Compare the2025 Nissan RogueVS 2025 Lexus NX

The Nissan Rogue has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The NX doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 NX doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Rogue and the NX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance (up to 3 visits) on the Rogue for 1 year and 14,000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the NX (2/24,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 4 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rogue’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 8 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is rated lower.

The Rogue’s 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder produces 41 lbs.-ft. more torque (225 vs. 184) than the NX 250’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Rogue gets better mileage than the NX running its gasoline engine:

Both the Rogue and the NX have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Rogues have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The NX 350h/450h+ doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Rogue uses regular unleaded gasoline. The NX 350 AWD requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

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 NX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Nissan Rogue higher (6 out of 10) than the Lexus NX (5 to 6). This means the Rogue produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the NX every 15,000 miles.

The Rogue stops much shorter than the NX:

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 NX doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Rogue has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the NX; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Rogue Platinum AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the NX 350 AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Rogue Platinum AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the NX 450h+ AWD (27.7 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Rogue’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the NX’s (35.4 feet vs. 38 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Rogue has a greater minimum ground clearance than the NX 350 F Sport Handling AWD (8.2 vs. 7.7 inches), allowing the Rogue to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Rogue’s minimum ground clearance is .1 inch higher than on the NX (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches).

The design of the Nissan Rogue amounts to more than styling. The Rogue has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the NX (.35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Rogue get better fuel mileage.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Rogue Platinum AWD is quieter than the NX 350 AWD (69 vs. 70 dB).

The Rogue has 2.8 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 2.4 inches more rear legroom, .9 inches more rear hip room and 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the NX.

The Rogue has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the NX with its rear seat up (36.5 vs. 22.7 cubic feet). The Rogue has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the NX with its rear seat folded (74.1 vs. 46.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Rogue easier. The Rogue’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.4 inches, while the NX’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The Rogue’s cargo area is larger than the NX’s in almost every dimension:

The Rogue’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the NX’s (1500 vs. 0 pounds).

The power windows standard on both the Rogue and the NX 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 NX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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

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

Insurance will cost less for the Rogue owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Rogue will cost $445 less than the NX over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Nissan Rogue will be $6700 to $9912 less than for the Lexus NX.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Rogue and the Lexus NX, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Nissan Rogue outsold the Lexus NX by almost four to one during 2023.