folded, offering less space than some competitors but more than the Subaru Forester. The optional Divide-N-Hide system allowed for flexible cargo configurations, and the Rogue featured a molded-in space for grocery bags. The center console provided additional storage options, though accessing the lower storage tray was somewhat awkward.

The 2023 Subaru Outback, except for the Base trim, featured a Starlink 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with physical controls for volume, tuning, and climate control. The system offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, along with subscription-based Starlink connected services. The infotainment system's usability had improved, but the graphics and voice recognition system were lacking. Additional technologies included a camera-based digital rearview mirror and a 180-degree front-view camera, though a surround-view camera was not available.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue's lower-level S and SV models came with an 8-inch touchscreen, while the SL and Platinum trims featured a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Rogue was the first Nissan to offer Google built-in software, integrating Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Google Play app store. The dual 12.3-inch screen setup was a significant improvement, though the touchscreen was occasionally slow to boot up. The Rogue included multiple USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad on higher trims. Nissan extended the free trial period for its Nissan Connect Services to three years, offering features like remote door lock/unlock and vehicle health reports.

The 2023 Subaru Outback was recognized for its safety, earning top marks from the IIHS, including in the new side-impact crash test. The Base model included EyeSight technology with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and lane-keeping assist. Higher trims offered additional features like blind-spot monitoring and a Wide-Angle Mono Camera for better pedestrian detection. The Outback's adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist systems were less impressive, with a distinctly artificial steering feel. The rear automatic braking system was incompatible with some driveways, leading to jarring stops.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue received good safety scores from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. Standard driver assist features included automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert. ProPilot Assist, available on higher trims, added automated lane centering for highway driving. The more advanced version of ProPilot Assist used the navigation system to help slow for curves and interchanges, offering more capability than many rivals' systems.