2023 Toyota RAV4 vs 2024 Nissan Rogue

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 presented a versatile lineup with six trim levels, offering options from the budget-friendly RAV4 LE to the more luxurious RAV4 Limited, which featured ventilated seats. Nestled between these extremes were two off-road-inclined trims—the Adventure and TRD Off-Road—designed for adventurous outings. This model retained the design introduced back in 2019, with the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims setting themselves apart with their distinctive two-part front fascia.

The Adventure trim, which was the focus of our test, shifted the Toyota badge lower on a more aggressively styled grille and blacked out the wheels, adding a faux skid plate and prominent black cladding around the wheel arches. However, this trim was considered more aesthetically rugged than truly built for off-roading. Inside, it featured orange accents, with seats sporting an orange stripe and contrast stitching, along with orange plastic borders on the center console, introducing a lively touch to the interior.

Our test RAV4 came with a frameless rearview mirror which added a premium feel to the otherwise basic interior. For those seeking a truly premium experience, Toyota suggested the Venza, which shared the RAV4’s platform but offered a more car-like experience compared to the RAV4’s truck-like nature.

In terms of upholstery, the LE and XLE trims featured fabric seats, with the XLE Premium upgrading to synthetic leather (SofTex). Adjustability varied across trims, with the highest-end trims offering heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats, and the ability to store two seating positions for the driver. Heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel were available through optional packages, while dual-zone climate control came standard from all trims except the base one.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue received its first significant styling update since launching its current generation in the 2021 model year. Despite the facelift, it retained its familiar lineup of S, SV, SL, and Platinum trims. The Rogue showcased a larger, newly designed grille that neatly flowed into its distinctive stack headlights and daytime running lights. The rear fascia received a subtle update, with redesigned inner taillight elements.

Several external updates adorned different trims. Satin-finish badging and new wheel designs—18-inch for the Rogue SV and 19-inch with a machined finish for the Rogue Platinum—provided fresh aesthetics. The Platinum variant added more black exterior trim and an optional black roof, enhancing its premium appeal.

Inside, Nissan redesigned the dashboard to accommodate a new 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, contributing to a more premium feel. Enhanced materials were used throughout the Rogue SV’s interior, covering door panels, seats, center console, and dashboard with higher-quality trims. Most models also featured dual-zone automatic climate control.

Our Platinum trim test vehicle carried this upscale theme further with leather seats adorned in a new Chestnut brown hue and featuring elegant quilted stitching. The leather felt high-end, distinguishing the Rogue’s interior from some competitors who often use lower-quality materials.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 came standard with front-wheel drive (FWD), except for the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims, which offered all-wheel drive (AWD) by default. All trims could be upgraded to AWD, which added a Snow Mode. The Hybrid and Prime models were exclusively AWD.

Beneath the hood lay a singular engine for the gas-powered RAV4—a 2.5-liter four-cylinder delivering 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. This engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, which, though preferable over the CVTs found in some competitors, did not offer thrilling acceleration. The performance was more categorized as "unobjectionable" than "exciting," and the engine made notable noise, although quieter than some competitors.

The Adventure trim, with blacked-out wheels and Lofty promises, was more of an outdoorsy aesthetic than a serious off-roader, unlike its TRD Off-Road counterpart. Sporting 19-inch wheels with all-season tires and the standard MacPherson front and multi-link rear suspension, it couldn’t match the specialized Falken All-Terrain tires and TRD-tuned suspension found on the TRD Off-Road trim.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue, however, intrigued with its 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine. This VC-Turbo engine varied its compression ratio to balance power and fuel economy. Churning out 201 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque, it surpassed rivals' engines of similar displacement in power and torque. While it slightly lagged behind the RAV4’s 2.5-liter engine in horsepower, its torque was significantly higher.

However, the Rogue’s excitement subsided courtesy of its CVT, which perpetuated the stereotype of lackluster transmission response. Despite the engine’s eagerness, the CVT was slow to deliver power to the wheels. Like most small crossovers, the Rogue was offered in FWD as standard, with AWD as an option.

