2024 Nissan Rogue vs 2023 Toyota Sienna

The 2023 Toyota Sienna was a minivan that defied traditional expectations with its sleek design and innovative features. Toyota worked hard to shed the typical minivan image, giving the Sienna a front-end styling reminiscent of a Japanese bullet train. The Sienna offered a variety of trims, including the base LE, XLE, sporty XSE, and the luxurious Limited, with a special 25th Anniversary Edition also available. Inside, the Sienna impressed with its high-quality materials, such as the brown leather upholstery and wood-grain accents in the Platinum trim. It accommodated seven or eight passengers, with the eight-seater option allowing for three-across car seats in the middle row, making it a practical choice for families.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue underwent its first major styling update since its 2021 launch, featuring a new, larger grille and distinctive stack headlights. The Rogue's trim levels included S, SV Moonroof, SV Premium, SL, and Platinum, each offering unique features. The interior boasted a more premium feel with a new 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and upgraded materials in the SV models. The Rogue Platinum trim offered leather seats with quilted stitching, adding to its upscale appeal. Despite its stylish design, the Rogue's interior space was competitive but not class-leading, with cargo space slightly less than some rivals. However, the Divide-N-Hide system provided flexibility in cargo management.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna was powered by a hybrid system, combining a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with two front-mounted electric motors and an additional rear-mounted motor for AWD trims. This setup delivered a total of 245 horsepower, which was somewhat underwhelming compared to competitors. The Sienna's CVT was not the most refined, often struggling to provide smooth acceleration. However, the Sienna excelled in handling, with a nimble chassis and light steering that made city driving a breeze. The Sienna offered multiple drive modes, but the Normal mode was recommended for the best balance of performance and efficiency.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue featured a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, part of Nissan's VC-Turbo lineup, which allowed for variable compression ratios to optimize power and fuel economy. With 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque, the Rogue's engine outperformed many of its competitors. However, the CVT was slow to transfer power to the wheels, detracting from the engine's potential. The Rogue's suspension was firmer than expected, impacting ride quality without enhancing handling. Despite these drawbacks, the Rogue's engine performance was commendable, though the exhaust note was less appealing.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior space and storage solutions, with numerous cubbies, shelves, and bins throughout the cabin. The Sienna's dimensions, at 5,175 millimetres in length and a 3,061-millimetre wheelbase, provided ample room for passengers and cargo. It offered 949 litres of space behind the third row, expanding to 2,129 litres with the seats folded, and a total of 2,860 litres of cargo space. While the middle row couldn't be removed or folded into the floor, the Sienna's captain's chairs were highly functional, with extending ottomans and sliding tracks for added comfort. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard, with higher trims offering ventilated front seats and heated second-row seats.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue offered competitive passenger space, with slight variations in legroom compared to rivals. Its cargo capacity was 1,033 litres with the rear seats in place and 2,098 litres with them folded, slightly less than some competitors. The Divide-N-Hide system allowed for flexible cargo management, offering a flat floor with hidden storage or a lower floor for increased height. The Rogue's centre console featured a pass-through space, though accessing it was somewhat awkward. Overall, the Rogue provided practical interior features, but its cargo space was not class-leading.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna featured an older infotainment system with a 9-inch touchscreen, offering standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though both required a wired connection. The system included SiriusXM, Bluetooth, and an optional navigation system, with seven USB ports available. While the interface was reliable, it felt outdated and clunky, lacking dedicated buttons for certain functions. The 12-speaker JBL premium audio system provided good sound quality, enhancing the overall experience despite the dated technology.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue introduced a significant tech upgrade, with SL and Platinum models featuring a 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster. These models also offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with Google built-in apps. The Rogue was the first Nissan to include Google built-in, integrating Google Maps, Assistant, and Play Store directly into the infotainment system. While connectivity was free for five years, a data plan was required for third-party apps. The dual 12.3-inch screen setup was a notable improvement, though the touchscreen occasionally experienced slow boot times. The Rogue also provided ample charging options, with multiple USB ports and a wireless charging pad on higher trims.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna impressed with its standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. These features were part of the Toyota Safety Sense package, ensuring a high level of safety for families. The Sienna received a 5-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS, highlighting its strong safety performance.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue also received commendable safety ratings, with top "Good" scores in several IIHS tests and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, and rear automatic emergency braking. ProPilot Assist, available on higher trims, added advanced driver assistance capabilities, enhancing highway driving with automated lane centring and adaptive cruise control. While not the most advanced system, it offered more functionality than many competitors.