Compare the2023 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2023 Nissan Murano

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

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

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 Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Nissan Murano:

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

The Equinox’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Murano’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are almost 3 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Nissan dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Equinox’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Equinox has a standard 700-amp battery. The Murano’s 550-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 10th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Nissan is rated below average.

On the EPA test cycle the Equinox gets better mileage than the Murano:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Equinox’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Murano doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Equinox has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Murano doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Equinox higher (7 out of 10) than the Nissan Murano (5). This means the Equinox produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Murano every 15,000 miles.

The Equinox stops much shorter than the Murano:

The Equinox’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Murano Midnight/SL/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

The Equinox’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the Murano’s (58.8% to 41.2%). This gives the Equinox more stable handling and braking.

The Equinox Premier AWD handles at .86 G’s, while the Murano Platinum AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Equinox’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Murano’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Equinox has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Murano (7.9 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the Equinox to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Chevrolet Equinox may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 650 pounds less than the Nissan Murano.

The Equinox is 9.7 inches shorter than the Murano, making the Equinox easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Equinox uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Murano doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Equinox has .1 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom and 1.2 inches more rear legroom than the Murano.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Equinox easier. The Equinox’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.6 inches, while the Murano’s liftover is 30.7 inches.

The Equinox can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Equinox can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Murano can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Equinox uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Murano doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Equinox has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The Murano doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

The Equinox’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Murano does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Equinox’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Murano’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Equinox and the Murano have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Equinox is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Murano prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Equinox’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Murano’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Equinox’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Murano doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its NissanConnect Services can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Equinox’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Murano SV/Midnight/SL/Platinum.

The Equinox Premier’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Murano offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Equinox (except LS) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Murano doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Equinox Premier’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Murano doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the Equinox owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Equinox with a number “8” insurance rate while the Murano is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Equinox is less expensive to operate than the Murano because typical repairs cost much less on the Equinox than the Murano, including $31 less for a water pump, $49 less for a starter, $144 less for front struts, $78 less for a timing belt/chain and $394 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Equinox will be $6003 to $10658 less than for the Nissan Murano.

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

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Nissan Murano by over four to one during the 2021 model year.