- the 2021 nissan rogue will gain a new engine, a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder.
- nissan says it's part of a "small pilot program" to evaluate new technology.
- according to the epa, the new engine is significantly more efficient than the rogue's 2.5-liter inline-four.
the 2021 nissan rogue will soon add a small-displacement turbo engine, according to the epa website. fueleconomy.gov lists official ratings for a 2021 rogue with a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-three gasoline engine that provides a boost of between 2–4 mpg over the current naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four. nissan told c/d that this new engine is part of a "small pilot program" to evaluate this potential new powertrain, and we think it will eventually become part of the lineup for good.
the 1.5l engine in the front-wheel-drive rogue is rated at up to 30 mpg in the city, 33 mpg combined, and 37 mpg on the highway. with all-wheel drive, the highway number drops by 1 mpg. the epa also lists a separate, slightly lower rating for the three-cylinder rogue in sl and platinum trims, as it does for the 2.5l model. the three-cylinder is listed as having a continuously variable automatic transmission.
we don't yet have any power or torque specifications for the new 1.5-liter engine and it's the first we've heard of this new powertrain from nissan. a spokesperson said that the company is planning a pilot program for this engine but did not share any more specifics on how it would be rolled out.
look for more information to come in the near future about this new engine, which may eventually be found in other nissan models as well.