Mazda CX-50 vs Nissan Rogue: Crossover Comparison Review

Mazda CX-50 vs Nissan Rogue: Crossover Comparison Review

Crossovers and Compact SUVs are all the rage nowadays, and auto manufacturers have picked up on this trend. Mazda specifically, has done a great job following this trend. In fact, besides the Mazda3 and Miata, the rest of Mazda’s lineup consists of SUVs! Clearly, Mazda has established themselves as the standard for the crossover segment, so how will other brands fare when compared to the Mazda CX-50? Today, we’ll compare the 2023 Mazda CX-50 and 2023 Nissan Rogue to see which offers the most value for the dollar.

Price and Performance

Both the 2023 Mazda CX-50 and Nissan Rogue are highly affordable vehicles with low MSRP; the 2023 Mazda CX-50 starts at $27,550 while the 2023 Nissan Rogue starts slightly more at  $27,760. Clearly, these SUVs were destined to face off against each other. Jokes aside, the 2023 Mazda CX-50 (which we have plenty in stock at Safford Mazda of Fredericksburg, Virginia by the way) is equipped with a 2.5-liter inline-4 in its base form, producing 187 horsepower, 186 lb-ft of torque, and 24/30 miles to the gallon. Things get a little spicier with the available turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-4, which delivers an exhilarating 256 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque! Gas mileage for the turbo variant takes a minimal hit and delivers 23/29 smiles per gallon. Oh, I forgot to mention, the 2023 Mazda CX-50 comes with standard AWD!

The Nissan Rogue offers one engine option: a 1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder delivering 201 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. Instead of offering two engine options like the Mazda CX-50, it seems Nissan decided to offer one simple engine option that sits in the middle of the CX-50’s two engine options. The Nissan Rogue comes with standard FWD and delivers a frugal 30/37 miles per gallon, while AWD trims produce around 28/35 miles per gallon.

Interior Utility and Safety

If you’re looking for an SUV, chances are, you’ll have passengers most of the time. Having said that, interior space and safety of you and your passengers are probably top priorities in your SUV shopping. Regarding cargo space, the CX-50 offers 31.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats, 56.3 with the rear seats folded down, and a total of 131.7 cubic feet of total interior volume. All 131.7 cubic feet of the interior is well built and exudes luxury with choices of premium leathers and materials. A manual lift-gate comes standard with the CX-50, with an available powered lift-gate.
Having been awarded the IHHS 2023 Top Safety Pick +, you won’t have to worry much about the safety side of things with the CX-50. Mazda offers i-ActiveSense, Mazda’s suite of expansive safety and driver assist features. These features include Adaptive Front Lighting System, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear-Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning System with Stop & Go, Driver Attention Alert, Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop and Go, and much, much more. To see the full list of i-ActiveSense features check out Mazda’s manual here. 

The Nissan Rogue offers 36.5 cubic feet of cargo space but can go up to 74.1 cubic feet with seats folded down and the available Divide-N-Hide system. Total interior volume comes out to 137.0 cubic feet. The Nissan Rogue is an IHHS 2023 Top Safety Pick, although it lacks the “+” at the end given by exceptionally safe vehicles such as the Mazda CX-50. The Rogue also offers a wide array of driver assist and safety features, such as Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Aler, Lane Departure Warning, High Bream Assist, and more.

Technology Features

With technology getting more advanced by the day, vehicles are increasingly becoming more high-tech. The CX-50 and Nissan Rogue are no exceptions. For available technology features, the CX-50 offers:

• In-Cabin Wi-Fi
•  Remote Engine Start
• Automatic 911-Dialing
• Wireless Apple Carplay + Android Auto
• Premium Bose Audio System
• Wireless Charging Pad
• 10.25-inch Center-Mounted Display
• Voice Control
• Heads-Up-Display
• Rear Parking Camera
• and more!

The 2023 Nissan Rogue offers:

• Apple Carplay/ Android Auto (Wireless available for Platinum trim)
• 9-inch Center Screen
• Heads-Up-Display
• Available Bose Sound System
• and more

Concluding Thoughts

Both the Mazda CX-50 and Nissan Rogue offer tons of value for their affordable starting MSRP. In terms of pure performance, the 2023 Mazda CX-50 wins, no questions asked. The CX-50, especially in its turbocharged form, offers a sporty and responsive driving experience unparalleled in its class. The Nissan Rogue is more efficient, however, producing more miles to the gallon. But this is obvious, as the CX-50 only comes in AWD,  while the Nissan Rogue’s favorable efficiency comes from its lower performance.

In the Styling Department, both the Madzda CX-50 and Nissan Rogue look exceptional and come down to personal preference.  The CX-50 design language is sophisticated, elegant, and luxurious while the Nissan Rogue, like its name, looks more rugged and utilitarian.

Regarding safety, by pure statistics and numbers, the CX-50 is clearly the safer option. This does not mean the Nissan Rogue is unsafe, not at all. The CX-50 just does a better job.

Finally, in terms of technology, both the CX-50 and Nissan Rogue are packed to the brim with technological features. The Rogue does offer less technology features, most likely to lower the MSRP.

In conclusion, the Mazda CX-50 is the better buy. More affordable (albeit by a couple of hundred dollars), more powerful, and packed with more technology, the CX-50 is the compact SUV to go for.

That’s all we got for our Mazda CX-50 and Nissan Rogue comparison! In the meantime, check out our 2023 Mazda CX-50 inventory for our Safford Mazda of Fredericksburg, Virginia location! Come in and take a test drive in the luxurious CX-50 today.