Compare the2023 Chevrolet BlazerVS 2023 Nissan Murano

For enhanced safety, the front shoulder belts of the Chevrolet Blazer are height-adjustable, and the rear seat shoulder belts have child comfort guides to move the belt to properly fit children. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages children to buckle up. The Nissan Murano has only front height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Blazer and the Murano have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee 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, available all wheel drive, 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 Blazer 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 Blazer is safer than the Nissan Murano:

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

The Blazer’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 Blazer’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Blazer has a standard 170-amp alternator (155-amp - Blazer V6 FWD). The Murano’s 130-amp alternator 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.

The Blazer’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 18 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Blazer’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 48 more horsepower (308 vs. 260) and 30 lbs.-ft. more torque (270 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Chevrolet Blazer V6 is faster than the Nissan Murano:

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

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Blazer’s fuel efficiency. The Murano doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Blazer’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 Blazer AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Murano (21.7 vs. 19 gallons).

The Blazer 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 Blazer higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Nissan Murano (5). This means the Blazer produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Murano every 15,000 miles.

The Blazer stops much shorter than the Murano:

For better traction, the Blazer RS/Premier’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Murano (265/45R21 vs. 235/65R18).

The Blazer RS/Premier’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Murano Midnight/SL/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Blazer RS/Premier offers optional 21-inch wheels. The Murano’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Chevrolet Blazer’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Nissan Murano only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Blazer’s wheelbase is 1.5 inches longer than on the Murano (112.7 inches vs. 111.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Blazer is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than on the Murano.

The Blazer RS 4x4 handles at .87 G’s, while the Murano Platinum AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Blazer RS 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Murano Platinum AWD (27.1 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Blazer LT has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Murano (7.5 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the Blazer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Blazer RS/Premier’s minimum ground clearance is .7 inch higher than on the Murano (7.6 vs. 6.9 inches).

The Blazer 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.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Blazer RS 4x4 is quieter than the Murano Platinum AWD:

The Blazer has .5 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front hip room and .9 inches more rear legroom than the Murano.

Maximum trailer towing in the Nissan Murano is limited to 1500 pounds. The Blazer offers up to a 4500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Blazer 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 Blazer can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Murano can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Blazer 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 Blazer’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 Blazer’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 Blazer and the Murano have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Blazer 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 Blazer’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 Blazer LT/RS/Premier’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 Blazer’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 Blazer’s optional 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 Blazer 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.

Insurance will cost less for the Blazer owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Blazer 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 Blazer is less expensive to operate than the Murano because typical repairs cost less on the Blazer than the Murano, including $24 less for a water pump, $13 less for a muffler, $117 less for a starter, $121 less for fuel injection, $98 less for a fuel pump and $126 less for front struts.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Blazer will be $347 to $428 less than for the Nissan Murano.

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

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its April 2019 issue and they ranked the Chevrolet Blazer RS 4x4 two places higher than the Nissan Murano Platinum AWD.

The Chevrolet Blazer outsold the Nissan Murano by 40% during the 2021 model year.