SUV smackdown: Comparing a Nissan Rogue, Jeep Cherokee, and Mazda CX-5

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If you reside in the suburban areas of an American city, you can hardly cross the street without evading an SUV. That’s since SUVs and pickup represent around 70% of brand-new car sales in the United States. With every significant carmaker all-in on the form-factor, now is a fun time to purchase an SUV or crossover. In a modification from our normal evaluations, we’re going to pit 3 compact SUVs head-to-head-to-head to see which one is most deserving of your hard-earned money.

Fulfill the competitors

Previously this year, I invested a week each with the Nissan Rogue SL, the Jeep Cherokee Limited, and the Mazda CX-5 Signature. All are compact SUVs that begin at around $25,000, however each is developed with a various objective in mind.

The Nissan Rogue is the affordable, jack-of-all-trades of the 3 and was the fifth-best-selling car in the United States throughout2018 It has the very best mileage and least expensive price tag. The Jeep Cherokee is developed for flexibility with several driving modes for all sorts of surface, and the Jeep badge had the greatest sales development in the United States throughout2018 The Mazda CX-5 is the sportiest and has the most sleek interior of the lot– and it outsold all of the other Mazda lineup integrated in the United States throughout 2018.

Most significantly for our functions, each of the cars and trucks I drove had similar choices and trim levels.

Here’s how they accumulate:

	Nissan Rogue SL AWD	Jeep Cherokee Limited 4×4	Mazda CX-5 Signature
2018 United States sales rank (SUVs just)	2	9	16
Base MSRP	$25,020	$25,045	$24,350
Cost as configured	$36,085	$41,220	$39,450
Measurements	185″ × 72″ × 69″ (4,699 mm × 1,829 mm × 1,753 mm)	182″ × 75″ × 68″ (4,623 mm × 1,905 mm × 1,727 mm)	179″ × 73″ × 65″ (4,547 mm × 1,854 mm × 1,651 mm)
Wheelbase	1065″ (2,705 mm)	1066″ (2,708 mm)	1062″ (2,697 mm)
Freight area	393 feet 3(1,112 L)/ 70.0 feet 3 ( 1,982 L)	258 feet 3(730 L)/ 54.7 feet 3 ( 1,548 L)	309 feet 3(875 L)/ 59.6 feet 3 ( 1,688 L)
EPA mileage	27 mpg (25 mpg city, 32 mpg highway)	24 mpg (21 mpg/29 mpg)	24 mpg (22 mpg/27 mpg)
Engine	2.5 L DOHC inline-4 (2.0 L base)	2.0 L DOHC inline-4 turbo	2.5 L Skyactiv Turbo
Horse power and torque	170 hp (125 kW) at 6,000 rpm/ 175 lb-ft (237 Nm) at 4,400 rpm	270 hp (199 kW)/ 295 lb-ft (400 Nm)	227 hp (166 kW)/ 312 lb-ft (423 Nm)
Transmission	Xtronic constantly variable transmission AWD	Nine-speed automated AWD	Six-speed automated AWD
Driving modes	Eco, Regular, and Sport	Automobile, snow, sport, sand/mud, and rock	Routine and Sport
Chauffeur help system	Adaptive cruise control, lane focusing, blind-spot tracking, parking sensing units	Adaptive cruise-control, lane-keep help, blind-spot tracking, parking help	Adaptive cruise control, lane-keep help, blind-spot tracking, 360 ° parking sensing units and video camera, heads-up screen
Infotainment	7.0″ Touchscreen with buttons, CarPlay and Android Automobile assistance	8.4″ Touchscreen, CarPlay and Android Automobile assistance	7.0″ touchscreen with dial, CarPlay and Android Automobile assistance

Passing the eye-popping mileage and freight area numbers, we might simply state the Nissan Rogue the winner and proceed. However there’s even more to car-buying choices than just how much you’ll be investing in gas, so let’s dig in to each car’s strengths and weak points.

On the roadway

The Mazda CX-5 is the clear winner from a drivability perspective. Not just is it the fastest off the mark, however it’s in fact pleasurable to drive, particularly in sport mode, where the six-speed transmission interacts a sensation of seriousness as you step through the equipments. As one would anticipate from the business that brought us the Miata, the CX-5 is nimble and exact where it requires to be. I ‘d have enjoyed it a bit more with an eight-speed transmission, however.

Like the other 2 cars and trucks, the CX-5 features Mazda’s suite of driver-assistance tech, consisting of lane-keep help and start-stop adaptive cruise control. Lane-keep help is practical however not almost as aggressive as other cars and trucks in the class. I did value the heads-up screen in the CX-5, something that’s not readily available in the Rogue or Cherokee.

At the other end of the spectrum, driving the Rogue is something to be sustained, not taken pleasure in. There’s a sense of sluggishness with the Rogue, and I actually did not like feeling the engine working through vibrations in the gas pedal. Nissan’s CVT does not assist, as its existence needs the engine to pull greater revs at comparable speeds than it would with an automated transmission. The outcome is a noisier flight that feels extremely generic.

If you desire the most recent and biggest in driver-assist tech on the Rogue, you’ll require to spring for ProPilot Assist if you’re not going with the SL trim plan. The 360 ° video camera view is a welcome addition, making tight squeezes a little less stressful.

The Jeep Cherokee featured the optional 2.0-liter inline-four turbo, which was remarkably sprightly. (Those trying to find more towing capability ought to think of the optional 3.2-liter V6.) I would have liked the Cherokee to be quicker off the mark, however at travelling speeds, tapping the accelerator settles with a good zest. The flight quality is strong– guests are insulated from nasty pieces of roadway, although there was somewhat more roadway sound inside the cabin than I would have liked. Where the Cherokee surprises is with its handling, offering a sense of stability around curves. If you’re believing mostly about off-road efficiency, you’ll wish to look hard at the Cherokee Trailhawk. However the base Cherokee does consist of a sand/mud setting for those drives along … muddy beaches.

