2022 Wagoneer Wagoneer vs 2022 Nissan Rogue

The 2022 Wagoneer Wagoneer followed the design theme of the smaller Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L, featuring a high-mounted grille, LED headlights, a boxy profile, and trapezoidal wheel arches. It lacked retro styling elements like wood paneling, instead resembling an enlarged Grand Cherokee. At launch, it came with standard 20-inch wheels, which appeared small on its 123-inch wheelbase, while higher trims offered 22-inch wheels. The Wagoneer rode on a new body-on-frame architecture with independent front and rear suspension, saving weight with an aluminum hood and doors, and a composite tailgate.

Inside, the Wagoneer had a central touchscreen framed in the dashboard, a prominent engine start button with knurled detailing, and a two-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel. However, the overall material quality was disappointing for a premium vehicle, with glossy plastic and heavily-lacquered wood trim that felt artificial. Despite leather upholstery, the interior seemed a step down from the Grand Wagoneer, suggesting cost-cutting measures to differentiate it from its luxury sibling.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue, redesigned in 2021, continued with a mature look in 2022. It featured Nissan’s V-motion grille, multi-level LED headlights, and active grille shutters for improved airflow. The floating roof design and slightly bulging liftgate added to its sleek appearance. Inside, the Rogue had a layered dash with contrasting colors and surfaces, an electronic gear selector lever, and ample storage space, including a large cubby below the center armrest. The 9-inch center infotainment display was positioned near the driver’s eye line, and upper trims offered a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel.

Nissan’s Zero Gravity bucket-style front seats provided comfort, and the second row offered good legroom and space for two adults or three in a pinch. The Rogue’s fit and finish were exemplary, with high-quality materials, especially in the top-of-the-line Platinum model.

The 2022 Wagoneer Wagoneer featured a V8 mild-hybrid powertrain similar to the Ram 1500, producing 392 horsepower and 404 pound-feet of torque. The eTorque mild-hybrid system used 48-volt electrical architecture to enhance fuel economy but didn’t allow electric-only driving. It enabled a robust engine start/stop system, regenerative braking, and an integrated electric motor providing up to 130 lb-ft of torque on initial throttle tip-in. The Wagoneer had an eight-speed automatic transmission, with standard rear-wheel drive and optional four-wheel drive systems, including Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II, and Quadra-Drive II, each offering varying levels of off-road capability.

The Quadra-Lift air suspension system provided up to 10 inches of ground clearance and adjustable ride height for different driving conditions. On the road, the Wagoneer’s cabin was quiet, and the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine was responsive. The air suspension offered a comfortable ride but with noticeable bounce over severe bumps. The body-on-frame construction caused shuddering over bigger bumps, and the steering lacked precision, making the vehicle feel as large as it looked. Off-road, the Wagoneer performed well but was hindered by its size on tighter trails.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue’s new 1.5-liter VC-Turbo engine, with 201 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque, improved performance over the previous 2.5-liter engine. The VC-Turbo concept allowed variable compression, enhancing power and efficiency based on driving conditions. The Rogue achieved impressive fuel economy, with EPA estimates of 30 mpg city/37 mpg highway/33 mpg combined. The new CVT transmission offered wider gear ratios, improving acceleration and responsiveness.

The Rogue’s chassis and suspension handled the new engine’s lively character, delivering a smooth, controlled ride with minimal body roll. The electric power-assisted steering had good feel, and the 35.4-foot turning diameter was tight, making the Rogue agile and easy to maneuver.

The 2022 Wagoneer Wagoneer could seat up to eight people with the standard second-row bench or seven with optional captain’s chairs. It prioritized second- and third-row space over front-seat space, offering more legroom in the rear rows but the least front-seat legroom among its competitors. It had the most rear-seat headroom and average second-row headroom but less front-row headroom than the Chevy Tahoe or Ford Expedition. The Wagoneer offered 27.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row in place, 70.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 116.7 cubic feet with both rows folded. It boasted a maximum towing capacity of 10,000 pounds, surpassing its competitors.

The first and second rows had large storage bins, and the test vehicle featured a covered storage cubby below the touchscreen. Forward visibility was hindered by the tall hood, but a digital rearview mirror and 360-degree camera system helped with maneuvering. Large mirrors provided good visibility but created blind spots when turning.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue offered ample storage options, including bottle holders, cupholders, a glove compartment, a center console bin, a tray beneath the center console, and cubbies in the dash. It had USB-A, USB-C, and 12-volt outlets in the center stack, and rear-seat passengers had storage options in the doors, seatbacks, and center armrest, along with USB-A and USB-C charge-only ports. The second-row seat was a 60/40 split reclining bench.

The Rogue’s cargo area could hold 31.6-36.5 cubic feet of luggage, depending on configuration, and offered 74.1 cubic feet of space with the second row folded flat.

The 2022 Wagoneer Wagoneer was packed with tech, including a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, simultaneous pairing for two Bluetooth-enabled phones, and a 4G-LTE WiFi hotspot. A McIntosh audio system was optional for the Wagoneer Series III. The Wagoneer could be equipped with up to 11 USB ports, a separate 10.25-inch touchscreen for the front passenger, Amazon Alexa connectivity, and Fire TV for Auto. A 10-inch head-up display was also available.

The Uconnect 5 infotainment system, with an Android-based operating system and over-the-air updates, was user-friendly, though the touchscreen in the test vehicle was slow, and the digital gauge cluster graphics were plain. The head-up display was easy to read even on bright days.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue’s 2021 makeover included a technology upgrade, with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 9-inch center infotainment touchscreen, and a 10.8-inch head-up display on upper trims. The Rogue used Google Maps and Waze with voice commands for navigation, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with wireless Apple CarPlay available on upper trims.

ProPilot Assist, Nissan’s hands-on driver-assist technology, was available and integrated with the navigation system on models with ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link. This allowed the Rogue to adjust speed proactively based on road conditions ahead. Nissan’s Intelligent Key allowed unlocking of the rear doors from the rear door handle, enhancing convenience for families.

The 2022 Wagoneer Wagoneer had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA. Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included a surround-view camera system, digital rearview mirror, traffic-sign recognition, driver attention monitor, and night vision.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue featured the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of safety technologies across all trim levels. Standard features included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking. The Rogue had ten supplemental airbags and extended crumple zones for passive safety. ProPilot Assist combined steering-assist and adaptive cruise control for Level 2 advanced driver-assist functionality, with enhanced ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link adding predictive speed control.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. The IIHS had not yet rated the 2022 Rogue but gave the 2021 model a Top Safety Pick+ rating.