Compare the2023 Dodge DurangoVS 2023 Nissan Murano

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

The Dodge Durango weighs 585 to 1505 pounds more than the Nissan Murano. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 Dodge Durango is safer than the Nissan Murano:

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

The Dodge Durango has a better fatality history. The Durango was involved in fatal accidents at a rate 5.5% lower per vehicle registered than the Murano, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

There are over 2 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Nissan dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Durango’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Durango has a standard 160-amp alternator (180-amp - Durango optional and 220 optional). The Murano’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Durango has a standard 850-amp battery (700 V8). 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 Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 24 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 Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge above average in long-term dependability. With 26 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 Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Dodge 3 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

The Durango’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 33 more horsepower (293 vs. 260) and 20 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Durango’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 35 more horsepower (295 vs. 260) and 20 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Durango’s optional 5.7 V8 produces 100 more horsepower (360 vs. 260) and 150 lbs.-ft. more torque (390 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Dodge Durango V8 is faster than the Nissan Murano:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Durango V8’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 Durango V6’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 Durango has 5.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Murano (24.6 vs. 19 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the Dodge Durango at emission levels ranging from “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) to “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Nissan Murano is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

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

For better traction, the Durango has larger standard tires than the Murano (265/60R18 vs. 235/65R18). The Durango R/T’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Murano (295/45R20 vs. 235/65R18).

The Durango SXT’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 Durango R/T’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Murano Midnight/SL/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Durango 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.

The Durango offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Murano; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

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

The Durango 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.

The Durango offers an optional automatic rear 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 Durango’s wheelbase is 8.6 inches longer than on the Murano (119.8 inches vs. 111.2 inches).

The Durango’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50% to 50%) than the Murano’s (58.8% to 41.2%). This gives the Durango more stable handling and braking.

The Durango R/T 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Murano Platinum AWD (27.4 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Durango has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Murano (8.1 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the Durango to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Durango GT 4x4 is quieter than the Murano Platinum AWD (38 vs. 41 dB).

The Durango has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Murano can only carry 5.

The Durango has 33.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Murano (141.4 vs. 108.1).

The Durango has 1.6 inches more front hip room and .3 inches more rear hip room than the Murano.

The Durango’s cargo area provides more volume than the Murano.

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

The Durango’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Murano’s (6200 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Nissan Murano is only 1500 pounds. The Durango 4x4 offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Durango V8 4WD 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 Durango can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Murano can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Durango uses the Electronic 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.

The engine in the Durango 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.

The Durango 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 Durango’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 power windows standard on both the Durango and the Murano have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Durango 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 Durango’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Murano’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Durango’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. 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.

The Durango’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 Durango’s standard rear view mirror and optional 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 Durango (except SXT) 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 Durango will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Durango will retain 51.72% to 54.97% 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 Durango is less expensive to operate than the Murano because typical repairs cost much less on the Durango than the Murano, including $191 less for a water pump, $95 less for a muffler, $17 less for a starter, $196 less for fuel injection, $87 less for a fuel pump and $336 less for a power steering pump.

The Dodge Durango outsold the Nissan Murano by 80% during the 2022 model year.