Should you buy a used Nissan Rogue? Probably not.

By Jason Allan, former head of vehicle reviews and ratings at Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader

The Nissan Rogue is a roomy, quiet compact SUV with the best 2024 reliability prediction in the group and an engine recall hanging over every 2022 to 2024 car. The good part shows up on the test drive: the front seats are among the most comfortable in the class, the cabin on an SL or Platinum is close to luxury-grade, the cargo hold is one of the biggest, and the 1.5-liter turbo's 33 mpg combined beats every non-hybrid rival on paper. Consumer Reports' reliability prediction for the 2024 Rogue is the highest of the 13 compact SUVs Bestest scores for that model year.

Two things keep the Nissan Rogue off the list. The first is how it drives and what it's worth: steering with a dead spot on center, a three-cylinder and CVT that hesitate and then surge, real-world fuel economy a few mpg short of the window sticker, and resale and reviews that sit below the average of the compact SUVs Bestest lists on every measure. The second is the engine itself. The 1.5-liter VC-Turbo in 2022 to 2024 Rogues has been recalled twice, in June 2025 (25V-437) and February 2026 (26V-080), for bearing defects that can seize it; the remedy is a dealer inspection for metal debris and a new engine if any is found. Most two- and three-year-old Rogues on Orange County lots also fit the profile of a rental return: about six in ten have more than 40,000 miles.

So the Nissan Rogue isn't a Bestest car. A one-owner car with the recall closed on its VIN is fine, but the compact SUVs Bestest lists hold their value better and haven't needed their engines opened up. If you want a Rogue anyway, here's how I'd shop for one.