Compare the2023 Jeep CherokeeVS 2023 Nissan Murano

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

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

Both the Cherokee 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, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras 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 Jeep Cherokee 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 Jeep Cherokee is safer than the Nissan Murano:

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

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cherokee for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 3 oil changes). Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Murano.

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

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

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Cherokee has a standard 700-amp battery. The Murano’s 550-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Nissan With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Jeep higher than Nissan.

The Cherokee Trailhawk’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (270 vs. 260) and 55 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 240) than the Murano’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cherokee Trailhawk 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Nissan Murano:

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

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Cherokee’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 Cherokee 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.

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

For better traction, the Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Murano (245/65R17 vs. 235/65R18).

The Cherokee Trailhawk has a standard 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 Cherokee’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Murano doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Cherokee Altitude LUX executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Murano Platinum AWD (27.1 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Cherokee’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Murano’s (37.7 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The Cherokee Trailhawk’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Murano’s (38.1 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Cherokee has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Murano (7.9 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the Cherokee to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Cherokee Trailhawk’s minimum ground clearance is 1.8 inches higher than on the Murano (8.7 vs. 6.9 inches).

The Cherokee is 9.9 inches shorter than the Murano, making the Cherokee easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Cherokee 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.

The Cherokee has .6 inches more front legroom and 1.6 inches more rear legroom than the Murano.

The Cherokee’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Murano’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Nissan Murano is only 1500 pounds. The Cherokee offers up to a 4000 lbs. towing capacity.

The Cherokee 4x4 with optional equipment 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 Cherokee can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Murano can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Cherokee 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 Cherokee 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 Cherokee’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 Cherokee and the Murano have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Cherokee 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 Cherokee’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 Cherokee’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.

The Cherokee’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 Cherokee has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Murano SL/Platinum.

The Cherokee has a 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 Cherokee’s ParkSense Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Murano doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Cherokee is less expensive to operate than the Murano because it costs $273 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Cherokee than the Murano, including $73 less for a water pump, $244 less for fuel injection and $668 less for a power steering pump.

The Jeep Cherokee outsold the Nissan Murano by 34% during 2022.