Compare the2023 Nissan RogueVS 2023 Mazda CX-30

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 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Rogue Platinum has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The CX-30 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The Rogue has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Rogue has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

Both the Rogue and the CX-30 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Rogue is safer than the Mazda CX-30:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Rogue has a 150-amp alternator. The CX-30’s standard 100-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Rogue’s reliability 21 points higher than the CX-30.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated lower.

The Rogue’s 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (201 vs. 191) and 39 lbs.-ft. more torque (225 vs. 186) than the CX-30’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Rogue gets better mileage than the CX-30:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Rogue uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-30 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Rogue has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the CX-30 (14.5 vs. 12.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Rogue has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Rogue 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-30 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Rogue’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-30 are solid, not vented.

The Rogue stops much shorter than the CX-30:

For better traction, the Rogue has larger tires than the CX-30 (235/65R17 vs. 215/65R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Rogue S has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the CX-30 2.5 S. The Rogue SL/Platinum’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Turbo/Premium.

The Rogue 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-30 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For superior ride and handling, the Nissan Rogue 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-30 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Rogue has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Rogue flat and controlled during cornering. The CX-30’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Rogue’s wheelbase is 2.1 inches longer than on the CX-30 (106.5 inches vs. 104.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Rogue is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than on the CX-30.

The Rogue Platinum AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the CX-30 Premium pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Rogue has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CX-30 (8.2 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Rogue to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Rogue has 11.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-30 (105.4 vs. 94.1).

The Rogue has 3 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 2.2 inches more rear legroom, .2 inches more rear hip room and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-30.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Rogue’s rear seats recline. The CX-30’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Rogue has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the CX-30 with its rear seat up (31.6 vs. 20.2 cubic feet). The Rogue has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-30 with its rear seat folded (74.1 vs. 45.2 cubic feet).

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the Rogue SL/Platinum’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The CX-30 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Rogue SL/Platinum’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Rogue has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The CX-30 has no towing capacity.

The Rogue SL/Platinum’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The CX-30 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Rogue and the CX-30 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Rogue is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-30 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Rogue has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the CX-30 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Rogue’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the CX-30’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Rogue to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The CX-30 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Both the Rogue and the CX-30 offer available heated front seats. The Rogue Platinum also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the CX-30.

The Rogue is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Nissan Rogue, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mazda CX-30 isn't recommended.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its December 2020 issue and they ranked the Nissan Rogue Platinum AWD higher than the Mazda CX-30 Premium.

The Nissan Rogue outsold the Mazda CX-30 by almost four to one during 2022.