Compare the2025 Nissan MuranoVS 2025 Ford Bronco Sport

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 Bronco Sport 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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Murano and the Bronco Sport 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Nissan Murano weighs 486 to 971 pounds more than the Ford Bronco Sport. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 much safer than the Bronco Sport:

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 Nissan Murano is safer than the Bronco Sport:

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 Bronco Sport is not even 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. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Bronco Sport.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Murano’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Bronco Sport’s camshafts. If the Bronco Sport’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

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 Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Ford With 40 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Ford.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 1 place higher in reliability than Ford.

The Murano’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 60 more horsepower (241 vs. 181) and 70 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 190) than the Bronco Sport’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Murano is faster than the Ford Bronco Sport turbo 3 cyl.:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Murano uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Bronco Sport Badlands requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Murano has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Bronco Sport (18.7 vs. 16 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Nissan Murano, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Bronco Sport.

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

The Murano’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Bronco Sport are solid, not vented.

The Murano stops shorter than the Bronco Sport:

For better traction, the Murano has larger tires than the Bronco Sport (255/55R20 vs. 225/65R17). The Murano’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Bronco Sport (255/55R20 vs. 235/65R17).

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 Bronco Sport’s standard 65 series tires. The Murano’s tires are lower profile than the Bronco Sport’s optional 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 Bronco Sport. The Bronco Sport’s largest wheels are only 18-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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Murano’s wheelbase is 6.1 inches longer than on the Bronco Sport (111.2 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Murano is 3.3 inches wider in the front and 3.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Bronco Sport.

The Murano Platinum AWD handles at .77 G’s, while the Bronco Sport Outer Banks pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Murano Platinum AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Bronco Sport Outer Banks (28 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Murano has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Bronco Sport Base/Big Bend (8.3 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the Murano to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Murano has standard flush composite headlights. The Bronco Sport has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The Murano has 6.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Bronco Sport (112 vs. 105.7).

The Murano has 1.9 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front hip room, 3.5 inches more front shoulder room, 3.5 inches more rear hip room and 2.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Bronco Sport.

The Murano has a larger cargo volume than the Bronco Sport with its rear seat up (32.9 vs. 32.5 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Murano has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the Murano Platinum, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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

When the Murano SL/Platinum is put in reverse, the rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Bronco Sport’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Nissan Murano and Ford Bronco Sport 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 Bronco Sport’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 has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Bronco Sport. The Murano Platinum also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Bronco Sport.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Murano Platinum keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Bronco Sport.

The Murano has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Bronco Sport Outer Banks/Badlands.

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