Nissan Rogue vs Subaru Crosstrek: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Subaru Crosstrek burns about $1,700 of fuel annually against $1,800 for the Nissan Rogue. That $100 yearly gap compounds to roughly $500 over five years and $800 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Subaru Crosstrek is the stronger commuter at 36 mpg city, while the Nissan Rogue pulls ahead on the interstate at 37 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Nissan Rogue is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, SIDI; Stop-Start, 2.5), the Subaru Crosstrek with 4 (SIDI; Hybrid, SIDI, SIDI; PHEV). Across 56 recorded Nissan Rogue configurations and 36 for the Subaru Crosstrek, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Nissan Rogue is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive, the Subaru Crosstrek with All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Subaru Crosstrek emits 151 g/mile of CO2 versus 261 g/mile for the Nissan Rogue. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.