Both Nissan and Chevy have strong sales in the crossover SUV space. Both automakers have massively popular entries targeted at the most price-conscious new car buyers. And both companies offer great value, reliability, and surprisingly decent driving experiences despite being well outside the luxury market.

In fact, for many savvy consumers, it’s a straight-up choice between the 2023 Nissan Rogue vs. the 2023 Chevy Equinox. For commuters who aren’t looking to indulge in the sportier side of their SUVs too often, there are few better choices in this crowded space. So which of the two actually convinces the most buyers when it’s all said and done?

Year-to-date sales of the Rogue vs. Equinox are helped by wider availability

New car sales are spiking upwards in 2023. Wider availability, and fewer waitlists, has prospective buyers enjoying quicker buying decisions than any time since the supply chain disruptions of 2020. Mass market, affordable vehicles like the Rogue and the Equinox are benefitting massively from these consumer-friendly conditions.

GoodCarBadCar reports that Nissan moved a robust 147,745 Rogues so far this year. With two more quarters of sales to go, that will likely end up as a sizable increase over the 186,481 sales from the entirety of 2022.

The Equinox may be seeing a bit of a dip this year, though. With 105,851 sales YTD, it’s decidedly more sluggish than Nissan’s direct competitor. Still, that’s coming off of a strong 2022, which had 212,072 total sales of the popular crossover. The fairly easy availability and high sell-out rate of the Equinox that year may explain why not as many new car buyers are lining up this year.

How similar are the Nissan Rogue and the Chevy Equinox?

The Rogue may be winning the sales context in 2023, but it fell behind the Equinox last year. So really, the two are almost neck-and-neck. And frankly, that’s not too surprising. According to Edmunds, the two small SUVs are remarkably similar in so many ways, that it takes some effort for consumers to decide which is the best fit for them.

They’re close in price: $27,910 for the Rogue, while the Equinox comes in just a hair cheaper at $26,600. Their engines are both more than enough for consumers, with the Rogue coming out slightly ahead at 201 HP. The Equinox, at 175 HP, isn’t going to impress drivers looking for proper sports utility performance, but that’s not really who either crossover is for.

And while the Equinox is slightly larger, both have similar passenger space. These are roomy, family-friendly vehicles, perfect for workday drives and city commutes. But there’s one area that many new car buyers zero in on when making their final decision between the two cars.

Which SUV comes ahead in the fuel economy comparison?

The Equinox’s slightly lagging engine performance normally wouldn’t be a concern for buyers. But the small SUV’s fuel efficiency is where that small difference becomes a major one. 

TrueCar reports that the 2023 Equinox clocks in at 26 city MPG, and 31 highway MPG. That’s decent enough for a crossover. But the slightly more muscular 2023 Rogue is actually notably more efficient: 30 city MPG to 37 highway MPG.  When two SUVs cut it so close in most other ways, getting more power—and more torque, for the times you need it—becomes a bigger issue.

But is it the biggest reason for the Rogue’s popularity in 2023? Probably not, as much of it comes down to Nissan’s noted reliability and quality of service. The Equinox being slightly larger is another point of contention that likely comes before fuel efficiency, too. At least for now, new car buyers seem more interested in spending slightly more on the smaller Rogue.