Diagsheet

Compact SUVs · model years 2014 to 2026

Chevrolet Equinox vs Nissan Rogue: problems and reliability

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Equinox looks better on 4 and the Rogue on 0, with 3 too close to call.

Chevrolet Equinox

Chevrolet Equinox

3,635 complaints · 20 recalls

Nissan Rogue

Nissan Rogue

4,949 complaints · 40 recalls

Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026

Counts are not adjusted for sales. The more cars of a model there are on the road, the more complaints it draws, so the raw totals above say a lot about sales. Everything below compares shares of each model's own complaints, the mileage problems start at, recalls per model year and each model's years against its own median.

Scorecard

Measure, 2014 to 2026EquinoxRogue
Complaints that report a crash5.1%5.5%
Complaints that report a fire1.0%1.0%
Complaints that report an injury2.7%3.9%
Median miles when problems are reported63,00036,000
Recall campaigns per model year1.53.1
Do-not-drive recalls00
NHTSA investigations25

The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.

What owners complain about

The system Equinox owners complain about most is engine, and it is the same for the Rogue. Complaints citing engine make up 33% of all Equinox complaints, against 18% on the Rogue. The Rogue leans the other way on collision avoidance: 11% of its complaints, against 3.2% for the Equinox.

Chevrolet EquinoxNissan Rogue

Engine33%18%
Transmission and drivetrain11%16%
Electrical12%14%
Brakes11%12%
Windshield and wipers16%3.9%
Fuel and propulsion11%6.2%
Collision avoidance3.2%11%
Airbags3.9%7.7%
Speed control2.9%5.3%
Structure2.0%4.4%

Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

The most reported problems

The most reported problem on the Equinox is stalling (16% of its complaints). On the Rogue it is brake wear (12% of its complaints), against 12% on the Equinox.

ProblemEquinoxRogue
Engine stalls or loses power while driving16% 571most in 2015 · 66k mi9.8% 483most in 2023 · 59k mi
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early12% 446most in 2018 · 60k mi12% 608most in 2018 · 14k mi
Check engine light or misfire11% 408most in 2015 · 68k mi4.7% 231most in 2023 · 62k mi
Windshield cracks or distorts11% 403most in 2015 · 78k mi4.4% 220most in 2025 · 28k mi
Windshield wipers stop working14% 512most in 2015 · 79k mi0
Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing8.6% 314most in 2016 · 89k mi4.1% 205most in 2023 · 49k mi
Airbag warning light or recall3.5% 128most in 2015 · 48k mi7.6% 374most in 2015 · 37k mi
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails5.1% 186most in 2025 · 40k mi4.8% 239most in 2018 · 19k mi

Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.

When problems start

Rogue owners report problems earlier. Half the Rogue complaints that give a mileage come before 36,000 miles; for the Equinox the halfway point is 63,000. 39% of Equinox reports and 62% of Rogue reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.

Chevrolet EquinoxNissan Rogue

Under 25k25%40%
25k to 50k14%22%
50k to 75k22%18%
75k to 100k19%11%
100k to 150k17%8.2%
Over 150k3.5%1.4%

Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 1,779 for the Equinox and 2,298 for the Rogue.

Worst and best years

The 2015 Equinox draws 1.6 times the complaints of a typical Equinox year for its age. The 2023 Rogue draws 3.6 times the complaints of a typical Rogue year for its age.

Chevrolet Equinox

Every Equinox model year

Nissan Rogue

Every Rogue model year

Chevrolet EquinoxNissan Rogue

Each model year against its own model's median. Equinox: 2014 1.1, 2015 1.6, 2016 1.0, 2017 0.8, 2018 1.3, 2019 1.0, 2020 1.2, 2021 0.4, 2022 1.0, 2023 0.7, 2024 0.7. Rogue: 2014 0.6, 2015 0.9, 2016 1.0, 2017 1.2, 2018 1.5, 2019 0.9, 2020 0.4, 2021 1.0, 2022 1.1, 2023 3.6, 2024 1.4.2014 Equinox: 1.1 times its median2014 Rogue: 0.6 times its median'142015 Equinox: 1.6 times its median2015 Rogue: 0.9 times its median'152016 Equinox: 1.0 times its median2016 Rogue: 1.0 times its median'162017 Equinox: 0.8 times its median2017 Rogue: 1.2 times its median'172018 Equinox: 1.3 times its median2018 Rogue: 1.5 times its median'182019 Equinox: 1.0 times its median2019 Rogue: 0.9 times its median'192020 Equinox: 1.2 times its median2020 Rogue: 0.4 times its median'202021 Equinox: 0.4 times its median2021 Rogue: 1.0 times its median'212022 Equinox: 1.0 times its median2022 Rogue: 1.1 times its median'222023 Equinox: 0.7 times its median2023 Rogue: 3.6 times its median'232024 Equinox: 0.7 times its median2024 Rogue: 1.4 times its median'241x

Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.

Recalls and investigations

The Rogue draws more recalls: 3.1 campaigns per model year against 1.5 for the Equinox. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.

Chevrolet Equinox

20 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (3), seats (3) and visibility (2).

  • 23V-339 (child seat) covers 4 model years
  • 20V-668 (transmission and drivetrain) covers 3 model years

Investigations

  • EA19005: Front wiper transmission inoperative (closed, led to a recall)
  • RQ18002: Windshield wiper transmission failure (closed)

Nissan Rogue

40 recall campaigns and 5 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (7), electrical (4) and seats (4).

  • 23V-093 (electrical) covers 7 model years
  • 16V-244 (airbags) covers 4 model years

Investigations

  • PE24020: 2021 nissan rogue inner tie rod failures (closed)
  • PE24017: Side curtain air bags may deploy inadvertently (open)
  • PE23023: Complete loss of motive power due to engine failure (closed, led to a recall)

Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Crashes, fires and injuries

Crashes turn up in about the same share of complaints on both (5.1% and 5.5%). Fire reports: 38 for the Equinox and 48 for the Rogue. Complaints on file report 2 deaths in the Equinox and 3 in the Rogue for these model years.

Chevrolet EquinoxNissan Rogue

Report a crash5.1%5.5%
Report a fire1.0%1.0%
Report someone hurt2.7%3.9%

Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.

Questions

Is the Chevrolet Equinox or the Nissan Rogue more reliable?

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Equinox looks better on 4 and the Rogue on 0, with 3 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Equinox has 3,635 complaints and the Rogue 4,949 for model years 2014 to 2026, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.

Which has more recalls, the Equinox or the Rogue?

The Equinox has 20 recall campaigns and the Rogue 40 across model years 2014 to 2026. The Rogue draws more recalls: 3.1 campaigns per model year against 1.5 for the Equinox.

What are the most common problems on the Equinox and the Rogue?

The most reported problem on the Equinox is stalling (16% of its complaints). On the Rogue it is brake wear (12% of its complaints), against 12% on the Equinox.

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