Compare the2022 Nissan MuranoVS 2021 Honda Passport

Safety
Reliability
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Murano are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Passport doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Nissan Murano has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Passport doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Murano has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Passport doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Murano has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Passport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Murano SL/Platinum has a standard Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Passport only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Murano has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Passport EX-L/Touring/Elite has a rear cross-path warning system.

The Murano’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Passport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Murano and the Passport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Murano is safer than the Honda Passport:

	Murano	Passport
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	28%	28%
Neck Compression	34 lbs.	36 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	25%	35%
Leg Forces (l/r)	169/236 lbs.	478/436 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Murano is safer than the Honda Passport:

	Murano	Passport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	101	109
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	148	233
Spine Acceleration	31 G’s	42 G’s
Hip Force	299 lbs.	304 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	591 lbs.	838 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Murano is 1% to 2.3% less likely to roll over than the Passport.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Murano its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 74 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Passport last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Pick” for 2019.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Murano’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Passport’s camshafts. If the Passport’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Murano’s reliability 36 points higher than the Passport.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Murano first among midsize suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Passport isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan fifth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan 21st in reliability. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 27th.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Nissan Murano higher (5 out of 10) than the Honda Passport (3). This means the Murano produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Passport every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Murano has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Passport doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Murano’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Passport are solid, not vented.

The Murano stops much shorter than the Passport:

	Murano	Passport
70 to 0 MPH	175 feet	181 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	135 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The Murano Platinum AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Passport Elite AWD pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Murano’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Passport AWD’s (38.7 feet vs. 39.3 feet). The Murano’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Passport’s (38.7 feet vs. 39.5 feet).

Chassis

The front grille of the Murano uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Passport doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Murano Platinum AWD is quieter than the Passport Elite AWD (75 vs. 76 dB).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Murano easier. The Murano’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.7 inches, while the Passport’s liftover is 32 inches.

Servicing Ease

The Murano uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Passport uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Murano’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Passport’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The Murano’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Passport’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Murano owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Murano will cost $310 less than the Passport over a five-year period.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Nissan Murano, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Honda Passport isn't recommended.

The Nissan Murano outsold the Honda Passport by 47% during 2020.

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