Compare the2025 Nissan MuranoVS 2025 Subaru Forester

The Nissan Murano has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Forester doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Murano Platinum has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Forester doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The Murano has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Forester’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Murano has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Forester and its not available on the Base.

Compared to metal, the Murano’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Forester has a metal gas tank.

Both the Murano and the Forester have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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 all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Murano is safer than the Forester:

The Nissan Murano has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” 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 Forester is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Murano for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Nissan will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Forester.

There are over 66 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Murano’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated lower.

The Murano’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 61 more horsepower (241 vs. 180) and 82 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 178) than the Forester’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Murano’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 59 more horsepower (241 vs. 182) and 84 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 176) than the Forester Wilderness’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Murano’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 47 more horsepower (241 vs. 194) than the Forester’s optional 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Murano is faster than the Subaru Forester 4 cyl.:

The Murano has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Forester (18.7 vs. 16.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

The Murano stops shorter than the Forester:

For better traction, the Murano has larger tires than the Forester (255/55R20 vs. 225/60R17). The Murano’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Forester (255/55R20 vs. 235/50R19).

The Murano’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Forester’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Murano has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Forester. The Forester’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The Murano has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Forester doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Murano’s wheelbase is 6.3 inches longer than on the Forester (111.2 inches vs. 104.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Murano is 5.1 inches wider in the front and 5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Forester.

The Murano uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Forester doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Murano has 1 inch more front legroom, 2.2 inches more front hip room, 3.1 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear hip room and 1.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Forester.

The Murano has a much larger cargo volume than the Forester with its rear seat up (32.9 vs. 29.6 cubic feet).

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

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Murano. The Forester doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Murano Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Forester doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Murano has a standard Intelligent Key that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring offers a Keyless Access and Start.

The Murano’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 Forester’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Murano Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The Murano’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring.

Both the Nissan Murano and Subaru Forester offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Murano offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Forester’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The Murano Platinum has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Forester.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Nissan Murano has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. Only the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring offers wireless charging.

The Murano is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Forester doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.