Crossovers are booming, as automakers are rushing to build models to fit every buyer’s needs. Despite this boom, two long-running models remain dominant in their respective classes, the compact 2020 Honda CR-V and the midsize 2020 Nissan Murano. How do these two crossovers stack up against one another? Keep reading to find out.
Exterior
The Nissan Murano got its last redesign back in 2015 and has remained mostly unchanged since then. The 2020 Murano boasts a sporty and upscale look with its sleek front engine that boasts the signature boomerang headlights, a swoopy roofline, and a forward-leaning rear hatch. It also features plenty of tasteful chrome trimming and a wide assortment of premium-looking wheels.
The Honda CR-V saw its last overhaul in 2017, and this update brought in a more upscale look that included a more upright front end, a refined grille, wraparound headlights, L-shaped taillights, and more. The CR-V has remained mostly unchanged through the 2020 model year.
In its base trim, the CR-V is nowhere near as premium-looking as the Murano, but its higher trims match it well.
In terms of sizing, the Murano is a small midsize crossover, so it is a good bit larger than the CR-V. It measures 192.8 inches long, 75.4 inches wide, and 67.8 inches tall, which makes it larger by 10 inches in length, 2.4 inches in width, and 1.7 inches in height.
As for standard exterior features, the 2020 Murano is quite upscale for being a non-luxury model. Its base equipment includes 18-inch machine-finished aluminum-alloy wheels, LED headlights with automatic on and off, LED signature lighting, LED taillights, chrome door handles, tinted rear glass, variable-intermittent windshield wipers, and an intermittent rear wiper.
As a more economy-focused crossover, the 2020 Honda CR-V is simpler than the Murano. Its standard exterior features include 17-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, Two-speed intermittent windshield wipers, power mirrors, multireflector halogen headlights with automatic on/off, active grille shutter, a shark-fin antenna, intermittent rear wipers, remote keyless entry, a black rear roofline spoiler, and black door handles.
| Measurement | 2020 Nissan Murano | 2020 Honda CR-V |
| Length (in.) | 192.8 | 182.1 |
| Width (in.) | 75.4 | 73 |
| Height (in.) | 67.8 | 66.1 (FWD)/66.5 (AWD) |
| Wheelbase (in.) | 111.2 | 104.8 (FWD)/104.7 (AWD) |
| Ground Clearance (in.) | 6.9 | 7.8 (FWD)/8.2 (AWD) |
| Curb weight (lbs.) | 3,823-4,129 | 3,337-3,569 |
Advantage: 2020 Nissan Murano
- More premium and sporty looking
- Upscale standard features
- Standard LED lighting
Advantage: 2020 Honda CR-V
- Smaller and easier to manage
- Less polarizing design
- More ground clearance
Interior
The premium look and feel of the Murano’s exterior continues inside. The Murano boasts a shapely and eye-grabbing dash design, a clean HVAC area, sharp gauges, a padded center console lid, and more. Moving into higher trims further boosts its premium look and feel with semi-aniline leather upholstery and diamond-quilted seats.
The CR-V again is a simpler crossover, but its cabin is still quite refined looking with its horizontal lines that make the passenger area feel airier, console-mounted gear shifter, available wood grain, large optional touchscreen infotainment system, and more. As you move further up the trim levels, the CR-V gets close to the Murano’s luxurious look and feel, but can never quite catch it.
As for roominess, buyers may expect the larger Murano to be roomier than the CR-V, but the Murano’s focus on plush materials and luxurious design eats into its roominess. In its front seats, the Murano offers up to 39.9 inches of headroom, 40.5 inches of legroom, 59.5 inches of shoulder room, and 55.4 inches of hip room. While it beats the CR-V in shoulder room and hip room by 1.6 and 0.5 inches, respectively, it is short of the CR-V by 0.2 and 0.8 inches in headroom and legroom.
In the rear seats, the Murano offers respectable room with 39.8 inches of headroom, 38.7 inches of legroom, 58.9 inches of shoulder room, and 55.2 inches of hip room. While this gives the Murano 3.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the CR-V, it comes up short by 0.6 inches in headroom, 1.7 inches in legroom, and 0.4 inches of hip room.
In the cargo area, the 2020 Murano offers more than enough space for most families at up to 32.7 cubic feet with the rear seats upright and 67 cubes with them lowered. While that is loads of space, the CR-V is one of the best small crossovers in cargo hauling with 39.2 cubes with the rear seats upright and 75.8 cubic feet with its rear seats folded.
The 2020 Nissan Murano’s standard interior features meet just about any buyer’s needs. They include dual-zone automatic climate control, rear climate-control vents, push-button ignition, power windows with one-touch up and down front glass, power door locks, remote power front windows, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, illuminated vanity mirrors, stainless steel kick plates, eight cargo-area tie-down hooks and rings, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, a NissanConnect® 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay®. Android Auto™, Siri® Eyes Free, a six-speaker audio system, and much more.
