Is the Chevrolet Equinox more reliable than the Nissan Murano?

No. The Murano has a clear edge. It has far fewer recalls, 5 against 32, and a lower chance that a repair is major, at 14% against 18%. The Equinox does need fewer unscheduled shop visits each year. Both models hold a good reliability standing overall.

Which has more recalls, the Equinox or the Murano?

The Equinox has far more. Federal recall records show 32 recalls across its 9 model years, compared with 5 across 8 model years for the Murano. That is the biggest single gap between the two and the main reason the Murano comes out ahead.

Which costs less to repair, the Equinox or the Murano?

The Murano costs slightly less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $507 a year for it and $537 for the Equinox, about $150 apart over five years. The Murano goes to the shop more often, at 0.5 unscheduled visits a year against 0.3.

What is the most common Equinox problem?

Brakes lead the complaints, with 248 reports, 24 of them crash-linked. Owners describe the pedal sinking to the floor and sharply reduced stopping power. Fuel system trouble is also serious. Drivers report sudden power loss at highway speed, which dealers often blame on the high-pressure fuel pump.

What goes wrong most often on the Nissan Murano?

Forward collision avoidance leads, with 21 of its 134 complaints. The warning light comes on, the system shuts itself off, and adaptive cruise control stops working until the car is restarted. The warning then returns. Reports describe an intermittent fault, with no crash or false braking in them.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Chevrolet Equinox vs Nissan Murano: Reliability Compared

Chevrolet Equinox

Good

More Reliable

Nissan Murano

Good

The Nissan Murano comes out ahead of the Chevrolet Equinox on reliability, with a clear edge. Recalls decide it: the Murano has 5 across its model years, while the Equinox has 32. Both are rated good, but the Equinox also has more serious brake and fuel pump complaints.

How Do the Chevrolet Equinox and Nissan Murano Generations Compare?

Most used shoppers will land in third-generation cars, since that covers the 2018 to 2024 model years for both. The Equinox third generation ran 2018 to 2024, with a refresh in 2022. The Murano third generation began earlier, in 2015, ran through 2024, and got minor updates in 2020. Both models started a fourth generation with the 2025 model year. Those newest cars have had little time to collect complaints, so a clean record says little yet. The Murano's 2025 year is already among its weakest, which is a reason for caution with the redesign. Third-generation cars have the longest track record.

Verdict

The Nissan Murano is more reliable than the Chevrolet Equinox, scoring 79/100 vs 73/100.

A clear edge goes to the Murano. Federal recall records show far fewer recalls for it than for the Equinox, and independent repair-cost data gives it a lower yearly bill and a lower chance that a repair is major. The Equinox does make fewer unscheduled shop visits, and both hold a good standing. Even so, the Equinox carries heavier safety complaints, so the Murano is the safer bet.

Key Differences

1Nissan Murano costs $30 less per year to repair
2Nissan Murano has 27 fewer total recalls
3Nissan Murano scores 6 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

1Chevrolet Equinox

—

4Nissan Murano

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Chevrolet Equinox vs Nissan Murano: Which Is More Reliable?

Chevrolet Equinox vs Nissan Murano at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Chevrolet Equinox	Nissan Murano
Reliability Score	73/100	79/100
Years Tracked	9	8
Total Recalls	32	5
Total ComplaintsRaw count — varies with sales volume	1623	134
Annual Repair Cost	$537/yr	$507/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.5/yr
Major Repair Risk	18%	14%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	0 (1 tied)	7 (1 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Chevrolet Equinox and Nissan Murano?

Safety-critical failures dominate the Equinox complaints. Brake pedals sink to the floor, with 24 crash-linked reports. Fuel pumps trigger "Engine Power Reduced" and limp mode at highway speed. Electrical faults include shutdowns while driving, and dash glare on the windshield draws near-miss stories. Crash-linked fuel and electrical reports appear only on the Equinox. The Murano has far fewer complaints. Its most common one is a forward collision warning that keeps switching itself off. Its brake, power train and air bag reports are serious but rare, including a lurch after shifting into Drive and a passenger air bag that turns itself off.

