Compare the2026 Nissan RogueVS 2026 Kia Sportage PHEV

The Nissan Rogue has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help 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 Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Rogue and the Sportage PHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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.

The Rogue’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Sportage PHEV runs out after 100,000 miles.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rogue for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Nissan will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 3 visits). Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sportage PHEV.

There are over 34 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Rogue’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Rogue’s reliability 15 points higher than the Sportage PHEV.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Rogue third among compact suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Sportage PHEV isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 8th.

Both the Rogue and Sportage PHEV have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Rogue has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

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 Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Rogue has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Rogue’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Sportage PHEV are solid, not vented.

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 Sportage PHEV 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 Sportage PHEV; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For better maneuverability, the Rogue’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Sportage PHEV’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

The Nissan Rogue may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 750 pounds less than the Kia Sportage PHEV.

The Rogue has 1.5 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more rear headroom and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sportage PHEV.

The Rogue has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Sportage PHEV with its rear seat up (36.5 vs. 34.5 cubic feet). The Rogue has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Sportage PHEV with its rear seat folded (74.1 vs. 65.5 cubic feet).

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the Rogue Platinum’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Rogue Platinum offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Rogue’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Sportage PHEV’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Rogue Platinum’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Rogue’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Sportage PHEV’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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

The Rogue is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Rogue and the Kia Sportage PHEV, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Rogue first among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Sportage PHEV isn’t in the top three.

The Nissan Rogue outsold the Kia Sportage by 58% during 2024.