The 2020 Honda CR-V is far simpler in its base setup. Its standard interior features include automatic climate control, power windows with one-touch up/down driver’s glass, power door locks, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a conversation mirror with sunglasses holder, floor mats, rear-seat heater ducts, cargo-area tie-down anchors, cargo-area lights, steering-wheel-mounted controls, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, a 160-watt four-speaker audio system, a 5-inch color infotainment screen, Bluetooth® connectivity with audio streaming, Pandora® compatibility, and a 1.0-amp USB port in the front console.
| Measurement | 2020 Nissan Murano | 2020 Honda CR-V |
| Front headroom (in.) | 39.9 (w/o moonroof)/38.1 (w/ moonroof) | 40.1 (w/o moonroof)/38 (w/ moonroof) |
| Front legroom (in.) | 40.5 | 41.3 |
| Front shoulder room (in.) | 59.5 | 57.9 |
| Front hip room (in.) | 55.4 | 55.1 |
| Rear headroom (in.) | 39.8 (w/o moonroof)/37.8 (w/ moonroof) | 39.2 (w/o moonroof)/39.1 (w/ moonroof) |
| Rear legroom (in.) | 38.7 | 40.4 |
| Rear shoulder room (in.) | 58.9 | 55.6 |
| Rear hip room (in.) | 55.2 | 55.6 |
| Cargo room (cu. ft.) (w/ rear seats upright) | 32.1 (w/o moonroof)/31.1 (w/ moonroof) | 39.2 |
| Cargo room (cu. ft.) (w/ rear seats lowered) | 67 (w/o moonroof)/65 (w/ moonroof) | 75.8 |
Advantage: 2020 Nissan Murano
- Premium looking base cabin
- Available semi-aniline seating
- Premium Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Advantage: 2020 Honda CR-V
- More seating and cargo room
Performance
Under its hood, the Murano boasts a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that cranks out 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. This power heads through a continuously variable transmission and out to the front wheels or all four wheels for a 7.4-second 0-60 time. This midsize crossover can tow up to 1,500 pounds.
The CR-V comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that develops 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. This heads through a CVT and out to the front wheels or all four wheels. The CR-V matches the Murano’s 1,500-pound towing capacity and comes close to its 7.5-second 0-60 time.
As for fuel economy, the Murano delivers 20 mpg city, 28 highway, and 23 combined. Those are respectable numbers, but the CR-V trumps it with up to 28 mpg city, 34 highway, and 30 combined.
| 2020 Nissan Murano | 2020 Honda CR-V | |
| Engine | 3.5-liter V-6 | 1.5-liter turbo 4-cyl |
| Horsepower (hp @ rpm) | 260 @ 6,000 | 190 @ 5,600 |
| Torque (lb-ft @ rpm) | 240 @ 4,400 | 179 @ 2,000-5,000 |
| Transmission | CVT | CVT |
| Driveline | FWD (std)/AWD (opt) | FWD (std)/AWD (opt) |
| Towing capacity | 1,500 lbs. | 1,500 lbs. |
| 0-60 time | 7.4 seconds | 7.5 seconds |
| MPG City | 20 | 28 (FWD)/27 (AWD) |
| MPG Highway | 28 | 34 (FWD)/32 (AWD) |
| MPG Combined | 23 | 30 (FWD)/29 (AWD) |
Advantage: 2020 Nissan Murano
- Potent V-6 engine
- Quicker to 60 mph
- Slick handling and ride
Advantage: 2020 Honda CR-V
- Impressive fuel economy
- Matches Murano’s towing
Pricing and Features
The 2020 Nissan Murano lineup has four trim levels – S, SV, SL, and Platinum – and their starting prices range from $31,530 to $43,730.
There are four trim levels in the 2020 CR-V lines: LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring. Their starting prices range from $25,050 to $33,250.
