2011 Nissan Maxima SV vs. 2011 Nissan Murano LE 9.9 Tie Nissan Maxima SV starting from $35,210 Reasons to buy the Nissan Maxima SV Less chance of rolling over during emergency lane change 5 stars Zippy 1/4 mile time 14.7 s s @ 99.0 mph mph Entertainment system Optional Sporty performance 12.3 lb/hp 9.8 Tie Nissan Murano LE starting from $39,110 Reasons to buy the Nissan Murano LE Roof rails Standard Average cargo space 64.5 ft3 Average-sized back seats 47.0 ft3 Has rear spoiler

Entertainment System 9.4 vs 10.0 Winner: Maxima SV [details] Almost the same Practicality 10.0 vs 9.4 Winner: Murano LE [details] Almost the same Room for more than 4.5x more stuff, 64.5 ft3 vs 14.2 ft3 Almost the same, 57.6 ft3 vs 54.9 ft3 Performance 9.6 vs 10.0 Winner: Maxima SV [details] The Maxima SV's power-to-weight ratio is more than 20% better, providing a sportier ride, 12.3 lb/hp vs 15.6 lb/hp More than 10% more powerful, 290 HP @ 6,400 RPM vs 260 HP @ 6,000 RPM The Maxima SV needs around 10% less space to turn, 37.4 ft vs 39.4 ft Cost 10.0 vs 10.0 Too close to call [details] Shorter-lasting basic warranty Shorter basic warranty Safety Features 10.0 vs 10.0 Too close to call [details] Child door locks come standard Luxury Features 10.0 vs 10.0 Too close to call [details] Both come standard with sun roofs Both come standard with leather interiors Both have power seats Road Tests - vs - Missing information [details] Crash Test Ratings 10.0 vs - Missing information [details] Overall 9.8 vs 9.9

Entertainment System

	Nissan Murano LE			Nissan Maxima SV
	Number of speakers	9	vs	9	More speakers
	Has speed sensitive volume	Yes	vs	Yes	Both have speed-sensitive volume
	CD player	Standard	vs	Standard	CD player comes standard
	premium radio	Standard	vs	Standard	Both come standard with satellite radio
	Has auxiliary audio input	Yes	vs	Yes	Both have an audio-in jack so you can plug in your own MP3 player to the stereo
	Has subwoofer	No	vs	No	Neither has a subwoofer; audio won't have that deep thumping bass sound
	entertainment system	Not Available	vs	Optional	It'll cost you to get an entertainment system on the Maxima SV; but it's not available at all on the Murano LE

Practicality

	Nissan Murano LE			Nissan Maxima SV
	Passengers	5	vs	5	Average number of seats
	Highway driving range	499 miles	vs	520 miles	The Maxima SV has good highway range and the Murano LE is reasonable
	Cargo space	64.5 ft3	vs	14.2 ft3	The Murano LE has OK cargo room, while the Maxima SV has very little
	front seats	57.6 ft3	vs	54.9 ft3	Both average size front seats
	folding rear seats	Standard	vs	Standard	Both have a rear seat that folds down for extra storage space
	power outlets	Standard	vs	Standard	Both have power outlets
	roof rails	Standard	vs	Not Available	Need to carry bulky cargo? The Murano LE's standard roof rails are great, meanwhile the Maxima SV cannot be configured with them at any price
	navigation system	Optional	vs	Optional	Both offer an upgrade to a navigation system
	Cupholders	4	vs	6	The Maxima SV has a good number of cupholders, but the Murano LE is just OK
	front air conditioning	Standard	vs	Standard	A/C for hot summer days comes standard

Performance

	Nissan Murano LE			Nissan Maxima SV
	Horsepower	260 HP @ 6,000 RPM	vs	290 HP @ 6,400 RPM	Average power
	Number of gears	Continuously variable	vs	Continuously variable	Fewer gears
	Transmission	Automatic transmission	vs	Automatic transmission	Both offer an automatic transmission, standard for this class
	paddle shifters	Not Available	vs	Not Available	Neither offers paddle shifters
	Air compressor	None	vs	None	Neither has an air compressor for increased power output
	Power-to-weight ratio	15.6 lb/hp	vs	12.3 lb/hp	The Maxima SV is a sporty car, while the Murano LE is just average
	Drivetrain type	two-wheel drive	vs	front-wheel drive	Neither has a good drivetrain for off-road or bad weather driving
	Curb-to-curb turning radius	39.4 ft	vs	37.4 ft	Both cars corner comparably to other vehicles in their class

Cost

	Nissan Murano LE			Nissan Maxima SV
	MSRP	$39,110	vs	$35,210	Both are priced reasonably
	In-city gas mileage	18 mpg	vs	19 mpg	Both get OK mileage in the city
	basic warranty miles	36,000 mile	vs	36,000 mile	Shorter basic warranty
	basic warranty years	3 year	vs	3 year	Shorter-lasting basic warranty

Safety Features

	Nissan Murano LE			Nissan Maxima SV
	antilock brakes	Standard	vs	Standard	Both come standard with ABS brakes
	Stability control system	Yes	vs	Yes	Both have electronic stability control
	Airbags	5	vs	5	OK number of airbags
	Rear brakes	Disc	vs	Disc	Both have the usual brakes for this class of vehicle
	child door locks	Standard	vs	Standard	Child door locks come standard
	Roadside assistance system	None	vs	None

Luxury Features

	Nissan Murano LE			Nissan Maxima SV
	moon roof	Standard	vs	Standard	Both come standard with sun roofs
	power seats	Standard	vs	Standard	Both have power seats
	keyless entry	Standard	vs	Standard	Both have keyless entry
	leather	Standard	vs	Standard	Both come standard with leather interiors

Road Tests

	Nissan Murano LE			Nissan Maxima SV
	0-60 mph	7.6 seconds	vs	6.2 seconds	The Maxima SV has a good 0-60 time, but the Murano LE is just average
	Braking distance at 60mph	136 ft	vs	128 ft	Both have average braking ability for this class of vehicle
	1/4 mile	16.0 s s @ 91.0 mph mph	vs	14.7 s s @ 99.0 mph mph	The Maxima SV's 1/4 mile time is zippy, but the Murano LE's is just OK
	Lateral acceleration	Unknown	vs	Unknown
	Top speed	118 mph	vs	Unknown

Crash Test Ratings

	Nissan Murano LE			Nissan Maxima SV
	Rollover resistance	4 stars	vs	5 stars	The Maxima SV is exceptionally safe; 1.5x safer than the Murano LE
	Front driver crash test	4 stars	vs	Unknown
	Driver side crash test	5 stars	vs	Unknown

Other Vehicles to Consider

Maxima SV vs G37 Journey Maxima SV vs Accord EX-L Maxima SV vs Camry XLE Maxima SV vs Altima 3.5 SR Maxima SV vs 6 i Touring

Murano LE vs CR-V Murano LE vs FX35 Murano LE vs Outback 2.5i Limited Murano LE vs Rogue SV Murano LE vs Forester 2.5X

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