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2016 Nissan Rogue review

Used car review: a comprehensive look from new to now

Nissan Rogue highlights

Customer rating

Pros

  • Refined interior with good materials
  • Abundant room for cargo
  • Standard driver-assistance features

Cons

  • Lackluster base engine
  • Sluggish acceleration
  • Tight third-row

Mileage (EPA estimate)

25 city, 32 highway, 28 combined

Pricing for current inventory

(no current inventory)

2016
2016 Nissan Rogue SL
Current yearForward emergency braking becomes available
Price
Year

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Is the 2016 Nissan Rogue right for you?

If your priorities are a roomy and flexible cargo area, a satisfactory level of modern technology, and good passenger space, then the used 2016 Nissan Rogue is worth considering. While it’s not as quick or fun as some of its competitors, it's a solid choice for families looking for a comfortable and capable SUV. Best of all, it tends to cost considerably less than similarly equipped contemporary competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

What the 2016 Nissan Rogue does best

  • Cargo: Standard reconfigurable cargo area
  • Technology: Music streaming through USB or Bluetooth®; forward emergency braking available
  • Comfort: Seats and suspension settings designed to maximize driver and passenger comfort

When to consider other vehicles

  • If a sporty driving feel is more important than cargo room, consider the Mazda CX-5.
  • If fuel economy is more important than cargo flexibility, consider the Honda CR-V.
  • If off-road capability is more important than interior space, consider the Subaru Forester.

2016 Nissan Rogue review

Families looking for a used small SUV can do a lot worse than the 2016 Nissan Rogue. One of the best-selling small crossovers on the market, the Rogue has a roomy interior that’s great for child seats and older kids alike. The cargo area is also flexible thanks to standard adjustable cargo shelves that give you storage options than just “seats up” and “seats down.” While it’s definitely an older vehicle, the 2016 Rogue features enough modern technology to keep it from feeling severely dated.

The Rogue isn’t as quick to highway speeds as some of its competitors, and it isn’t exactly exciting to drive either. However, the Rogue offers up a strong value proposition, averaging thousands less than rivals such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

Check out the full review below for more details on why you might want to consider the 2016 Nissan Rogue.

What tech does the 2016 Nissan Rogue have?

Tech highlights

  • Music streaming over USB and Bluetooth

  • Some driver-assist tech available

  • Small touchscreen can be hard to use

Connectivity

The 2016 Nissan Rogue lacks many of the more advanced technology features we see in newer vehicles, such as smartphone integration on the touchscreen. That said, for 2016 the Rogue has a good technology package. Drivers can plug in their smartphone to the USB port and access music and podcasts, and music streaming is also possible over Bluetooth.

Infotainment

The touchscreen on the base S model is only five inches, so we suggest looking for an SV or SL with the larger seven-inch screen. The interface for both screens is easy enough to use, but the graphics and design date from the early 2010s so the aesthetics aren't quite up to modern standards. BluetoothTM supports music streaming, though, and the audio quality is quite good on SL models with the Bose® audio system and acceptable on the rest of the lineup.

Driver-assist tech

For 2016 Nissan introduced forward emergency braking as an available option on top-of-the-line SL trims. It’s among the handful of advanced driver-assist systems available for the Rogue, which also includes blind-spot warning that can be found on some SV and SL trims. Upper Rogue trims feature an advanced 360-degree camera system. It shows the vehicle’s surroundings at slow speeds, making parking a snap even in tight spots. 

How comfortable is the 2016 Nissan Rogue?

Comfort highlights

  • Very comfortable front seats

  • Easily absorbs large and small bumps

  • Limited driver’s seat adjustments

Front seating

Rogue drivers and front passengers are in for a treat thanks to Nissan’s so-called Zero Gravity seat technology. They strike an ideal balance between cushiness and support, making them great for long-distance drives. Top-tier SL trims have heated seats standard, and heated seats are available on some midlevel SV trims. The biggest downside is that some drivers might have a hard time finding a “sweet spot” thanks to the Rogue’s limited seat adjustments.

Rear seating

In the rear, there’s good legroom and headroom even for tall passengers. The rear seats are slightly higher than the fronts for a “stadium” effect. They can slide back to add legroom or forward if you need more cargo space. The seatback angle can also be adjusted, making it easier to find a good position on long drives. All trims get air-conditioning vents for rear passengers, a nice touch at this price point.

Ride quality and interior noise

All of these highlights are backed up by the Rogue’s ability to absorb road imperfections without losing its composure and feeling “floaty” around turns. Wind, road, and engine noise is nicely suppressed at highway speeds. While nobody will mistake the Rogue for a luxury vehicle, its comfort and ride quality are a cut above many other compact SUVs and even compare favorably to newer vehicles.

Does the 2016 Nissan Rogue have good storage?

Storage highlights

  • Immense cargo volume even by modern standards

  • Adjustable floor panels make it easy to configure cargo

  • Interior storage wasn't designed for modern smartphones

Cargo

Cargo room and flexibility are key reasons to consider the Rogue. The Divide-N-Hide® cargo system, standard on all trims, uses removable floor panels that allow owners to arrange the cargo area into different tiers to stack groceries without smashing bags, split wet and dry areas on beach days, or hide valuable items under the floor. The rear seatbacks fold down in a 40/20/40 split to add extra room or to carry long objects and still have passengers sitting on either side. If you need flexible cargo, the Rogue is tough to beat in this segment.

Storage

If you need lots of space to store small items, the Rogue may not be ideal. There’s a pocket under the instrument panel but it’s too small for modern smartphones, although another narrow pocket behind the cupholders works as a vertical solution. The center console bin is on the small side, and even though the door pockets on all four doors include bottle holders, they aren’t tall enough for those larger metallic reusable bottles. The glovebox is big enough to get the job done and rear passengers can use the pockets on the front seatbacks for flatter items. Commuters take note: There’s plenty of room on the windshield for a toll road transponder.

