2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2021 Toyota RAV4
On the public data alone the RAV4 edges it 5–1.
| 2021 Nissan Rogue | 2021 Toyota RAV4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Compact SUV | Compact SUV |
| Powertrains | Gas | Hybrid, Gas |
| Best combined mpg | 33 | 40 |
| Safety Signal | 35 | 92 |
| NHTSA recalls | 10 | 1 |
| Critical recalls | 2 | 0 |
| Owner complaints | 286 | 405 |
| NHTSA overall stars | 4 | 5 |
2021 Nissan Rogue
The 2021 Nissan Rogue is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 8 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Rogue AWD, is EPA-rated at 33 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for this model y
A2021 Toyota RAV4
The 2021 Toyota RAV4 is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas compact SUV with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the RAV4 Hybrid AWD, is EPA-rated at 40 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign f
Recalls at a glance
Rogue
Engine And Engine Cooling
criticalProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. The engine bearings may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine failure.
Risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash. A bearing failure may cause a breach in the engine block, allowing hot oil to be discharged, increasing the risk of an engine fire.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or Infiniti's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R25A8/A9 and R25B1/B2.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Rogue vehicles. The left and/or right rear brake caliper assemblies may be missing an internal bushing, allowing the O-ring seal to move and brake fluid to leak.
Risk: A loss of brake fluid may reduce braking performance, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left and right rear brake calipers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 12, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC933. The two vehicles that were previously inspected under recall 21V-286 and did not receive a brake caliper replacement will need to have the new remedy completed.
Back Over Prevention
minorProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2022 Titan, Titan XD, Frontier, and 2021-2022 Rogue vehicles. The in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system may continuously reboot when the vehicle is restarted, which can result in an inoperative rearview display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: An inoperative rearview camera display reduces the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: The IVI software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R22B8, R22C1, and PC923/25.
RAV4
Air Bags
highProblem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
Green cells mark the better value on that row. Complaint counts scale with sales volume; treat them as a pattern signal, not a verdict. Sources: EPA, NHTSA.