Compare the2023 Nissan MuranoVS 2022 Tesla Model X

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
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 Model X doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Model X 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 Model X 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 Model X 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’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model X doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Murano Platinum has standard NissanConnect Services, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model X doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Murano and the Model X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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, driver alert monitors 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 Tesla Model X:

	Murano	Model X
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	25%	26%
Neck Stress	124 lbs.	135 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 Tesla Model X:

	Murano	Model X
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	101	101
Abdominal Force	102 lbs.	157 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	299 lbs.	425 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	591 lbs.	625 lbs.

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

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 Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 89 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Model X has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

There are over 7 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Murano’s warranty.

Reliability

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 72 points higher than the Model X.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Murano first among midsize suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Model X isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 59 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 12 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

Tires and Wheels

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 Model X doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Murano has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Model X; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Murano’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Model X’s (38.7 feet vs. 40.8 feet).

Chassis

The Nissan Murano may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1250 to 1300 pounds less than the Tesla Model X.

The Murano is 6.3 inches shorter than the Model X, making the Murano easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

The Murano has a much larger cargo volume than the Model X with its rear seat up (32.1 vs. 15 cubic feet).

The Murano’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Model X 6-Passenger doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Murano’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Model X doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Murano’s liftgate can be opened just by waving your foot, leaving your hands completely free. The Model X doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Murano to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes and tire rotation based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model X.

Ergonomics

The Murano’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model X has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

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 Model X’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Murano has a standard rear wiper. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Murano’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model X doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Murano has standard extendable sun visors. The Model X doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Murano has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Model X doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

Model Availability

The Murano is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Model X doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Murano is less expensive to operate than the Model X because typical repairs cost much less on the Murano than the Model X, including $552 less for a water pump, $22 less for front brake pads, $2 less for front struts and $231 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Nissan Murano, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Murano first among midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Model X isn’t in the top three.

The Nissan Murano outsold the Tesla Model X by over two to one during the 2021 model year.

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