Compare the2025 Subaru ForesterVS 2024 Nissan Murano

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Forester 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.

With its standard EyeSight, the Subaru Forester is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Nissan Murano, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

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

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Murano doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the Forester and the Murano have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert 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 Subaru Forester is much safer than the Murano:

The Subaru Forester has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Murano is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Forester has a standard 620-amp battery. The Murano’s 550-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Nissan With 1 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Nissan.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 11 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Forester lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Murano doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Forester’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.

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

The EPA certifies the Subaru Forester as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Nissan Murano is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

The Forester stops shorter than the Murano:

The Forester’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 SV’s standard 65 series tires. The Forester Sport/Touring’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Murano Midnight/SL/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

The Forester’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (57% to 43%) than the Murano’s (58.8% to 41.2%). This gives the Forester more stable handling and braking.

The Forester Sport handles at .82 G’s, while the Murano Platinum AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Forester’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 Forester has a 1.8 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Murano (8.7 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the Forester to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Subaru Forester may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 500 pounds less than the Nissan Murano.

The Forester is 9.5 inches shorter than the Murano, making the Forester easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Forester has 2.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Murano (110.8 vs. 108.1).

The Forester has 1.3 inches more front headroom, 2.8 inches more front legroom and .7 inches more rear legroom than the Murano.

The Forester has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Murano with its rear seat folded (74.4 vs. 67 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Forester easier. The Forester’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.9 inches, while the Murano’s liftover is 30.7 inches.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Forester uses the Vehicle Dynamics 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 Forester 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.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Nissan. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 17% lower rating, Nissan is ranked 16th.

The Forester’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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Forester has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Murano doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Forester to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Murano doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Forester’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 has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Subaru Forester outsold the Nissan Murano by almost five to one during 2023.