New safety systems are standard on all 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport trims

Nissan updates its Rogue Sport for 2020 with some styling modifications, revisions to trim level content and option packages, new 19-inch wheels, and the addition of two flashy new paint colors, Nitro Lime Metallic and Monarch Orange Metallic.

Among the styling changes are a new hood, new front bumper and grille, and aggressive exterior lighting with LED signature daytime running lights.

All Rogue Sport models now come standard with Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 group of driver-assistance technologies, which consists of lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, automatic high beams, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and rear automatic braking.

The 2020 Rogue Sport is available in S, SV, and SL trims, with front-wheel or optional all-wheel drive. With destination charge included, pricing starts at $24,335 for the S trim with front-wheel drive. The top-tier model, an SL with AWD, has a base price of $30,895. Opting for all-wheel drive is an extra $1,350 for every trim.

Rogue Sport’s sole engine is a 141-horsepower four-cylinder, and on all trims it’s paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The EPA fuel economy ratings for front-wheel drive versions are 25 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 28 mpg combined. With all-wheel drive, the numbers are 24/30/27 mpg.

I drove the SV model with AWD, whose base price with destination is $27,195. Standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, eight-way power driver’s seat including lumbar support, split folding rear seat, adjustable tilt and telescoping steering wheel, a NissanConnect system with 7-inch display, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, and a six-speaker audio system.

An optional technology package ($2,580) added heated front seats, remote engine start with intelligent cruise control, heated steering wheel, an around-view monitor, memory for the driver’s seat and outside mirrors, adaptive cruise control, electronic parking brake, fog lamps and more.

Inside the 2020 Rogue Sport, the ride is pleasant. Front seats are exceptionally comfortable and there is plenty of room for the driver and passenger, but rear seat leg room is tight. The rear cargo area provides 20 cubic feet of space with rear seatbacks upright, and 53.3 cubic feet with them folded.

A cargo system called “Divide-N-Hide” lets you configure the cargo area into a private storage space to help keep your valuables organized and out of sight, a lower deck to handle taller items, and an upper shelf for other items. The system is standard on SV and SL trims, and a cargo cover is standard on all trims.

The Rogue Sport is smaller than the Nissan Rogue compact crossover, and its nearly subcompact size has more to do with its sportiness than any power increase. Drivers fixated on high performance will be less than impressed by its engine, but people more interested in competitive pricing with a lot of standard features and good fuel economy aren’t likely to fault it.

In any case, the 2020 Rogue Sport performs admirably as a daily driver, especially around town and in crowded city settings, where its practicality and maneuverability are major assets.

2020 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT SV AWD

Base price, including destination charge: $27,195

Price as driven: $30,460

Mary Lowry is an independent automotive writer who lives in Snohomish County. She is a member of the Motor Press Guild, and a member and past president of the Northwest Automotive Press Association. Vehicles are provided by the manufacturers as a one-week loan for review purposes only. In no way do the manufacturers control the content of the reviews.