There are many, many alternatives to the Nissan Rogue, which lands right in the middle of the now-crowded compact crossover class.
Nearly all the vehicles in this class offer very respectable safety features and comfortable interiors that are good enough for the needs of a small family, or for people who need a little more space to haul ‘stuff.’ The Chevrolet Equinox has a somewhat more fuel-efficient base four-cylinder engine and much-improved interior appointments.
And for 2012, the Honda CR-V has been made more refined and gets even better gas mileage, though its styling isn't any more exciting.
The Toyota RAV4 is one of few vehicles in this class to offer a third-row seat, but it’s barely even usable for kids.
The Subaru Forester was redesigned for 2009, for better comfort and refinement, and it offers standard all-wheel drive at a very competitive price.
And in base form, Kia's Sportage is one of the value leaders, although its interior is a little more cramped than the others.
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 2012 Nissan RogueBrowse Used Listings |  2012 Chevrolet EquinoxBrowse Used Listings |  2012 Honda CR-VBrowse Used Listings |  2012 Kia SportageBrowse Used Listings |  2012 Subaru ForesterBrowse Used Listings |  2012 Toyota RAV4Browse Used Listings |
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| Quick Specs | |||||
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The 2012 Nissan Rogue's comfortable ride and versatile layout make it a good fit for a value-conscious small families--but it's far from exciting to drive. |
A versatile layout, impressive performance, good ride comfort, and reasonable pricing all add up to make the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox a strong value—and a good pick for small families. |
The 2012 Honda CR-V is a great family vehicle, with a thoughtfully designed and comfortable interior, and improved refinement, but it lacks the confident, sprightly feel present in past CR-Vs. |
The Kia Sportage cuts a rakish new figure and spins out 260 turbocharged horsepower for a total image reboot--watch the options, though. |
The 2012 Subaru Forester is tough, all-weather-capable, and one of the best-handling compact crossovers--plus, a blast to drive in XT turbo form--but an old-tech automatic transmission and econo-caliber interior remain letdowns. |
The unlikely Toyota-Tesla partnership has produced what may just be the best battery-electric vehicle below Tesla's own Model S luxury sedan. Its power, 100 miles of real-world range, and interior space add up to a very appealing electric crossover. |
| MSRP From | |||||
| $22,070 | $23,530 | $22,495 | $18,500 | $20,595 | $22,650 |
| Gas Mileage | |||||
| 22 MPG City / 28 MPG Hwy | 20 MPG City / 32 MPG Hwy | 22 MPG City / 31 MPG Hwy | 20 MPG City / 30 MPG Hwy | 19 MPG City / 27 MPG Hwy | 19 MPG City / 28 MPG Hwy |
| Engine | |||||
| Gas I4 | Gas/Ethanol I4 | Gas I4 | Gas I4 | Gas Flat 4 | Gas I4 |
| EPA Class | |||||
| FWD Sport Utility | 2WD Sport Utility Vehicle | 2WD Sport Utility | 2WD Sport Utility Vehicle | Sport Utility Vehicle - AWD | Sport Utility Vehicle |
| Style Name | |||||
| FWD 4-Door S | FWD 4-Door LS | 2WD 5-Door LX | 2WD 4-Door Base | 4-Door Manual 2.5X | FWD 4-Door I4 (SE) |
| Drivetrain | |||||
| Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | |||||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Passenger Doors | |||||
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Body Style | |||||
| Sport Utility | 4 Door | Sport Utility Vehicle | 4 Door | Sport Utility Vehicle | 4 Door |
| Transmission | |||||
| Continuously variable ratio | Automatic | Automatic | Manual | Manual | Automatic w/OD |
| Detailed Spec Comparison | |||||
| 2012 Nissan Rogue vs. 2012 Chevrolet Equinox | 2012 Nissan Rogue vs. 2012 Honda CR-V | 2012 Nissan Rogue vs. 2012 Kia Sportage | 2012 Nissan Rogue vs. 2012 Subaru Forester | 2012 Nissan Rogue vs. 2012 Toyota RAV4 | |
