Instagram seems to have caught the next-generation small SUV early.
We have seen patent photos, spy pictures and renderings many times before but this is our first real look at the 2021 Nissan Rogue. Instagram user @Kurdistan_Automotive_Blog leaked the grainy images, showing a Rogue that looks bigger, squarer, and more aggressive than its predecessor.
The Rogue’s V-Motion grille is larger than the Ariya concept. It also features the company logo. The small SUV follows the split-headlight trend that was pioneered by first-generation Nissan Juke. It appears that the upper lighting elements are LED daytime running lights, and the headlights are located a little lower on the front fascia.
The 2021 Rogue has a more upright design than ever before. This makes it look more robust and will make the crossover more practical for carrying cargo. The current generation Rogue had seating for seven people, but the third row option was removed from the U.S. model year 2018. We are curious if Nissan will make the small jump seats available again for families who volunteer to carpool. The Rogue’s taillights are reminiscent of the Nissan Kicks and give the Rogue some personality.
According to the alleged leak, the Rogue Platinum trim level should be at the top. The Rogue Platinum, like other Nissan models has brown interior accents. In this instance the dash top is shown with windowsills and the dashboard. It also features quilted leather seats with contrast stitching in brown. It fits well with current Nissan interior designs and should provide decent ergonomics if it is similar to the Sentra and Titan. It should also offer smartphone integration and wireless Apple CarPlay, which will bring more of this technology to the masses. It appears that the two rows of seating are quite large, which is not surprising considering that the Rogue currently has an interior big enough to accommodate four adults.
Nissan has committed to putting the 2021 Rogue in production by the end of this year. We will soon find out if the alleged leak is true. We have seen the new Rogue in action and believe it will continue to be a top-selling model.