Compare the2022 Nissan Rogue SportVS 2023 Mazda CX-50

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Rogue Sport are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Rogue Sport and the CX-50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

There are almost 2 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rogue Sport’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below average.

On the EPA test cycle the Rogue Sport gets better mileage than the CX-50:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Rogue Sport uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-50 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Rogue Sport has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Rogue Sport’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the CX-50 are solid, not vented.

The Rogue Sport S/SV’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-50’s standard 65 series tires.

The Rogue Sport has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The CX-50 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For superior ride and handling, the Nissan Rogue Sport has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mazda CX-50 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Rogue Sport has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Rogue Sport flat and controlled during cornering. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Nissan Rogue Sport may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 pounds less than the Mazda CX-50.

The Rogue Sport is 1 foot, 1 inches shorter than the CX-50, making the Rogue Sport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Rogue Sport has .5 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-50.

The Rogue Sport has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-50 with its rear seat folded (61.1 vs. 56.3 cubic feet).

The Rogue Sport SV/SL has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Both the Rogue Sport and the CX-50 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Rogue Sport has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The CX-50 doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Rogue Sport is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Nissan Rogue Sport, based on reliability, safety and performance.