2020 Nissan Murano Key Features and Pricing by Trim
S: $31,530
- 3.5-liter V-6
- Front-wheel drive
- CVT
- Speed-sensitive power steering
- 18-inch machine-finished aluminum-alloy wheels
- LED headlights with automatic on and off
- LED signature lighting
- LED taillights
- Chrome door handles
- Tinted rear glass
- Variable-intermittent windshield wipers
- Intermittent rear wiper
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Rear climate-control vents
- Push-button ignition
- Cruise control
- Power windows with one-touch up and down front glass
- Power door locks
- Remote power front windows
- Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
- Illuminated vanity mirrors
- Stainless steel kick plates
- Eight cargo-area tie-down hooks and rings
- Six-way manual driver’s seat
- Four-way manual passenger’s seat
- 60/40 split-folding rear seats
- Reclining rear seatbacks
- Cloth seating
- NissanConnect® 8-inch touchscreen
- Six-speaker audio system
- Apple CarPlay®
- Android Auto™
- Voice recognition
- Siri® eyes free
- Hands-free text messaging
- Bluetooth® connectivity with audio streaming
- Six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system
- Two USB-A and two USB-C ports
- SiriusXM®
- Steering-wheel-mounted controls
- Hill-start assist
- Forward-collision warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Rearview camera
- Driver-awareness monitor
- Rear door alert
- Vehicle security system with immobilizer
SV: $35,160
- All S features, plus
- Black roof rails
- Heated mirrors
- Speed-sensing windshield wipers
- HomeLink® universal home remote
- Remote engine start with intelligent climate control
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
- 10-way power driver’s seat with two-way power lumbar
- Four-way power passenger’s seat
- Leather-wrapped shift knob
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Adaptive cruise control
- Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Lane-keep assist
- Rear automatic braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Rear parking sensors
- Automatic high-beam headlights
SL: $39,630
- All SV features, plus
- 20-inch machine-finished aluminum-alloy wheels
- LED fog lights
- Silver roof rails
- Hands-free power liftgate
- Ambient interior lighting
- Heated front seats
- Heated rear outboard seats
- Two-position memory for mirrors and driver’s seat
- Heated steering wheel
- Leather seating
- Cloth-wrapped A-pillar
- Navigation
- SiriusXM® Traffic and Travel Link®
- Bose 11-speaker audio system with a subwoofer
- HD Radio®
- 360-degree camera
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Traffic sign recognition
Platinum: $43,730
- All SL features, plus
- 20-inch Dark Hyper Silver aluminum-alloy wheels
- Dual-panel panoramic sunroof
- Power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
- Heated and cooled front seats
- Steering-wheel position memory
- Semi-aniline leather seating with diamond-quilted inserts
- Smooth-leather-wrapped steering wheel
- NissanConnect Services powered by SiriusXM®
2020 Honda CR-V Key Features and Pricing by Trim
LX: $25,050
- 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine
- CVT
- Front-wheel drive
- Electronic parking brake
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- LED daytime running lights
- Two-speed intermittent windshield wipers
- Power mirrors
- Multireflector halogen headlights with automatic on/off
- Active grille shutter
- Shark-fin antenna
- Intermittent rear wipers
- Remote keyless entry
- Black rear roofline spoiler
- Black door handles
- Automatic climate control
- Power windows with one-touch up/down driver’s glass
- Power door locks
- Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
- Conversation mirror with sunglasses holder
- Map pockets
- Floor mats
- Rear seat heater duct
- Cargo-area tie-down anchors
- Cargo-area lights
- Steering-wheel-mounted controls
- Six-way manual driver’s seat
- 60/40 split-folding rear seats
- 160-watt four-speaker audio system
- 5-inch color infotainment screen
- Bluetooth® connectivity with audio streaming
- Pandora® compatibility
- 1.0-amp USB port in the front console
- Multi-angle rearview camera with static guidelines
- Forward-collision warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Lane-departure warning
- Road-departure mitigation
- Lane-keep assist
- Adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow
- Automatic high-beam headlights
- Automatic brake hold
EX: $27,560
- All LX features, plus
- Remote engine start
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Body-color rear roofline spoiler
- Body-color door handles
- Tinted rear glass
- Power moonroof
- LED fog lights
- Smart Entry With Walk Away Auto Lock®
- Variable-intermittent windshield wipers
- Heated body-color mirrors
- Power mirrors
- Mirror-integrated turn signals
- Keyless ignition
- Retractable cargo cover
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- One-touch up/down front windows
- Heated front seats
- 12-way power driver’s seat with four-way power lumbar
- 1.5-amp USB port in the front console
- 180-watt six-speaker audio system
- 7-inch high-resolution touchscreen
- HondaLink®
- Apple CarPlay®
- Android Auto™
- SiriusXM® radio
- HD Radio™
- Two 2.5-amp second-row USB charging ports
- Multi-angle rearview camera with dynamic guidelines
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic monitor
- Security system
EX-L: $30,050
- All EX Features, plus
- Power liftgate
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Leather-wrapped shift knob
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
- HomeLink® universal home remote
- Two-position driver’s seat memory
- Leather-trimmed seats
- Four-way power passenger’s seat
- 180-watt eight-speaker audio system
Touring: $33,250
- All EX-L features, plus
- 19-inch machine-finished alloy wheels with gray inserts
- Rain-sensing windshield wipers
- Hands-free power liftgate
- LED headlights with automatic on/off
- Roof rails
- Dual chrome exhaust finishers
- Heated steering wheel
- Ambient lighting
- Satellite-linked navigation
- 330-watt nine-speaker audio system with a subwoofer
- Wireless phone charger
- Compass
Who Should Buy the 2020 Nissan Murano?
The 2020 Nissan Murano is an excellent buy for folks who want a premium crossover without stepping into the expensive luxury segment. It is a delicate balance of premium features and lower cost that these buyers need.
Who Should Buy the 2020 Honda CR-V?
Buyers seeking value will find this in the 2020 Honda CR-V. Not only is it significantly cheaper than the Murano, but it also saves big on fuel.
Is the 2020 Nissan Murano the right crossover for your family? Stop by Nissan of Bradenton today serving Bradenton, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and the surrounding area to test drive it. Can’t make it our Bradenton area new-Nissan showroom today to test drive the 2020 Murano? You can also navigate to our online showroom, choose a few in-stock Murano models that suit your needs, then schedule a test drive when it fits in your busy life.
