Compare the2023 Land Rover Range Rover VelarVS 2023 Nissan Murano

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Land Rover Range Rover Velar 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.

Both the Range Rover Velar and Murano have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Range Rover Velar has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Murano’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

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

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

Both the Range Rover Velar and the Murano have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and driver alert monitors.

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

The battery on the Range Rover Velar is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Range Rover Velar’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Murano’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

The Range Rover Velar P250’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 29 lbs.-ft. more torque (269 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Range Rover Velar P340’s standard 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid produces 75 more horsepower (335 vs. 260) and 114 lbs.-ft. more torque (354 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Range Rover Velar HST P400’s standard 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid produces 135 more horsepower (395 vs. 260) and 165 lbs.-ft. more torque (405 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Range Rover Velar P250 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Nissan Murano:

	Range Rover Velar	Murano
Zero to 30 MPH	2.4 sec	3.1 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	7.5 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	15.8 sec
Top Speed	135 MPH	119 MPH

Regenerative brakes improve the Range Rover Velar’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 Range Rover Velar’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 Range Rover Velar has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Murano (21.7 vs. 19 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

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

	Range Rover Velar	Murano
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	12.8 inches	12.1 inches

For better traction, the Range Rover Velar has larger standard tires than the Murano (255/50R20 vs. 235/65R18). The Range Rover Velar’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Murano (265/45R21 vs. 235/65R18).

The Range Rover Velar’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Murano S/SV’s standard 65 series tires. The Range Rover Velar’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Murano Midnight/SL/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Range Rover Velar has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Murano S/SV. The Range Rover Velar’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Murano Midnight/SL/Platinum.

The Range Rover Velar 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 Range Rover Velar 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 Range Rover Velar offers an optional continuously variable suspension system. Using sensors on steering angle, speed and other driver inputs, the shocks soften to improve ride, or stiffen when appropriate to aid handling on tricky roads or off-road. The Murano’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Range Rover Velar has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Range Rover Velar’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Murano doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Range Rover Velar’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the Murano (113.1 inches vs. 111.2 inches).

The Range Rover Velar’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.1% to 49.9%) than the Murano’s (58.8% to 41.2%). This gives the Range Rover Velar more stable handling and braking.

The Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic S handles at .84 G’s, while the Murano Platinum AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic S executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Murano Platinum AWD (26.2 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Range Rover Velar has a 1.5 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Murano (8.4 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the Range Rover Velar to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Range Rover Velar w/Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 3 inches higher than on the Murano (9.9 vs. 6.9 inches).

The Range Rover Velar is 3.9 inches shorter than the Murano, making the Range Rover Velar easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Range Rover Velar’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Murano’s (5291 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Nissan Murano is only 1500 pounds. The Range Rover Velar offers up to a 5511 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the Range Rover Velar uses the Dynamic 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 Range Rover Velar 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 Range Rover Velar 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.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Murano SL/Platinum, the Range Rover Velar has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Range Rover Velar 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 Range Rover Velar’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 Range Rover Velar and the Murano have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Range Rover Velar 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 Range Rover Velar’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 Range Rover Velar’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 optional on the Range Rover Velar 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.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Range Rover Velar offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Murano doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Range Rover Velar’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 Range Rover Velar’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.