Nissan Murano vs Volvo XC60

A few years ago, the 2021 Nissan Murano had a cutting-edge design that was almost too far ahead of the curve. By 2021, its L-shaped LED headlights and heavily contoured front end were just par for the course in car design. The interior and dash design had always been a bit more conservative, which was fine for a comfort-optimized SUV meant for commutes and road trips. The restrained cabin styling meant all the controls were right where they should be, minimizing any learning curve.

Trims for the 2021 Murano included S, SV, SL, and Platinum. Standard features on the base S included 18-inch alloy wheels, manual front seats, dual-zone climate control, four USB ports, push-button start, remote keyless entry, satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims added features like power-adjustable front seats, adaptive cruise control, leather upholstery, heated seats, a Bose premium stereo system, and a dual-panel panoramic moonroof.

Volvo made some subtle styling changes for the 2022 XC60. A new front fascia incorporated “air blades,” vertical elements on either side of the grille that gave the XC60 a slightly sportier appearance. A new rear bumper hid the tailpipes, and all models got new wheel designs. A reworked front grille moved sensors for the driver-assist systems behind the Volvo logo, which was also heated to keep those sensors working in cold weather.

The interior remained largely unchanged except for a new digital instrument cluster, maintaining the same clean design with a portrait-oriented touchscreen and minimal excess clutter. The B6 R-Design test car’s aluminum mesh speaker grilles and elaborately textured seats added some flair, but overall the interior seemed a bit subdued compared to other Volvo models. The XC60 Inscription trim level did get Nappa leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The 2021 Nissan Murano offered only one engine: a 3.5-liter V6 that made 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. Power was routed through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or available all-wheel drive (AWD). This V6 provided stout power and terrific low-speed acceleration, making it great off the line and around town. However, the CVT numbed out some of its power at higher speeds, which could be a drawback when trying to overtake someone on the highway.

The Murano had a comfort-first ride but maintained refined driving characteristics that allowed it to take corners evenly while soaking up bumps in the road. These attributes made the Murano an ideal commuter or road trip vehicle. However, its 1,500-pound towing capacity was among the lowest max towing figures of any midsize SUV, with even some compact SUVs offering better towing capabilities.

For the 2022 model year, new B5 and B6 mild-hybrid powertrains replaced the previous T5 and T6 powertrains in the Volvo XC60. Both powertrains combined a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 48-volt electrical system and integrated starter generator, which could add 13 horsepower in short bursts. The B6 powertrain also got an electric supercharger in addition to the turbo.

Volvo quoted total-system outputs of 258 hp and 247 pound-feet of torque for the XC60 B5, and 295 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque for the B6 version. Both powertrains used an eight-speed automatic transmission. The B5 got standard FWD or optional AWD, while the B6 was only available with AWD. The XC60 B5 could do zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds (6.6 seconds with FWD), while the XC60 B6 could get there in 5.9 seconds. The B6 XC60 R-Design impressed with the smoothness of the mild-hybrid system's power delivery.

The XC60 encouraged calm, relaxed driving. While it was decently quick and showed impressive body control in corners, its standout features were its quiet cabin and comfortable ride, enhanced by the optional air suspension. Volvo also offered an XC60 plug-in hybrid with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that was both turbocharged and supercharged, an integrated starter generator, and a rear electric motor that enabled AWD without any mechanical connection to the front wheels. This powertrain bumped output to 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, getting the XC60 from zero to 60 mph in 5 seconds. The XC60 Polestar Engineered added more performance, with output increasing to 415 hp and 494 lb-ft, and a zero to 60 mph time of 4.9 seconds.

The 2021 Nissan Murano had up to 67 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. With the rear seats in use, it provided 32.1 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Other two-row SUVs offered more, such as the Hyundai Santa Fe with up to 72.1 cubic feet and the Honda Passport with up to 100.7 cubic feet. The SL and Platinum trims made up for it with a hands-free power liftgate.

What the Murano lacked in cargo space, it delivered in ease-of-use. From the traditional shifter design to the center console loaded with trays and cubbies, this crossover was designed to accommodate your life and all the little items that come with it. The Murano truly shined in its focus on two rows of seating, offering tons of headroom and legroom in both the front and second rows. The second-row seats even had partial reclining functionality.

None of the 2022 model year changes affected interior space in the Volvo XC60, so it remained competitive within its market segment on passenger space. Front-seat headroom was above average, but the XC60 was tied with the Audi Q5 for worst rear-seat headroom. Legroom in both rows was about average for the segment.

Models with the mild-hybrid powertrains offered 21.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 49.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Plug-in hybrid models lost a bit of cargo capacity, at 21.1 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 49.3 cubic feet with the rear seats down. This meant the XC60 offered less cargo space than most similarly sized luxury crossovers.

The XC60 did offer a commanding driving position with good forward visibility. Despite the somewhat pinched roofline, rear visibility was good as well. Large exterior mirrors also made it easy to drive without being reliant on the XC60’s various driver aids.

The 2021 Nissan Murano came standard with an easy-to-use 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It had a sensible menu layout backed up by hard buttons and dials flanking the screen on either side. It also came standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and those buttons and toggles made it easier to jump in and out of those connected smartphone apps. Available tech features included an 11-speaker Bose premium stereo system and the addition of navigation to the touchscreen infotainment system.

The XC60 got a tech overhaul for the 2022 model year. It still had a 9-inch touchscreen, but it now ran the Android Automotive operating system. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster was included, along with Bluetooth and a built-in WiFi hotspot. A head-up display and upgraded audio systems from Harman Kardon or Bowers & Wilkins were also available.

The new operating system meant Android-specific features were now baked into the infotainment system. Voice control was provided by Google Assistant, while navigation was provided by Google Maps. Android users could also sync their profiles with the car, and the Google Play Store provided access to third-party apps like Spotify. The new system also enabled over-the-air (OTA) software updates.

You didn’t have to have an Android phone to use this infotainment system; Volvo promised full iPhone compatibility as well. However, you wouldn’t get the added functionality of syncing your Google profile to the car. The system’s graphics were well-liked, but since everything defaulted to a Google-based design, Apple users might have other opinions. The infotainment redesign also brought a new layout, with sideways swiping to access individual menus, which was found to be a sensible way to make the most of the available screen space.

The digital instrument cluster could display a map between the speedometer and tachometer, but Volvo also included a “Calm” setting that removed the map to minimize distraction.

The 2021 Nissan Murano came with a host of standard driver assistance features as part of Nissan Safety Shield 360. It was highlighted by reverse automatic emergency braking, which was newly standard for 2021. Other new standard safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams. These features joined previously standard driver assistance features such as forward automatic emergency braking (with pedestrian detection), forward collision warning, and driver drowsiness monitoring. Additional features like a surround-view parking monitor, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and front-and-rear parking sensors were available at an extra cost.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) hadn’t released crash-test ratings for the 2022 XC60, but the similar 2021 model received the organization’s highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hadn’t published safety ratings for the 2022 XC60 either, but the 2021 model received a five-star overall rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests, and four stars in rollover crash tests.

Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, automatic post-collision braking, a driver-attention monitor, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert. New for 2022 were a Ready to Drive Notification (which told the driver when vehicles ahead were pulling away from a stop) and Emergency Stop Assist, designed to automatically stop the car in its lane if the driver was incapacitated.

Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver-assistance system was also available as part of an option package. This combined adaptive cruise control and automated lane centering into one system that could help the driver maintain position on highways. While Pilot Assist worked fairly well, it was no longer a standout feature as most competitors now had their own versions.