2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

The 2021 Nissan Rogue underwent a complete redesign, resulting in a more muscular and imposing presence for this compact SUV. Its squared-off nose featured a deeper interpretation of Nissan’s V-Motion grille design, flanked by narrow, angled LED headlamps and separate LED daytime running lights. Functional forward air vents and active grille shutters contributed to a lower coefficient of drag, despite the Rogue's boxier proportions. The exterior colour palette was streamlined to include black, white, grey, red, and blue, with a pearl grey option available on the SV with all-wheel drive. The Platinum grade offered four two-tone colour configurations, combining a lower paint colour with a blacked-out roof. Inside, seating surfaces were primarily cloth, with leatherette upholstery available in the SV AWD model's Premium Package. The Platinum model featured semi-aniline quilted Nappa leather, elevating the interior to a more luxurious level.

Volkswagen's 2022 Atlas Cross Sport was crafted by removing the third row from the standard seven-passenger Atlas model, lowering the roofline by nearly 6 centimetres for a coupe-like appearance, and shortening the SUV’s length by 13.2 cm. Despite these changes, the wheelbase remained the same, ensuring a roomy interior for five people. The Execline trim, with its 21-inch machined-finish wheels, emphasized the Atlas Cross Sport’s bold, sporty, and upscale appearance. However, other wheel choices were less appealing, with the base Comfortline trim's 18-inch alloy wheels appearing too small. The Atlas Cross Sport offered six paint colours, with some requiring an additional cost. The test vehicle's Pure Grey exterior paired well with the Dark Burgundy over Titan Black interior, conveying an upscale appearance. However, the interior's hard, glossy plastic detracted from the impression of quality, and the numerous storage areas lacked Volkswagen’s typical lining, leading to potential rattles and noises during drives.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured a new 2.5-litre four-cylinder direct-injected engine, delivering 181 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. This represented a six and three per cent improvement over the previous version. The engine specs matched well with the Rogue’s curb weight, ranging from 1,536 kilograms for the front-wheel-drive S grade to 1,653 kilograms for the all-wheel-drive Platinum model. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) was less droning than expected, and no alternate powertrain was offered. Fuel efficiency was reasonable, with Natural Resources Canada rating the front-wheel-drive Rogue at 8.9 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 7.0 on the highway, and 8.1 combined. All-wheel drive increased these figures slightly. The Rogue's handling improved significantly, with a 27% increase in torsional rigidity, a 40-kilogram weight reduction, and revamped suspension and stability control systems.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport offered two engine options. The standard turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine produced 235 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, requiring premium fuel. The available 3.6-litre V6 engine delivered 276 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque, with a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms. Both engines used an eight-speed automatic transmission, and VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system was standard in Canada. The V6 engine felt more energetic in the two-row Cross Sport compared to the three-row Atlas. However, the V6 was aging, and the drivetrain occasionally lacked refinement. The Cross Sport's suspension was too firm at lower speeds and too soft at higher speeds, affecting ride quality. Highway driving was where the Atlas Cross Sport excelled, with agreeable ride quality and efficient V6 performance. However, road noise was more intrusive than expected.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured several functional updates across all price points. The cabin was quieter, and a new shift-by-wire system added a large storage compartment under the centre stack. The second-row doors opened to 85 degrees, improving access, and headroom was increased. Standard features included heated front seats, steering wheel, and exterior mirrors, with 17-inch alloy wheels. The SV trim added a 360-degree Around View Monitor, remote start, a panoramic sunroof, and 18-inch wheels. The Premium Package included leatherette upholstery, heated rear seats, sunshades, and a power liftgate. The Platinum grade integrated these features and added a redesigned Divide and Hide cargo system, offering 1,028 litres of cargo space with the second row upright and 2,064 litres with them folded.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport shared its wheelbase and interior dimensions with the larger seven-passenger model, minus the third row. It offered generous rear legroom and could comfortably accommodate five adults. The test vehicle featured 10-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone climate control. A panoramic sunroof enhanced the spacious feel, and rear side-window sunshades provided additional comfort. Storage space was ample, with roomy door panel bins, a large glove compartment, and other storage areas. However, the lack of lining in these areas could lead to rattles and noises. The cargo area offered plenty of space, with deep wells for additional storage, though the shorter length and lower roofline reduced cargo capacity compared to the seven-passenger model.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue came equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, hands-free text messaging, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The SV grade added an in-car Wi-Fi hotspot, four USB ports, and access to NissanConnect services. The Platinum grade upgraded the screen to 9 inches, added a wireless phone charging pad, and offered wireless Apple CarPlay compatibility. It also introduced a 10.8-inch head-up display and a Bose 10-speaker audio system. However, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster had readability issues due to low contrast.

The base 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Comfortline featured a Volkswagen Digital Cockpit with a 10.25-inch screen, an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth pairing for two devices, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and wireless charging. The infotainment system included Car-Net remote connectivity. However, the user experience was often frustrating, with issues in touchscreen interaction and voice recognition. The Execline trim added automatic high beams and a 12-speaker Fender premium audio system, which was impressive for the price point.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue included the Safety Shield 360 suite of safety features, such as forward emergency braking, rear emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and high beam assist. The SV model introduced ProPILOT Assist, a hands-on highway driving assist feature. The 2021 Rogue received a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS and a four-star safety rating from the NHTSA, with improvements in frontal crash testing for later versions.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport offered a range of safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and an automatic post-collision braking system. All Canadian models included adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centring assist, rear cross-traffic alert, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. The Execline trim added adaptive LED headlights, a semi-autonomous Park Assist system, and an Area View 360-degree camera system. Travel Assist was generally accurate but occasionally lacked refinement. The Atlas Cross Sport received favourable crash-test ratings, though not the highest accolades from the IIHS or NHTSA.