Nissan Murano vs Toyota Highlander IN

If you're a driver in the Indianapolis, Lawrence, or Speedway, IN, area looking for a sleek and stylish crossover SUV, the 2021 Nissan Murano and 2021 Toyota Highlander are both great options.

To help local drivers understand which model best fits their needs, the team at Andy Mohr Nissan put the Nissan Murano vs. Toyota Highlander head to head in this comparison. Stick around until the end to find out which one comes out on top.

2021 NISSAN MURANO VS TOYOTA HIGHLANDER: DESIGN

Both the Murano and Highlander have designs that'll make you feel special. The Highlander, for example, features a unique front grille that delivers some confidence-inspiring looks on the highway.

The Murano, however, takes this to the next level with its aerodynamic design. This SUV features a signature V-Motion grille accented by the elegant LED Headlights and taillights. These elements work together to give the Murano a sleek, windswept look.

The Highlander, on the other hand, adopts a more classic SUV appearance with a taller and boxier body. It probably won't have the same head-turning power as the Murano.

NISSAN MURANO VS TOYOTA HIGHLANDER: COLOR OPTIONS

When you want to add a bit more style to your ride, it’s nice to have a unique color for your vehicle. With the Nissan Murano available in nine colors and Toyota Highlander available in eight colors, you’ll have plenty of ways to personalize your SUV.

For the Toyota Highlander, you’ll have your choice of blues, reds, grays, and blacks. However, if you choose the Nissan Murano, you’ll have all the classics, plus unique shades like the available Sunset Drift ChromaFlair^® color. This stylish orange color will add a unique look to your vehicle that will really let you stand out on your daily drive.

NISSAN MURANO VS TOYOTA HIGHLANDER: TRANSMISSION OPTIONS

Your transmission is a key part of your vehicle’s performance, and the Toyota Highlander offers a transmission that will let you comfortably accelerate. Drivers will be working with a standard 8-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission.

For an even smoother driving experience, the Nissan Murano is designed with a standard Xtronic CVT^® (Continuously Variable Transmission). This feature is designed to do away with the standard gear system we see in a lot of traditional vehicles by using a belt and pulley system for seamless acceleration.

While the Toyota Highlander offers its own CVT system, it’s only optional with the hybrid trims of this vehicle, so you won’t get to enjoy the same smooth performance of the Nissan Murano.

NISSAN MURANO VS TOYOTA HIGHLANDER: DRIVETRAIN OPTIONS

Nissan Murano AWD If you often need to drive in the snow, all-wheel drive (AWD) may be just what you need. With torque going to all four of your wheels, you’ll have plenty of traction when you’re moving through rough weather. Luckily, both of these SUVs offer the option to upgrade your vehicle with an available AWD system.

With the Nissan Murano, though, you’ll be working with an Intelligent AWD system. This technology offers a blend between AWD and front-wheel drive (FWD). When you’re driving on clear roads, your vehicle will drive in FWD mode. If you start to lose traction or turn a corner, your vehicle will use AWD.

The benefit of this is that if you’re driving on a clear day along the highway, the Nissan Murano can help you save fuel. While the Highlander is available Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD, it doesn’t offer the same blend of FWD and AWD capability that you’ll find in the Murano.

DRIVER COMFORTS

Both SUVs provide many features for a comfortable driving experience. They each have an available panoramic moonroof to flood the cabin with ample sunlight, and plenty of cargo space with 60/40 split-folding rear seats.

For even more convenience, the Nissan Murano offers an available Remote Engine Start System, complete with Intelligent Climate Control. This feature will let you turn on your vehicle without you needing to be in the car. It can also warm itself up, so the cabin is nice and welcoming when you come in.

The Toyota Highlander does offer a similar Smart Key System, however this unfortunately doesn’t include anything like the Intelligent Climate Control of the Murano. Overall, you’ll find that the Toyota Highlander doesn’t provide this same level of technology, so if you’re looking for a vehicle with more comfort and convenience, look to the Nissan Murano.