For Jeep, advanced driver-assist tech is additional. Lane-keep help and adaptive cruise control need a $1,095 upgrade. Unlike Mazda and Nissan, Jeep does not use a 360 ° parking view.

Edge: CX-5

The view from within

One part of Mazda’s technique to separate its crossovers from the pack is its positioning in the market. In our evaluation of the CX-9, we explained it as “90% of an Audi Q7 for 75% of the cost.” That belief applies for the CX-5, which actually takes objective at the Audi Q3. The feel is certainly high end, with sewn leather on the guiding wheel and around the interior. The seats are comfy and helpful, and exposure from the motorist’s seat is excellent. Unlike Nissan and Jeep, Mazda likewise consists of a heads-up screen and aerated seats. The rear seat is sufficient, as is the freight area of 30.9 cu-ft (875 L). The only quibbles I have with the CX-5 regard its cheap-feeling guiding wheel controls and the odd positioning of the USB ports, which are at the back of the center storage bin.

Mazda’s infotainment system seems like a stripped-down variation of Audi’s previous-generation MMI system. That’s not always a bad thing, however the CX-5’s 7″ infotainment screen, installed to the top of the control panel, feels small and irrelevant. It’s managed by a wisely positioned knob right in front of the cupholders or through touch if the vehicle is not in movement. It finishes the job, however might have been placed at a more driver-friendly angle. It’s likewise laggy, making it aggravating to utilize.

Compared to the the other 2 automobiles, the Rogue feels roomy. And it should, offered the almost 40 cu-ft of freight area. Where the Rogue fails remains in fit and surface. The seats aren’t as comfy as the CX-5 or Cherokee, although the sight lines from the motorist’s seat are excellent. I have actually discovered Nissan (and Infiniti) interiors to be dull and uninspiring, with apparently little idea offered to motorist ergonomics. There are 2 rows of buttons above the motorist’s left knee, plus a touchscreen infotainment system that feels dated. Whatever you require exists, even if it’s not instantly clear where “there” is.

The Cherokee has the most stylish-looking interior, and the scenic moonroof feels particularly high end. My greatest quibble was the density of the guiding wheel and equipment shift lever, both of which seem like they belong in a much bigger vehicle. Sight lines are excellent, and whatever the motorist requires is within simple reach. There’s a pleasing visual coherence to the cabin missing out on from the Nissan and Mazda. The existence of Chrysler’s Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system assists. While the competitors has actually invested the last number of years capturing up, Uconnect is still among the very best infotainment systems readily available in a mainstream SUV.

Where the Cherokee fails is space– there’s simply inadequate of it. That consists of the weak (compared to the Rogue) 25.8 cu-ft of freight area and a somewhat cramped-feeling rear seat.

Edge: CX-5

Fuel economy

In the course of an evaluation, I usually put in between 300 and 500 miles on the vehicle, and I utilize it as I would my own vehicle. That involves driving my kid to rugby practice, journeys to the supermarket, visiting my in-laws who live 40 miles to the south, going to church, and a 63- mile path through the northwest suburban areas of Chicago that consists of nation driving on two-lane winding roadways, highways, and normal rural driving. While the driving conditions differed with the 3 cars and trucks (mainly the typical temperature level), I put approximately the exact same quantity of miles on every one.

The huge surprise here– and not in a great way– was the Rogue. It’s ranked at 27 mpg by the EPA (32 mpg on the highway), and I got 23.9 miles to the gallon. I handled 24.1 mpg with the Cherokee and 24.4 mpg with the CX-5; both are ranked at 24 mpg by the EPA.

If you’re trying to find something more than an internal combustion engine, Nissan provides a hybrid variation of the Rogue ranked at 34 mpg. Fiat Chrysler prepares to present a plug-in hybrid Compass and Abandoner for the 2020 design year, with the Cherokee most likely to follow at some time in the not-too-distant future. Mazda, on the other hand, is concentrated on making its ICEs more fuel-efficient and has actually not revealed prepare for hybrids.

Edge: Rogue

And the winner is …

Going simply by the numbers, the Rogue should be the clear winner, right? After all, it provides the very best mileage and many freight area of the competitors. However the Rogue is likewise the least-interesting SUV of the lot, integrating an uncreative style viewpoint with a dull and loud flight. Driving the Rogue seemed like something to be sustained, instead of accepted.

At the other end of the spectrum is the CX-5. Mazda’s performance-oriented, luxury-light method produces a crossover that provides the periodic flash of enjoyment on the highway. However a few of the style options Mazda made are grating, consisting of small things like USB port positioning (the within back of the center storage compartment) and manages that feel inexpensive.

If you reside in a location where you frequently handle poor roadways, or if you have a yen to go off-road, the Cherokee is the very best bet. And it has the most meaningful look of the 3 SUVs. However, regardless of having a near-identical wheelbase and similar measurements to the Rogue and CX-5, the Cherokee fails on interior space. If among your car-buying requirements is optimal area for your things, look somewhere else. And a totally filled Cherokee Limited is going to be $5,000 more than a likewise geared up Nissan or Mazda.

Eventually, each of the 3 SUVs has something to advise it. Off-roading? Cherokee. Enjoyable behind the wheel? CX-5. Area and fuel economy? The Rogue.

If I needed to select among the 3 to be my day-to-day motorist, nevertheless, the CX-5 is a much better well-rounded flight than the Jeep and Rogue.