In most markets around the globe, the Nissan Rogue Sport is known as the Qashqai. It’s a revered model that has won the world over with its small yet spacious cabin, suitable powertrain, and appropriate price tag. A third generation of the model is now being planned. In anticipation of the vehicle’s 2021 on-sale date, prototypes of the new Rogue Sport are hitting the road in Europe for final bits of testing.

In the automaker’s U.S. lineup, the Rogue Sport sits below the Rogue but above the Kicks.

Nissan says it expects the model to get busy “resetting what customers can expect from a compact crossover”. That starts at the frame where the new Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance CMG-C platform serves as the base of the model. It’s the first vehicle to use the platform, which combines with steering enhancements and equipment upgrades to make the Rogue Sport the right proportions to navigate city roads, country lanes, and highways with ease, as well as park in urban areas.

The Rogue Sport isn’t just a smaller version of the Rogue, as you can see from the photos.Photo courtesy of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Though stronger than its predecessor, the new Rogue Sport features an ultra high-strength steel body designed to deliver a smoother and safer ride for passengers. The front and rear doors, front fenders and hood, are made of aluminum.

Revisions continue at the front and rear where Macpherson struts take their place. The Rogue Sport will be offered in two- and all-wheel drive configurations. Two-wheel drive models get 19-inch wheels while advanced multi-link all-wheel drive versions get 20-inchers.

At the front are new LED headlights which are designed to adapt their beam shape according to the road conditions and other road-users. The beam is divided into 12 individual elements that selectively deactivate upon detection of an oncoming vehicle.

Nissan is preparing the model with two different engine options. A 1.3-liter mild-hybrid engine that will be available in two different power outputs. Exact details will be released closer to the SUV’s on-sale date. The electrified system is called e-Power and uses an high-output battery, petrol engine, power generator, inverter, and motor to power the vehicle. Unlike in a traditional hybrid, the petrol engine is not connected to the wheels; it simply charges the battery.

Steps have been taken to make the Rogue Sport more fuel efficient including adding active shutters and making the floor of the vehicle flat.

Nissan is prepared to offer the model with the next generation of ProPilot drive assistance technology called ProPilot with Navi-Link. The company describes the technology:

“ProPILOT with Navi-link is able to accelerate and brake the vehicle within a single-lane on a highway. The system can accelerate the vehicle to cruise at a set speed, and can brake the vehicle down to 0 km/h in heavy stop-start traffic. The system is able to resume automatically if the vehicle has been stationary for less than three seconds and the traffic in front of the car moves away.

The steering system and the camera are constantly updating the vehicle’s position, helping the car to stay centred within the lane while maintaining a pre-determined speed but with the capability to adapt and maintain a safe distance to the car in front.

On the all-new Nissan Qashqai, the updated system is now able to adapt the car’s speed according to additional external circumstances: when the car crosses to a lower speed limit zone on the highway, the system is able to read road signs and take into account navigation system speed limit data to slow the Qashqai to the appropriate speed, meaning the driver doesn’t need to adjust the cruise control speed manually.

The system can also use data from the navigation system to adjust the speed for approaching curves or exit ramps that have a tighter radius.Furthermore, ProPILOT with Navi-link can now communicate with the Qashqai’s blind-spot radars to help intervene with a steering input correction to help prevent a lane-change manoeuvre if there is a vehicle in the blind-spot zone.

Other upgrades include a “flank protection” warning for urban situations, which alerts the driver of the risk of contact with an object on the side of the vehicle, typically when turning into a supermarket parking space. And the new Qashqai can also intervene to prevent a collision upon reversing from the space thanks to an upgrade on the existing Moving Object Detection alert, applying the brakes to stop the car if a moving obstacle is detected nearby.”

Stay tuned for more information about the Rogue Sport/Qashqai. The new generation is expected to be fully revealed soon.