Nissan Rogue vs Murano

Jul 2, 2021

The 2021 Nissan Murano and Nissan Rogue are two SUVs that are well worth considering if you’re looking for a family-friendly vehicle with lots of exciting hi-tech features. While there are many things about both SUVs that are similar, some important differences exist between these two siblings. Here’s a rundown of the best features of the Rogue and Murano to help you decide which SUV is most suited to your needs.

Engine and Performance

White Nissan Car parked by a curb in a neighborhood

The 2021 Rogue is equipped with a 181-horsepower 2.5-liter four cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission. This setup works well for city driving and also produces good gas mileage. If you opt for the standard front-wheel drive, the Rogue manages an impressive 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway, which are some of the best fuel economy ratings in the compact SUV class.

The Murano comes with a little more power under the hood: a 3.6-liter V-6 engine capable of putting out 260 horsepower. However, the additional power means that the Murano is less efficient when it comes to gas mileage than the Rogue, with average numbers of 20 mpg on city roads and 28 mpg on the highway.

Seating and Cargo Storage

The seating in the Rogue and in the Murano is similar. Each SUV can seat up to five people, and you’ll find plenty of legroom and headroom in the front and rear rows. There are also two complete sets of LATCH connectors in the Rogue and Murano’s rear rows for installing kids’ car seats. Both SUVs are fitted with cloth upholstery in their base setup, but you can add leather upholstery, heated front seats, and many other luxury features in the higher trims.

There’s also little to choose between these two vehicles when it comes to cargo capacity. The Murano has just over 32 cubic feet of storage behind the rear row of seats compared to the Rogues 31.6 cubic feet. However, the Rogue has slightly more storage space overall when the rear row is folded down, with 74.1 cubic feet behind the front row compared to the Murano’s 67 cubic feet. On the other hand, the Murano’s more powerful engine gives it a towing capacity of up to 1,500 pounds, which would allow you to transport more bulky items in a small trailer.

Nissan’s Infotainment System

Both the Rogue and Murano are equipped with an 8-inch infotainment screen in their base setups. They also feature bluetooth Connectivity, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, making it straightforward to access your phone’s apps through your infotainment screen. The Murano possesses a larger stereo with six speakers compared to the Rogue’s four-speaker audio system.

The Rogue offers a larger selection of infotainment upgrades than the Murano, including a 9-inch infotainment screen, wireless device charging, a 10-speaker premium stereo, a navigation system, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. In the Murano, you can upgrade to a navigation system and an 11-speaker audio system.

Driver Assistance Technology

Both Nissan SUVs have an impressive array of standard safety features to keep you safe on the road. These include automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring, and lane departure warning. You also have the option to add a surround-view parking camera in both SUVs. This can come in handy if you’re maneuvering in and out of tight spots.

Rogue vs Murano Trim Levels

Both the 2021 Murano and Rogue are available in four trims: S, SV, SL, and Platinum. You have the option of upgrading to all-wheel drive in every trim at a cost of $1,400 with the Rogue and $1,550 with the Murano.

The Murano S is equipped with a range of helpful features, such as push-button start, remote keyless entry, and a dual-zone automatic climate control. It also features cloth upholstery and 18-inch alloy wheels. In addition to the standard infotainment system, the Rogue S has cloth upholstery and automatic high-beam headlights.

Upgrade to the Rogue SV and you’ll have proximity keyless entry and remote start, as well as a power adjustable driver’s seat. You can also opt for the Premium package at an additional cost of $2,660 to get synthetic leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel, and heated front seats. Meanwhile, the Murano SV adds fog lights and power adjustable front seats.

With the SL trim, the Murano gets leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, 20-inch alloy wheels, and the navigation system. The Rogue SL is also equipped with genuine leather upholstery, a hands-free liftgate, and fog lights.

The range-topping Platinum includes the larger infotainment screen, quilted leather upholstery, heated rear seats, and wireless device charging. In the Murano, the Platinum trim adds a panoramic moonroof, and ventilated front seats.

Price Comparison

Buyers concerned about sticking to a modest budget may be better served by the Rogue, since it has a lower price tag. Both its base trim and higher trims are consistently several thousand dollars below the cost for the Murano.

The base Rogue has a starting retail price of $25,750 compared to the Murano’s $32,510. Step up to the SV trim and you can expect to pay a starting price of $35,640 for the Murano and $27,440 for the Rogue. Moving up to the SL, the Rogue starts at $32,100, while the Murano costs $40,010. Finally, you’ll pay $44,060 for the top-of-the-range Murano Platinum or $35,530 for the Rogue.

We hope that our review of the best features of the 2021 Nissan Rogue and Murano has helped you decide which SUV would most suit your requirements. Essentially, the Rogue provides you with better fuel economy, slightly more storage space, and more extensive infotainment upgrades. On the other hand, the Murano has a stronger engine. Hence it’s capable of towing a heavier load. If you still have questions about the Rogue or Murano, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team of auto experts. Here at Rydell Nissan of Grand Forks, we’re proud to assist customers like you to find the perfect vehicle to meet your needs. Contact Rydell Nissan of Grand Forks today to get the buying process started, or view our online inventory and order your new Nissan delivered to your door.