Compare the2026 Nissan MuranoVS 2026 Honda Passport

The Murano Platinum offers an optional 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 Passport doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Murano and the Passport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, 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 and available around view monitors.

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 Passport has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Murano for 1 year and 12000 miles longer than Honda pays for maintenance for the Passport (2/24,000 vs. 1/12000).

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 Passport’s camshafts. If the Passport’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 6th.

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

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 Passport are solid, not vented.

The Murano’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Passport’s standard 60 series tires. The Murano Platinum’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Passport’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Murano has standard 20-inch wheels. Only 18-inch wheels are available on the Passport. The Murano Platinum has standard 21-inch wheels.

For better maneuverability, the Murano’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Passport’s (38.1 feet vs. 39 feet).

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

The Murano has .6 inches more front headroom and 3.2 inches more front legroom than the Passport.

The Murano uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Passport uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Murano Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction, incoming text message, infotainment and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Passport doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the Murano and the Passport have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Murano is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Passport prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Murano (except SV) offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Passport.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Murano first among midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Passport isn’t in the top three.