Note: After fifteen years of writing car reviews, I have decided to venture into video. I am starting off slowly and rather amateurishly, so please bear with me. These videos can only get better (maybe). These will be one-take videos. I’ll only discuss the vehicle, and you won’t even have to look at me. Additionally, whatever I miss or get wrong in a video, I will supplement in writing. -KK

The Rogue is Nissan’s best-selling model. To keep it fresh, the 2024 model received new front and rear fascias, grille, new inner taillights, and satin-finish badges. The interior received new colors and textures for the door panels, seats, center console, and dash trim. The Platinum model, as seen here, received gloss-black trim pieces, new wheels, and an optional chestnut brown leather upholstery.

All Rogues are powered by a very interesting engine – a variable compression (VR) 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine. This engine makes 201hp at 5,600 RPM and 225 lb-ft of torque between 2,800 and 4,000 RPM. This three-banger has two camshafts that operate 12 valves, with variable timing on both intake and exhaust.

It is that torque at relatively low RPM that makes the Rogue seem peppy. Don’t confuse that with actual speed, as it is not a fast car, but at highway speed the pull is much better than the four-cylinder it replaces. Fuel economy is also increased over the old 2.5-liter four.

I wrote about Nissan’s VR engine before. I concluded that the R&D money would have been better spent on developing a solid hybrid system, and I still stand by that. The engine is fine but in the end buyers of these cars won’t care or understand what a variable compression really is. The lack of a hybrid system may work against them as some state or federal tax incentives would exclude the Rogue.

Tony Sestito, of BangShift and YouTube fame, joined for this video because, well, he happened to be around. That said, he provided some secondary feedback and did a size test of the rear seat. Enjoy.