The Rogue Sport positioned itself as a conquest model to attract new, younger customers when it launched in the United States in 2017.
“We expect the Rogue Sport to achieve 70% of Conquest sales,” said Christian Meunier, then Nissan North America’s senior vice president of sales, marketing and operations. Automotive News at the New York Auto Show.
But rumors of Rogue Sport’s demise began circulating just two years later. The crossover failed to find its niche between the entry-level Kicks and the higher-volume Rogue.
As the Rogue moved upmarket slightly, the gap between it and the more entry-level Rogue Sport widened, said AutoForecast Solutions vice president Sam Fiorani.
“Meanwhile, the popularity of the Kicks and its lower price has put pressure on Rogue Sport sales, ejecting it from the lineup,” Fiorani said.
Dropping the Rogue Sport will allow Nissan to invest more in the Kicks subcompact, according to a dealer who asked not to be identified.
“We can get more bang for our buck with the Kicks, especially since it’s all-wheel drive,” the dealership said.
The Kicks is slated for a redesign in early 2024 that would make it longer and wider, reducing the size difference between the two crossovers. Dealers describe the new Kicks as more aggressive and “SUV-like”.
Meanwhile, the Rogue received its redesign last year, including a new platform and a revamped look.
“Rogue Sport used to look at least the same, just a little smaller,” the source said. “With the redesign, the Rogue is a completely different car.”
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