Compare the2023 BMW X6VS 2023 Nissan Murano

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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The X6’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Murano doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The X6 has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Murano doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the X6. But it costs extra on the Murano.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the X6’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Murano doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the X6 and the Murano have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and available around view monitors.

The BMW X6 weighs 690 to 1250 pounds more than the Nissan Murano. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

The X6 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Murano’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The X6’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Murano’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X6 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Murano.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Nissan is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 1 place higher in reliability than Nissan.

Engine

The X6’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 75 more horsepower (335 vs. 260) and 91 lbs.-ft. more torque (331 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The X6 M50i’s standard 4.4 turbo V8 produces 263 more horsepower (523 vs. 260) and 313 lbs.-ft. more torque (553 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the BMW X6 is faster than the Nissan Murano:

	X6 6 cyl. hybrid gas	X6 M50i	Murano
Zero to 60 MPH	5.2 sec	3.3 sec	7.4 sec
Quarter Mile	13.8 sec	11.6 sec	15.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	99.9 MPH	119.5 MPH	91.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Regenerative brakes improve the X6’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Murano doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the X6’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 X6 has 2.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Murano (21.9 vs. 19 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The X6’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Murano doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the X6’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Murano:

	X6	X6 M Sport	Murano
Front Rotors	13.7 inches	15.6 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.6 inches	14.6 inches	12.1 inches

The X6 stops much shorter than the Murano:

	X6	Murano
60 to 0 MPH	102 feet	115 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the X6 has larger standard tires than the Murano (275/45R20 vs. 235/65R18). The X6’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Murano (F:275/40R21 & R:315/35R21 vs. 235/65R18).

The X6’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Murano S/SV’s standard 65 series tires. The X6’s optional 275/35R22 front and 315/30R22 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the Murano Midnight/SL/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X6 has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Murano S/SV. The X6’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Murano Midnight/SL/Platinum.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the X6 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Murano doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The X6 M50i offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Murano doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The X6 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Nissan doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Murano.

The X6 has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Murano’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The X6 has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Murano doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the X6’s wheelbase is 5.9 inches longer than on the Murano (117.1 inches vs. 111.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the X6 is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Murano.

The X6’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.8% to 49.2%) than the Murano’s (58.8% to 41.2%). This gives the X6 more stable handling and braking.

The X6 M50i handles at .97 G’s, while the Murano Platinum AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The X6 M50i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3.7 seconds quicker than the Murano Platinum AWD (24.1 seconds @ .83 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the X6 xDrive40i has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Murano (8.1 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the X6 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The X6 Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 2.8 inches higher than on the Murano (9.7 vs. 6.9 inches).

Towing

The X6’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Murano’s (5952 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Nissan Murano is only 1500 pounds. The X6 offers up to a 7200 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the X6 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Murano. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Nissan. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 17% lower rating, Nissan is ranked 18th.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Murano SL/Platinum, the X6 M50i has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The X6 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Murano doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The X6’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 X6 and the Murano have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the X6 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 X6’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Murano’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The X6’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Murano’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Murano SV/Midnight/SL/Platinum’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the X6 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Murano doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the X6 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Murano doesn’t offer cornering lights. The X6 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the X6 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Murano doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The X6’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 X6’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 X6 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Murano.

The X6’s optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Murano doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the X6 owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the X6 with a number “1” insurance rate while the Murano is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

The X6 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the X6 will retain 48.14% of its original price after five years, while the Murano only retains 46.1% to 47.26%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the X6 is less expensive to operate than the Murano because typical repairs cost less on the X6 than the Murano, including $72 less for a timing belt/chain.