2021 Nissan Rogue Sport

Showing the 2021 Rogue Sport S. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 2.0 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
27–28 mpgcombined; city 26, highway 30–31; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$11,600–$12,030U.S. average; Ohio $10,370–$10,750 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
Recall campaigns
3over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
35filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2021 Rogue Sport. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Rogue Sport. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Forward collision avoidance11301
Electrical system7212
Engine6102
Service brakes6202
Unknown or other6000
Steering5303
Vehicle speed control3100
Air bags2101
Lane departure2100
Power train2101
Structure2000
Exterior lighting1000
2 more parts
Fuel/propulsion system1000
Visibility/wiper1000

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 2019100
  2. 202058
  3. 202135
  4. 202213

Every Rogue Sport year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2021 Rogue Sport over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Electrical system: ignition

NHTSA campaign 23V093000 · reported Feb 16, 2023 · 712,458 vehicles potentially affected

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Rogue and 2017-2022 Rogue Sport vehicles equipped with a jackknife style ignition key. The jackknife key may collapse into a folded position while driving.

Risk: Driver contact with a key in the collapsed position could inadvertently shut off the vehicle while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, if the vehicle shuts off while driving, the air bags may not deploy in a crash as intended, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will insert a spacer into the key slot of the jackknife key, free of charge. Interim notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed March 29, 2023. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22C5.

NHTSA's record and documents

Seat belts: front; Seat belts: rear/other

NHTSA campaign 21V555000 · reported Jul 21, 2021 · 4,083 vehicles potentially affected

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Rogue Sport vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, reducing the protection offered to an installed child seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: A seat belt retractor that does not function as intended can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front passenger seat belt and as necessary both outer rear seat belts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 14, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is RT049 & RT050.

NHTSA's record and documents

Structure: body

NHTSA campaign 21V525000 · reported Jul 9, 2021 · 13,215 vehicles potentially affected

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Rogue Sport vehicles. The liftgate hinges can separate from the vehicle during a rear end crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."

Risk: Separated hinges compromise the protection offered by the liftgate, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right liftgate hinges, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 7, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R21A7.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 88 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2021 Rogue Sport, the latest on Apr 13, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: electrical system (41), power train (17), equipment (12), engine and engine cooling (10), forward collision avoidance (7).

NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2021 Rogue Sport.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Specs

EPA class: small station wagons. EPA greenhouse gas score: 6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
Rogue Sport
Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cylAutomatic (AV-S8)Regular Gasoline26 / 31 / 28
Rogue Sport
All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cylAutomatic (AV-S8)Regular Gasoline26 / 30 / 27

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data