Compare the2026 Nissan MuranoVS 2025 Lexus UX

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 UX doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

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

The Murano SL/Platinum has a standard Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The UX only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Murano and the UX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear 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, 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 and driver alert monitors.

The Nissan Murano weighs 715 to 931 pounds more than the Lexus UX. 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 UX:

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 UX is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Murano for 1 year and 14,000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the UX (2/24,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 4 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Murano’s warranty.

The Murano’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 45 more horsepower (241 vs. 196) and 108 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 152) than the UX’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Murano is faster than the Lexus UX:

Both the Murano and UX have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Murano has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Murano has 8.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the UX (18.7 vs. 10.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Murano has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The UX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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

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 UX are solid, not vented.

The Murano stops shorter than the UX:

For better traction, the Murano has larger tires than the UX (255/55R20 vs. 225/50R18).

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

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 UX doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Murano offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the UX; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Murano’s wheelbase is 7.3 inches longer than on the UX (111.2 inches vs. 103.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Murano is 5.8 inches wider in the front and 5.7 inches wider in the rear than on the UX.

For greater off-road capability the Murano has a 2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the UX (8.3 vs. 6.3 inches), allowing the Murano to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

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

The Murano has 21.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the UX (112 vs. 90.4).

The Murano has 3.9 inches more front headroom, 2.3 inches more front legroom, 3.1 inches more front hip room, 5.8 inches more front shoulder room, 3.4 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear legroom, 4.6 inches more rear hip room and 5.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the UX.

The Murano has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the UX (32.9 vs. 17.1 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Murano’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The UX doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Murano has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The UX has no towing capacity.

The Murano uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The UX 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 power windows standard on both the Murano and the UX 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 UX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 UX’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

The Murano has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats are only available on the UX Premium/F Sport. The Murano also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the UX.

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 UX.

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) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the UX.

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 UX isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Nissan Murano outsold the Lexus UX by over two to one during 2024.