How easy is the 2016 Nissan Rogue to use?

Ease of use highlights

  • Wide door openings for easy entry/exit

  • Ample legroom and headroom

  • Raised rear seats may be hard for little ones

Entry, exit, and car seats

The Rogue is high enough off the ground to give drivers and passengers alike good visibility but low enough that entry and exit doesn’t require climbing. All four doors open wide, making it easy to get in and out, and make maneuvering car seats into place much easier. Speaking of which, there are two LATCH points on the outboard positions in the rear, although the lower anchors are tucked deeply between stiff cushions and a bit hard to reach. The “stadium” arrangement of the rear seats improves visibility but might make it harder for smaller kids to get in by themselves.

Interior layout and visibility

Rogue drivers will appreciate the large speedometer and tachometer, and the color display between them provides selectable information on functions ranging from what’s playing on the stereo to phone calls to the driver assist features. While the touchscreen controls many functions, the Rogue retains physical controls for its primary audio and climate controls, so the learning curve for those coming from an older vehicle is fairly shallow. There are no surprises for windows and other switches as well, although the placement of the steering wheel heater switch, low on the left side of the dash, can feel a little awkward.

Overall visibility is good, but when you glance over your shoulder you may notice the Rogue’s thick rearmost pillars create big blind spots. Keep an eye out for models with the 360-degree surround-view camera system, which greatly compensates and also makes parallel parking a snap.

What’s the 2016 Nissan Rogue like to drive?

Driving highlights

  • Quiet on the road

  • Maintains composure in corners

  • Slow acceleration

Driving

Like other small family SUVs, the Nissan Rogue is available in front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available if you want better traction in foul weather. The Rogue doesn’t have any major faults from a driver's perspective, but most of its competitors are quicker or have a sportier driving feel. The Rogue’s four-cylinder engine has 170 horsepower, about the same as others in its class, but it’s hampered by a slow-to-respond transmission that results in sluggish acceleration. Toggling between the Normal, Sport, and Eco drive modes doesn’t help. The brakes stop the Rogue fine, but the pedal feels softer than it should, and the Rogue’s steering doesn’t feel very sharp. On the plus side, even though the Rogue delivers a comfortable ride over most surfaces, even rough ones, it doesn’t lean too much in corners, imparting a sense of confidence.

Fuel economy

We’d be more forgiving of the Rogue’s sluggish acceleration if it got good fuel economy but, alas, this isn’t the case. The original EPA estimates are competitive with the rest of the class. However, during its testing, Edmunds found that Rogue’s real-world fuel economy fell short of its competitors' figures. If fuel economy is high on your must-haves, there are better fuel-sipping options, although at least the front-wheel-drive Rogue offers slightly better MPG.

EPA fuel economy estimates

Powertrain

Fuel economy estimate

2.5-liter four-cylinder, FWD

26 city / 32 highway

2.5-liter four-cylinder, AWD

25 city / 31 highway

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Ratings & reliability

Customer ratings

The 2016 Nissan Rogue is a compact SUV that is smooth when driving, has Bluetooth connectivity, and a rearview camera. Customers enjoy the spacious interior, the split back and adjustable backseat, and the adjustable cargo space.
4
Excellent

RepairPal gave the Nissan Rogue an overall reliability rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as Excellent. This rating ranks Nissan Rogue 9th out of 29 among Compact SUVs.

View RepairPal's full rating of the Nissan Rogue

Nissan Rogue features and specs

S 2WD 4D Sport Utility

Standard Features

  • ABS Brakes
  • Air Conditioning
  • AM/FM Stereo
  • Automatic Transmission
  • Auxiliary Audio Input
  • CD Audio
  • Cloth Seats
  • Cruise Control
  • Overhead Airbags
  • Power Locks
  • Power Mirrors
  • Power Windows
  • Rear Defroster
  • Rear View Camera
  • Satellite Radio Ready
  • Side Airbags
  • Traction Control
  • Bluetooth Technology
  • Cloth Seats
  • Fold-Away Third Row
  • Full Roof Rack
  • Run Flat Tires
  • Third Row Seat

Drive Wheels

Front Wheel Drive (2WD)

Engine size

2.5L

Horsepower

170

Torque (ft-lbs)

175

Engine type

Gas

Fuel capacity

14.5

Wheelbase

106.5"

Overall length

182.3"

Width

72.4"

Height

66.3"

Leg room

F 43"/R 37.9"

Head room

F 41.6"/R 38.5"

Front tires

P225/65HR17

Rear tires

P225/65HR17

Seating capacity

5

Max towing capacity

100/1000 lbs.

Transmission

Automatic

2016 Nissan Rogue FAQ

All Nissan Rogue years

Not sure what year to select? Learn about each Nissan Rogue generation from 2012 to 2025

What is new for the 2016 Nissan Rogue?

  • The S trim now comes with Satellite Radio Ready as standard equipment.

Research other vehicles


* Price excludes government fees and taxes, any finance charges, $85 CarMax document processing charge (not required by law), any electronic filing charge, and any emission testing charge. Price assumes that final purchase will be made in the State of CA, unless vehicle is non-transferable. Vehicle subject to prior sale. Applicable transfer fees are due in advance of vehicle delivery and are separate from sales transactions.

We hope you found this information helpful. This content is intended to inform and is not meant to indicate that a particular vehicle is currently available or recommended for you.​

Statements of fuel economy or EV range are based on EPA and other third-party estimates for vehicles when new. Fuel economy and EV range will degrade with time and vary based on age, driving conditions, vehicle history, and other conditions. See fueleconomy.gov for more info.

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