Compare the2023 Lexus RXVS 2023 Nissan Murano

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus RX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Nissan Murano doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The RX has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, 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.

Both the RX and Murano have rear cross-traffic warning, but the RX offers optional Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Murano’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the RX and the Murano have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Lexus RX is much safer than the Murano:

	RX	Murano
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	POOR
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	97	286
Neck Tension	201 lbs.	402 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.67 in	1.65 in
Shoulder Force	178 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.61 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	9 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	90	182
Neck Tension	45 lbs.	89 lbs.
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	112 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the RX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Murano was last a “Top Safety Pick Plus” in 2022 but no longer qualifies.

Warranty

The RX 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.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the RX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Nissan covers the Murano. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Murano ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the RX has a standard 603-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 Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 10 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 Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 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 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Nissan is ranked 15th.

Engine

The RX 350’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 more horsepower (275 vs. 260) and 77 lbs.-ft. more torque (317 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The RX 500h F Sport Performance’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 106 more horsepower (366 vs. 260) and 166 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
RX
	FWD	350 2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	350h 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	37 city/34 hwy
		500h 2.4 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	27 city/28 hwy
		350 2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
Murano
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/28 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/28 hwy

The RX can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for .6 miles. The Murano can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the RX 350h/500h’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 RX’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 (350 only). The Murano doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Brakes and Stopping

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

	RX	RX F Sport/500h	Murano
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	15.7 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.4 inches	13.4 inches	12.1 inches

Tires and Wheels

The RX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Murano S/SV’s standard 65 series tires. The RX’s optional tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Murano Midnight/SL/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RX has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Murano S/SV. The RX’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Murano Midnight/SL/Platinum.

Suspension and Handling

The RX F Sport’s has front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Murano’s suspension doesn’t offer front gas-charged shocks.

The RX offers an available 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.

For better maneuverability, the RX 500h F Sport Performance’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Murano’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the RX 350 has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Murano (8.1 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the RX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The RX 350h’s minimum ground clearance is 1.3 inches higher than on the Murano (8.2 vs. 6.9 inches).

Passenger Space

The RX has .6 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room and .8 inches more rear hip room than the Murano.

Cargo Capacity

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

	RX	Murano
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	40”/76.2”	37”/74.4”
Max Width	55.5”	54”
Min Width	42”	43”
Height	30”	33.7”

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Nissan Murano is limited to 1500 pounds. The RX offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the RX uses the Vehicle Stability Control 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.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Nissan. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 48% lower rating, Nissan is ranked 18th.

Ergonomics

The RX’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 RX offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed 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 RX’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 RX and the Murano have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the RX 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 RX’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 RX’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.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The RX Premium+/Luxury/500h F Sport offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Murano doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the RX Premium+/Luxury/500h F Sport offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Murano doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The RX’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 RX’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 RX Premium/Luxury/F Sport has standard front air conditioned seats and the RX Premium+/Luxury/500h F Sport offers them optionally in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Murano doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The RX 350h/500h offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, 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 RX Premium/Luxury/500h F Sport’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Advanced Park will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Murano doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

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

The Lexus RX outsold the Nissan Murano by over three to one during 2022.

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