Compare the2022 Nissan MuranoVS 2021 Lexus NX Series

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
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 NX Series 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 NX Series doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Compared to metal, the Murano’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Lexus NX Series has a metal gas tank.

Both the Murano and the NX Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 Lexus NX Series:

	Murano	NX Series
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	28%	46%
Neck Stress	223 lbs.	509 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	242/256 lbs.	480/609 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	266	355
Neck Injury Risk	25%	42%
Neck Stress	124 lbs.	295 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	169/236 lbs.	442/307 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 Lexus NX Series:

	Murano	NX Series
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	101	192
Abdominal Force	102 G’s	148 G’s
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	148	317
Spine Acceleration	31 G’s	49 G’s
Hip Force	299 lbs.	303 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	439	542
Hip Force	591 lbs.	828 lbs.

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

Warranty

There are over 4 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Murano’s warranty.

Reliability

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

Engine

The Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 66 more horsepower (260 vs. 194) and 41 lbs.-ft. more torque (240 vs. 199) than the NX 300h’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 25 more horsepower (260 vs. 235) than the NX 300’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Murano is faster than the NX 300h :

	Murano	NX Series
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	8.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.6 sec	16.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.8 MPH	84.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Murano uses regular unleaded gasoline. The NX 300 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Murano has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the NX Series Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (19 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Murano has 3.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the NX Series’ standard fuel tank (19 vs. 15.9 gallons).

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 NX Series are solid, not vented.

The Murano stops much shorter than the NX Series:

	Murano	NX Series
70 to 0 MPH	175 feet	183 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Murano has larger tires than the NX Series (235/65R18 vs. 225/65R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Murano S/SV has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the NX Series. The Murano Midnight/SL/Platinum’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels optional on the NX Series.

The Murano has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The NX Series doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Murano’s wheelbase is 6.5 inches longer than on the NX Series (111.2 inches vs. 104.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Murano is 2.6 inches wider in the front and 2.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the NX Series.

The Murano Platinum AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the NX 300 F Sport AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Murano has a greater minimum ground clearance than the NX 300h (6.9 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Murano to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The design of the Nissan Murano amounts to more than styling. The Murano has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .31 Cd. That is lower than the NX Series (.34) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Murano get better fuel mileage.

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 NX Series doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Murano Platinum AWD is quieter than the NX 300 F Sport AWD (66 vs. 69 dB).

Passenger Space

The Murano has 36.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the NX Series (108.1 vs. 71.6).

The Murano has 1.7 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front hip room, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear headroom, 2.6 inches more rear legroom, 1.3 inches more rear hip room and 3.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the NX Series.

The front step up height for the Murano is 2.3 inches lower than the NX Series (15.8” vs. 18.1”). The Murano’s rear step up height is 2.9 inches lower than the NX Series’ (15.1” vs. 18”).

Cargo Capacity

The Murano has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the NX Series with its rear seat up (32.1 vs. 17.7 cubic feet). The Murano has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the NX Series with its rear seat folded (67 vs. 54.6 cubic feet).

The Murano’s cargo area is larger than the NX Series’ in almost every dimension:

	Murano	NX Series
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	37”/74.4”	36”/71.5”
Max Width	54”	53”
Min Width	43”	44.3”
Height	33.7”	27”

Towing

The Murano’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the NX Series’ (1500 vs. 0 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Murano’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The NX Series’ power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Murano’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The NX Series’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Both the Murano and the NX Series offer available heated front seats. The Murano SL/Platinum also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the NX Series.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Nissan Murano offers an available wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The NX Series doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Murano is less expensive to operate than the NX Series because it costs $736 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Murano than the NX Series, including $37 less for a water pump, $208 less for a muffler, $80 less for a starter, $165 less for fuel injection and $430 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Murano and the Lexus NX Series, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Nissan Murano outsold the Lexus NX Series by 2471 units during 2020.