The Rogue wasn’t designed as a driver’s car and fell short as a daily commuter. The suspension was firmer than competitors, compromising ride quality without enhancing handling. Nevertheless, it was quieter than some rivals, balancing the engine’s droning exhaust note.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 was built to accommodate five passengers, and with the moonroof, it offered 37.7 inches of headroom in the front row and 39.5 inches in the rear. This meant it trailed behind the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester in front headroom but provided more space in the rear. Legroom measured 41 inches in the front and 37.8 inches in the rear, aligning with the CR-V’s front legroom but falling short of the CR-V and Forester in rear legroom. The back seat was also notably narrower than these competitors.

Cargo space was a critical area of comparison. The RAV4’s cargo area provided 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row, extending to 69.8 cubic feet with the seats folded down. This placed it middle in the pack—surpassing the Mazda CX-5 but falling behind the Honda CR-V.

Convenient storage options in the RAV4 included a shelf running the length of the glove compartment and sizable door pockets large enough for water bottles. Front-row center cupholders were side by side with a lever-style gear shifter enhancing its rugged appeal.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue matched its competitors closely in passenger space, offering nearly identical dimensions across both rows. A more notable difference was in legroom, where the Forester had more first-row legroom, and the Tucson offered significantly more second-row legroom.

Cargo management received attention in the Rogue. With rear seats upright, it provided 36.5 cubic feet, stretching to 74.1 cubic feet when folded. Although this was less than the CR-V and Tucson, it surpassed the Forester. Nissan’s Divide-N-Hide system further optimized storage by allowing a flat cargo floor with hidden storage or a lower floor for more cargo height.

The Rogue also featured a storage tray at floor level in the center console, but its awkward reach meant items placed there might be easily forgotten.

Toyota equipped the 2023 RAV4 with a significant technological update for 2023. It introduced a new infotainment system, catching up with modern standards with screen sizes like an 8.0-inch touchscreen standard, and a 10.5-inch version for the Limited and TRD Off-Road trims. The system supported over-the-air (OTA) updates and included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Our Adventure trim RAV4 sported the enhanced multimedia system, a feature adding $3,490 to the price, according to Toyota’s configurator. This brought the 10.5-inch screen and an 11-speaker JBL Premium audio system. A 7-inch driver-information display was standard, with the Limited trim upgrading to 12.3 inches, which could also be added to the TRD Off-Road trim but was unavailable for the Adventure variant.

For the 2024 Rogue, lower S and SV trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SL and Platinum trims upgraded to a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless connectivity, accompanied by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Amazon Alexa, and Google built-in apps.

Nissan’s Google built-in software stood out, a first for the brand and unique within its segment at the time. This feature integrated apps like Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Google Play store directly into the vehicle’s system, offering seamless functionality for Google users. However, connectivity was only free for five years, and third-party apps required a data plan.

The 12.3-inch dual screen setup in the Rogue significantly improved user experience, with modern graphics and intuitive menus, although our test Platinum’s screen experienced occasional slow boot-ups. Nissan also included ample charging ports, with two USB-C ports standard upfront, additional rear USB-C ports in SV and above trims, and a wireless charging pad in SL and Platinum trims.

Nissan extended its free trial for Nissan Connect Services from six months to three years, offering features like remote engine start/stop, door lock/unlock, and emergency calling, available on all trims except the base S.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 came well-equipped with standard safety features, including lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam LED headlights, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection. Higher trims added advanced features like adaptive cruise control. The base LE model offered blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert as an option, while it was standard from the XLE trim upwards.

Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite was standard on all trims, offering Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, functioning even below 20 mph. The RAV4’s safety credentials were confirmed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which awarded it a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ based on strong crash-test performance.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue also earned notable safety scores. It scored top “Good” ratings in small-overlap front crash tests and side-impact tests conducted by the IIHS. It also achieved a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Standard safety features in the Rogue included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and rear automatic emergency braking. Higher trims offered adaptive cruise control.

Nissan’s ProPilot Assist, available on select trims, added advanced driver assistance capabilities, including automated lane centering for highway driving. The more advanced version, available on SL and Platinum trims, utilized the navigation system to proactively slow for curves and interchanges, improving its functionality over most rival systems.