Picking between affordable SUVs at the compact end of the segment can be a tough choice, especially if you’re looking for an SUV that isn’t the Honda CR-V! The Honda tops the ranks (and an all-new 2023 Honda CR-V is on the way) but if it doesn’t do it for you, don’t worry, you still have choices. Those come in the form of the updated 2023 Nissan Rogue and 2022 Toyota RAV4. Unconventional choices they may be, but made better with model revisions that may make them worth your time.
The 2023 Nissan Rogue builds on the last full redesign that came in 2021, making it one of the newer options in the segment. To that effect, the Rogue gets a new Midnight Edition for the SV trim, with the inclusion of handy Amazon Alexa services to sweeten the deal. The 2023 Toyota RAV4 adds to the basics of the fifth-gen RAV4 first introduced in 2018, with a larger 10.5-inch infotainment screen and updated safety systems in Toyota Safety Sense 2.5. For 2023, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid sees a new off-road oriented model enter the lineup: the Woodland Edition, which brings in some tasty TRD bits and off-road drive modes.
But which family SUV (that isn’t the Honda CR-V) is the one to pick?
Nissan Rogue Vs Toyota RAV4: Styling And Dimensions
Considering the 2023 Toyota RAV4 has been around in its current form since 2018 with a facelift in 2021, it may feel a little familiar. It has been the top compact hybrid SUV after all! That said its design could be seen as one that has aged well, with the squared-off wheelarches providing for some differentiation in a sea of compact SUVs. Not to mention the more off-road oriented trims in the Adventure, TRD Off-Road and new for 2023, the Hybrid Woodland Edition.
In the Woodland Edition, bronze wheels, Falken Wildpeak AT tires, roof rack cross bars, black mudguards and badging, and dual black exhaust tips come together to make for a more serious looking package.
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The 2023 Nissan Rogue takes a different route, offering a more modern split LED headlamp look, which mixes well with more conventional styling overall. The new Midnight Edition package adds gloss black exterior accents, and 18-inch blacked-out wheels. The Nissan Rogue is also the marginally larger car, and rides on a longer wheelbase which does result in roomier interiors, despite the Toyota RAV4 being an inch wider on the outside. Despite that, the Rogue is the lighter SUV.
Nissan Rogue Vs Toyota RAV4: Cabin, Features And Safety
The more modern theme of the Nissan Rogue carries over into the interiors, where the split-dashboard and flat-bottomed steering wheel make a better first impression. Not to forget the extra storage level beneath the central console. There aren’t too many changes in here, but the Midnight Edition adds a powered tailgate, heated steering wheel and front seats, panoramic moonroof, and leatherette upholstery to a pretty packed feature list. Standard infotainment screen size is 8-inches, with an optional 9-inch unit and 10.8-inch colour heads-up display.
Like we said, the Nissan Rogue is marginally larger inside offering more room for passengers than the Toyota RAV4. The Nissan Rogue comes with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot intervention, rear cross traffic alert and more. Nissan’s ProPilot Assist also adds adaptive cruise control, while 10 airbags come standard.
In the 2023 Toyota RAV4, the big talking point is the upgraded 10.5-inch touchscreen infotainment, and a new 12.3-inch customisable multi-information display, both of which are standard for higher trims. Also updated is Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite which now includes intersection support for the pre-collision avoidance feature. The emergency steering assist function now also recognises pedestrians, and certain variants also add in bicycle and parked vehicle recognition making the RAV4 safer than before. The RAV4 comes with 8 airbags standard.
Nissan Rogue vs Toyota RAV4: Engines And Drivetrains
In the powertrain department, the Nissan Rogue falls short of the Toyota RAV4, as far as choice is concerned. The Rogue is only available with a 1.5-litre, turbocharged 3-cylinder gasoline engine making 201 HP and 225 lb-ft torque, mated to a CVT. Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants are available though.
The Toyota RAV4 is similarly available as front-wheel drive only, or with all-wheel drive, but gives buyers three powertrains to choose from. There’s a 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder engine with 203 HP, and two hybrid options that pair twin electric motors to the same engine running a more efficient combustion cycle. The RAV4 Hybrid puts out a combined 219 HP, while the plug-in RAV4 Prime pushes that figure to 308 HP with 42 miles of EV-only driving range.
Nissan Rogue vs Toyota RAV4: Pricing
Pricing on the 2023 Nissan Rogue FWD models start at $27,360 with the new Midnight Edition coming in at a starting MSRP of $33,245. Prices go up to $37,140 for the range-topping Platinum grade. AWD models come in $1,500 more for the extra capabilities.
Pricing on the 2023 Toyota RAV4 is expected to be slightly higher than 2022 prices, which start at $26,975 for the standard RAV4, going up to $40,300 for the RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid. All things considered, if you want a hybrid, the Toyota RAV4 would seem like the best choice, but if space is a priority the Nissan Rogue may be the right pick.