2027 Nissan Rogue: First Look at the All-New SUV Nissan Is Preparing

Nissan may have just introduced a “new” Rogue Hybrid for 2026, but that model isn’t really new at all. It’s basically a rebadged Mitsubishi Outlander with a few Nissan touches. The real story is the next-generation Rogue coming for the 2027 model year.

And that one will actually matter.

The upcoming Nissan Rogue, called the X-Trail in Europe, will be a completely new generation. Early illustrations, like the one above, already give us a pretty good idea of what it might look like, and they line up surprisingly well with the camouflaged prototypes we’ve already seen testing.

The overall shape doesn’t appear dramatically different from the current model. That’s probably a very smart decision from Nissan. When a vehicle sells this well, radical design changes can be risky.

And the Rogue sells very well.

Nissan moved almost 250,000 Rogues in the US last year, making it one of the brand’s most important vehicles. With numbers like that, Nissan doesn’t need to reinvent the formula. A cleaner design, updated interior tech, and improved powertrains could easily keep it competitive against the big boys like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Hyundai Tucson.

Still, the big news will likely be under the hood.

For the first time in the US, the 2027 Rogue is expected to offer a new hybrid version using the third generation of Nissan’s e-Power system. Unlike traditional hybrids, the gasoline engine never directly drives the wheels. Instead, it works purely as a generator to charge the battery while an electric motor powers the car.

In theory, that means the Rogue should drive mostly like an EV.

I actually drove the current generation of this system in Europe a few months ago. And honestly? It felt a bit strange.

Most of the time, the car behaves exactly like an electric vehicle, smooth, quiet, and instantly responsive. But then, out of nowhere, the gasoline engine kicks on to recharge the battery. The transition can feel odd, both in sound and in sensation.

You get the driving feel of an EV… while still burning gas.

And the fuel economy isn’t always spectacular either, since the vehicle is carrying a gasoline engine, a fairly large battery, and an electric motor all at once.

To me, the whole concept feels a little unnecessary.

If you enjoy the way an EV drives, it probably makes more sense to just buy a full electric vehicle with a 300-mile range. Charging infrastructure keeps improving every year, and EV ownership is easier and cheaper than ever.

If you prefer something simpler, a traditional hybrid usually delivers excellent efficiency without all the complexity.

Still, Nissan clearly believes in e-Power. And with a brand-new Rogue coming soon, we’ll find out whether buyers agree.

Would you be interested in a system like Nissan’s e-Power in your next car? And why? I can’t really find a reason for this…