AUDIO TECHNOLOGY

If you really want to have an exhilarating listening experience when you’re driving, both the Nissan Murano and Toyota Highlander offer premium speaker systems with 11 speakers. This technology will allow you to pick out all the tiny details in your favorite music, so you have a ton of fun on your road trips.

However, the Murano includes dual subwoofers, which will offer a more full-bodied soundscape than what you’ll find in the Highlander. The Murano will feel like a live concert is happening right inside your cabin!

Additionally, only the Murano includes the standard speed-sensitive volume system to counteract the sound of your drive. Once you reach a certain speed, your vehicle will raise the volume, so your music isn’t drowned out by the noise of the road, and you continue to have crystal-clear sound.

ADVANCED SAFETY SYSTEMS

Nissan Murano Safety Both models have technologies that are designed to assist you when driving. These features can help keep you safe and provide you with more confidence when out on the roads.

They each have standard systems that can help you avoid a potential collision with the vehicle in front of you by giving you warnings and even applying the brakes. The 2021 Murano also has additional features not found in the 2021 Toyota Highlander.

With the Nissan Murano, you’ll get standard Intelligent Driver Alertness. By monitoring your driving habits, this intuitive system can detect if you’re driving fatigued or distracted. This is an especially nice feature to have when heading out on longer road trips, since it can alert you when it may be time to pull over and take a quick break.

The Murano will remind you when it’s time to rest and recharge, however the Highlander doesn’t offer a comparable feature at all.

To help you avoid a fender bender when you’re backing up out of a parking space, the Nissan Murano also offers drivers a standard Rear Automatic Braking feature. This technology will bring your vehicle to a stop automatically if your car detects you’re coming too close to another car behind you.

The Highlander offers a similar feature, however it’s only available on higher trim levels.

With standard Rear Door Alert, the Murano will remind you to check your backseat, so you don’t forget to bring everything inside with you when you get home.

The Toyota Highlander comes equipped with its own impressive suite of safety features. However, it doesn’t compare to the many unique technologies built into the Murano.

NISSAN MURANO VS TOYOTA HIGHLANDER: INTERIOR DIMENSIONS

It’s nice to have plenty of room to stretch out in, and these two vehicles offer some solid dimensions:

	Nissan Murano	Toyota Highlander
Rear Head Room	39.8 in	39.4 in
Front Shoulder Room	59.5 in	59 in
Rear Shoulder Room	58.9 in	58.7 in

The Toyota Highlander offers a second-row headroom of 39.4 inches. You’ll also have 59 inches of shoulder room in the first row and 58.7 inches of shoulder room in the second row, making it easy for you to settle in for a long ride.

If you choose the Nissan Murano, you’ll upgrade your second-row headroom with up to 39.8 inches available to you. As for your shoulder room, this SUV provides drivers with up to 59.5 inches in the front row and up to 58.9 inches in the second row. That means more room to spread out, which is bound to come in handy when travelling with friends. No one will be in each other’s space when you’re driving the Murano.

NISSAN MURANO VS TOYOTA HIGHLANDER: EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS

If you need to take your vehicle into the city, you’re going to want to have a compact body to make it easy to park and navigate around traffic. The Toyota Highlander gives drivers an overall length of 194.9 inches, which unfortunately may leave things a little tight when you’re fitting into a parallel parking space.

For a more compact body, you’ll want to choose the Nissan Murano, which provides drivers with an overall length of 192.8 inches. If you’re looking for a vehicle that will make it much easier for you to navigate the city, we think the Nissan Murano may be just what you need.

SHOULD I DRIVE THE NISSAN MURANO OR THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER?

After weighing the 2021 Nissan Murano vs. the Toyota Highlander, the team at Andy Mohr Nissan found that the Murano has a lot to offer Indianapolis, Lawrence, and Speedway, Indiana, drivers.

If you want to see the floating roof, feel the powerful engine, or test the Zero Gravity seats for yourself, go ahead and contact us to schedule your test drive of the 2021 Nissan Murano today.

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