Chevrolet Equinox vs Nissan Murano common problem areas comparison
Component	Chevrolet Equinox	Nissan Murano
SERVICE BRAKES	248	9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	198	8
POWER TRAIN	168	6
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	131	24
VISIBILITY/WIPER	143	4
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	133	—
ENGINE	122	—
STEERING	63	4
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	34	21
AIR BAGS	32	5
FUEL SYSTEM	33	—
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	18	4
WHEELS	16	—
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	12	4
STRUCTURE	10	—
VISIBILITY	9	—
SEAT BELTS	4	2
TIRES	3	—
SUSPENSION	—	2
EQUIPMENT	—	2
LANE DEPARTURE	—	2

Raw complaint counts aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports. Counts vary with sales volume.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Chevrolet Equinox or Nissan Murano?

Running costs favor the Murano, though not by much. Independent repair-cost data estimates $507 a year for it and $537 for the Equinox, a gap of about $150 over five years. The Equinox needs fewer unscheduled shop visits, at 0.3 a year against 0.5. When a repair does happen, the Equinox is more likely to be major, at 18% against 14%.

How Does Chevrolet Equinox vs Nissan Murano Reliability Compare by Year?

Chevrolet Equinox vs Nissan Murano year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Chevrolet Equinox	Nissan Murano	Edge
2026	82/1000R / 0C	82/1000R / 1C	Tie
2025	72/1005R / 288C	74/1002R / 14C	Nissan Murano
2023	76/1003R / 70C	82/1000R / 6C	Nissan Murano
2022	71/1005R / 137C	82/1000R / 5C	Nissan Murano
2021	74/1004R / 75C	82/1000R / 14C	Nissan Murano
2020	70/1004R / 255C	74/1002R / 41C	Nissan Murano
2019	71/1004R / 273C	77/1001R / 39C	Nissan Murano
2018	69/1005R / 382C	82/1000R / 14C	Nissan Murano

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Chevrolet Equinox scored 76/100 and the 2023 Nissan Murano scored 82/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Chevrolet Equinox vs the Nissan Murano?

Pick the Murano if you want the lower risk of a surprise. Target 2018 or 2021, its strongest years, and avoid 2025 and 2020. On a test drive, check that the forward collision warning stays off its fault light, since that intermittent shutoff is the most common complaint. Also confirm the passenger air bag light behaves normally. Choose the Equinox if fewer unscheduled shop visits matter more to you and you are willing to inspect closely. The 2023 model year ranks among its strongest. The 2026 year also ranks high, but it has had little time to collect complaints, so do not treat that as proof. Skip 2018 and 2020. Whatever year you pick, ask for brake and fuel pump repair history. Drive it between 35 and 40 mph and listen for vibration. Sit in it in bright sun to see how bad the dash glare is.

Chevrolet Equinox vs Nissan Murano: Common Questions

Is the Chevrolet Equinox more reliable than the Nissan Murano?: No. The Murano has a clear edge. It has far fewer recalls, 5 against 32, and a lower chance that a repair is major, at 14% against 18%. The Equinox does need fewer unscheduled shop visits each year. Both models hold a good reliability standing overall.
Which has more recalls, the Equinox or the Murano?: The Equinox has far more. Federal recall records show 32 recalls across its 9 model years, compared with 5 across 8 model years for the Murano. That is the biggest single gap between the two and the main reason the Murano comes out ahead.
Which costs less to repair, the Equinox or the Murano?: The Murano costs slightly less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $507 a year for it and $537 for the Equinox, about $150 apart over five years. The Murano goes to the shop more often, at 0.5 unscheduled visits a year against 0.3.
What is the most common Equinox problem?: Brakes lead the complaints, with 248 reports, 24 of them crash-linked. Owners describe the pedal sinking to the floor and sharply reduced stopping power. Fuel system trouble is also serious. Drivers report sudden power loss at highway speed, which dealers often blame on the high-pressure fuel pump.
What goes wrong most often on the Nissan Murano?: Forward collision avoidance leads, with 21 of its 134 complaints. The warning light comes on, the system shuts itself off, and adaptive cruise control stops working until the car is restarted. The warning then returns. Reports describe an intermittent fault, with no crash or false braking in them.

More Chevrolet Equinox comparisons

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More Nissan Murano comparisons

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How we score the Chevrolet Equinox and Nissan Murano

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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