Diagsheet

Compact SUVs · model years 2014 to 2025

Toyota RAV4 vs Nissan Rogue: problems and reliability

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Rogue looks better on 4 and the RAV4 on 2, with 1 too close to call.

Toyota RAV4

Toyota RAV4

3,827 complaints · 23 recalls

Nissan Rogue

Nissan Rogue

4,906 complaints · 38 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 2025RAV4Rogue
Complaints that report a crash8.0%5.5%
Complaints that report a fire3.9%1.0%
Complaints that report an injury4.7%3.9%
Median miles when problems are reported23,00036,000
Recall campaigns per model year1.93.2
Do-not-drive recalls00
NHTSA investigations15

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 RAV4 owners complain about most is electrical; for the Rogue it is engine. Complaints citing electrical make up 22% of all RAV4 complaints, against 14% on the Rogue. The Rogue leans the other way on transmission and drivetrain: 16% of its complaints, against 7.2% for the RAV4.

Toyota RAV4Nissan Rogue

Electrical22%14%
Engine18%18%
Transmission and drivetrain7.2%16%
Brakes7.1%12%
Fuel and propulsion11%6.3%
Airbags8.8%7.7%
Collision avoidance2.9%11%
Structure8.2%4.3%
Steering6.7%2.8%
Speed control4.0%5.3%

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 RAV4 is stalling (9.0% of its complaints). On the Rogue it is brake wear (12% of its complaints), against 7.4% on the RAV4.

ProblemRAV4Rogue
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early7.4% 282most in 2016 · 14k mi12% 608most in 2018 · 14k mi
Engine stalls or loses power while driving9.0% 344most in 2019 · 30k mi9.7% 476most in 2023 · 59k mi
Airbag warning light or recall8.8% 335most in 2021 · 23k mi7.6% 374most in 2015 · 37k mi
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails6.7% 258most in 2019 · 38k mi4.9% 239most in 2018 · 19k mi
Engine overheats or leaks coolant8.0% 308most in 2020 · 47k mi2.0% 96most in 2023 · 71k mi
Windshield cracks or distorts3.7% 14110k mi4.3% 209most in 2025 · 30k mi
Battery dies or the car will not start6.3% 241most in 2020 · 29k mi1.6% 7737k mi
Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking)0.4% 167.4% 365most in 2018 · 13k 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

RAV4 owners report problems earlier. Half the RAV4 complaints that give a mileage come before 23,000 miles; for the Rogue the halfway point is 36,000. 73% of RAV4 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.

Toyota RAV4Nissan Rogue

Under 25k51%40%
25k to 50k22%22%
50k to 75k14%18%
75k to 100k5.5%11%
100k to 150k5.7%8.3%
Over 150k1.8%1.4%

Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 1,478 for the RAV4 and 2,290 for the Rogue.

Worst and best years

The 2019 RAV4 draws 3.0 times the complaints of a typical RAV4 year for its age. The 2023 Rogue draws 3.6 times the complaints of a typical Rogue year for its age.

Toyota RAV4

Every RAV4 model year

Nissan Rogue

Every Rogue model year

Toyota RAV4Nissan Rogue

Each model year against its own model's median. RAV4: 2014 0.4, 2015 0.7, 2016 0.6, 2017 0.8, 2018 1.0, 2019 3.0, 2020 2.5, 2021 1.7, 2022 0.8, 2023 1.1, 2024 1.6. 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 RAV4: 0.4 times its median2014 Rogue: 0.6 times its median'142015 RAV4: 0.7 times its median2015 Rogue: 0.9 times its median'152016 RAV4: 0.6 times its median2016 Rogue: 1.0 times its median'162017 RAV4: 0.8 times its median2017 Rogue: 1.2 times its median'172018 RAV4: 1.0 times its median2018 Rogue: 1.5 times its median'182019 RAV4: 3.0 times its median2019 Rogue: 0.9 times its median'192020 RAV4: 2.5 times its median2020 Rogue: 0.4 times its median'202021 RAV4: 1.7 times its median2021 Rogue: 1.0 times its median'212022 RAV4: 0.8 times its median2022 Rogue: 1.1 times its median'222023 RAV4: 1.1 times its median2023 Rogue: 3.6 times its median'232024 RAV4: 1.6 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: 3.2 campaigns per model year against 1.9 for the RAV4. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.

Toyota RAV4

23 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: equipment (4), tires (3) and airbags (3).

  • 23V-734 (electrical) covers 5 model years
  • 19V-503 (equipment) covers 3 model years

Investigations

  • PE21005: Battery hold down bracket thermal events (closed, led to a recall)

Nissan Rogue

38 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

A larger share of RAV4 complaints report a crash: 8.0%, against 5.5% for the Rogue. Fire reports: 148 for the RAV4 and 47 for the Rogue. Complaints on file report 5 deaths in the RAV4 and 3 in the Rogue for these model years.

Toyota RAV4Nissan Rogue

Report a crash8.0%5.5%
Report a fire3.9%1.0%
Report someone hurt4.7%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 Toyota RAV4 or the Nissan Rogue more reliable?

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Rogue looks better on 4 and the RAV4 on 2, with 1 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the RAV4 has 3,827 complaints and the Rogue 4,906 for model years 2014 to 2025, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.

Which has more recalls, the RAV4 or the Rogue?

The RAV4 has 23 recall campaigns and the Rogue 38 across model years 2014 to 2025. The Rogue draws more recalls: 3.2 campaigns per model year against 1.9 for the RAV4.

What are the most common problems on the RAV4 and the Rogue?

The most reported problem on the RAV4 is stalling (9.0% of its complaints). On the Rogue it is brake wear (12% of its complaints), against 7.4% on the RAV4.

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