When some people start looking for a new SUV, it can be hard to choose with so many good options. One of the biggest toss-ups is between the 2019 Nissan Murano and 2019 Honda CRV. They are both excellent vehicles, but we are here to find out which one comes out on top.
We have used the information supplied by U.S. News & World Report to find the differences between these vehicles. It is important to look at a variety of things like cargo space, fuel economy, and even the design. Keep reading to learn whether the Nissan Murano or Honda CRV is better!
10 Fuel Economy: Honda CRV
The Honda CRV takes a win in this department as its fuel economy ranges from 25 to 28 mpg in the city and 31 to 34 mpg on the highway, depending on the engine you choose. The Nissan Murano isn't too far behind with 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.
This won't make a huge difference on your wallet unless you upgrade the Honda CRV to a better engine, but otherwise, either vehicle will cost you about the same in gas.
9 Design: Tie
These two vehicles look relatively similar in their design. They both have rounded fronts and similar interior designs. The seats in both cars are described as comfortable with enough space for passengers to move around.
They can both also seat up to 5 people, and you can customize both vehicles' interior design based on your preferences. There really is no true winner here based on these facts, so this probably won't be a deciding factor in your decision with these two vehicles resembling each other so closely in this manner.
8 Infotainment Features: Nissan Murano
The Nissan Murano comes with an 8" touch screen, while the Honda CRV standard size is only 5" which can be hard for some people to see. You can upgrade to a 7" screen, but this does cost extra and counts against Honda in this comparison.
The Murano also includes things like Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and USB ports, while the CRV has all of these things in an additional package. You can even upgrade the Murano's system to Bose speakers, which are better than anything the CRV can offer you.
7 Safety Rating: Honda CRV
We have to choose the Honda CRV because it was named a 2019 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but this doesn't mean the Nissan Murano performed poorly. The Honda CRV had a rating of Good in all of its crash tests, but they did say the headlights were only acceptable.
The Murano was awarded 5 out of 5 stars for its overall safety by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as 5 stars in both frontal and side crash tests. The Murano does have more standard features, but by now it should be clear you have to buy a higher model of the Honda CRV.
6 Handling: Honda CRV
The Honda CRV wins again with its comfort and spunk on the roadway, compared to the dull ride of the Murano. The suspension on the CRV is superior to that of the Murano and it shows when you take it around curves or over bumps in the road, or even across the country.
The Murano bores its drivers with its difficulty to drive straight lines and it leans a considerable amount when performing quick maneuvers. This is the one thing that can make it or break it for some drivers, so be sure to test drive to formulate your own opinion before making a purchase.
5 Engine: Honda CRV
The Honda's upgraded engine option blows the Murano's single available engine out of the water. The Murano's standard engine is better as it is a 3.5-liter V6 with 260-horsepower, but the CRV makes up for their weaker 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 184-horsepower with better ride quality.
You should consider upgrading to the CRV's turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 190-horsepower as it has quicker acceleration and fuel economy. The engine in this vehicle is also noticeably quieter than that of the Nissan Murano, which starts to drone on at higher speeds.
4 Reliability: Tie
The Honda CRV barely surpasses the Nissan Murano with a J.D. Power rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars. The Murano was only able to obtain a score of 3 out of 5 stars, but both are about average. They both have the same exact warranty of a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
There have been no recalls on either vehicle to date, so you don't have to worry about thousands of issues popping up right away. This one really is a tossup, so in this case, it might be better to focus on other qualities rather than this one due to their similarities.
3 Price: Honda CRV
This one might come as a bit of a shock, but the Honda CRV actually costs less than the Nissan Murano. The base model costs $24,350, while their highest model has a starting MSRP of $32,750.
The Nissan Murano, on the other hand, starts at a price of $31,270, and their top model will have you dishing out $43,530. It is obviously better to go with the CRV because even after you pick and choose what options you want to be added to your car, it will probably still cost less than the top model of the Nissan Murano.
2 Optional Features: Honda CRV
The Honda CRV gives the customer better customization options when it comes to their vehicle, while the Nissan Murano chose to add more to their standard features. The CRV gives you more leeway with heated seats and collision mitigation brake system, as well as two engine options.
The biggest upgrade in the Murano is to add Bose speakers, which are nice, but we would have liked to see more from this vehicle in terms of things to increase customer satisfaction.
1 Cargo Space: Honda CRV
The Honda CRV wins this round as it has 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space, and it increases to 75.8 cubic feet when you fold down the rear seats. The Murano comes close with 32.1 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk that increases to 67 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded.
The CRV also features a hands-free liftgate which makes putting heavy or bulky items into the trunk easier as you can just use your foot to open it. Overall, we have to say the Honda CRV would win our vote in this face-off, but at the end of the day, it is up to the driver to decide for themselves.
Winner: The Honda CRV