2017 Kia Sportage vs 2017 Nissan Rogue
Two compact SUVs, compared on what actually matters when you're buying used:
what breaks, when it breaks, and what it costs you.
2017 Kia
Sportage
5/10
Cheap, well-equipped, and unglamorous — just make sure the engine has already been inspected or replaced before you sign anything.
VS
2017 Nissan
Rogue
5/10
Great on gas, terrible on trust — buy it only if you plan to dump it before 100k or you've verified the CVT was serviced religiously.
Dead heat: both score 5/10. The tiebreaker is which specific car you find.
By the numbers
Green is the better number — higher on every score, lower on failures, complaints and recalls.
| Kia Sportage |
Nissan Rogue |
| Known failure points | 6 | 6 |
| NHTSA complaints | 398 | 595 |
| Safety recalls | 4 | 5 |
| Service bulletins | 12 | 12 |
| Reliability | 48 | 52 |
| Cheap to own | 55 | 48 |
| Fun factor | 38 | 22 |
| Holds value | 42 | 45 |
| Enthusiast cred | 15 | 15 |
The most expensive thing that goes wrong
2017 Kia Sportage
Theta II 2.4L GDI engine oil consumption / rod bearing wear leading to knocking or seizure
$0–$7,0000k–60k mi
2017 Nissan Rogue
CVT (JF015E) shudder, hesitation, or overheating under sustained highway/AWD load — often triggers 'AWD temp overheating' warning
$200–$5,50040k–70k mi
If you buy one, buy this one
✅ 2017 Kia Sportage
A 2017 SX or SX Limited with the turbocharged 2.0L engine, AWD, and documented proof the Theta II/KSDS software campaigns and HECU brake recall were completed — this sidesteps the worst of the fire/engine-knock horror stories.
✅ 2017 Nissan Rogue
A 2017.5-or-later build SL AWD with full CVT fluid service records every 30k miles — that documentation is worth more than low mileage alone.
Narrowed it down? Get the full report
This comparison is model-level.
Milo's report goes car-level — the one you're actually looking at:
- A line-by-line negotiation script
- The pre-purchase inspection checklist
- VIN-specific open recalls
- What it's really worth right now
- Your next 15,000 miles, forecast
- Hidden features & money-savers
Run my free report →
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Scores and findings blend documented NHTSA recalls and complaints with
patterns synthesized from owner communities. Always inspect the specific vehicle and
verify open recalls by VIN before buying.