Is the Hyundai Tucson more reliable than the Nissan Murano?

No. The Murano has a clear edge on reliability. It has far fewer recalls and fewer complaints, and none of its forward collision or electrical complaints involve crashes. The Tucson's advantage is lower repair cost, but its record of engine failures and stalling is heavier.

Which has more recalls, the Tucson or the Murano?

The Tucson has more. Federal recall records show 23 recalls across 9 Tucson model years, compared with 5 across 8 Murano model years. If you buy a Tucson, confirm that every open recall was completed before purchase.

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

The Tucson costs less. Independent repair-cost data shows about $426 a year for the Tucson and $507 for the Murano. The Tucson also has fewer unscheduled shop visits and a lower chance that a repair is major, at 10% against 14%.

What are the most common Hyundai Tucson problems?

Engine trouble leads the complaints. Owners report oil disappearing between changes, often around 70,000 to 85,000 miles, clogged catalytic converters, and engines that stall or shut off. Limp mode with code P1326 also appears. Forward collision braking with nothing ahead is another serious complaint.

What goes wrong with the Nissan Murano?

Forward collision warning faults top the list. The light comes on, the system shuts off, and adaptive cruise control stops working until a restart. Fewer owners report brake pedals sinking, lurching in Drive, and a passenger airbag that switches off. One report describes a parked car fire.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Hyundai Tucson vs Nissan Murano: Reliability Compared

Hyundai Tucson

Good

More Reliable

Nissan Murano

Good

The Nissan Murano beats the Hyundai Tucson on reliability, with 5 recalls to 23. The Tucson costs less to repair but has more crash-linked complaints. Murano owners also filed far fewer complaints, though no sales data sits behind that count.

How Do the Hyundai Tucson and Nissan Murano Generations Compare?

Most used Muranos you will see belong to the third generation (Z52), which ran from the 2015 to 2024 model years and got minor updates for 2020. The fourth generation (Z53) arrived for 2025. Within the third generation, 2018 and 2021 stand out as strongest, while 2020, the update year, is one of the weakest. The 2025 model is the first of the new generation and also ranks among the weakest, so anyone shopping for a newer car should look closely at its history. A 2021 or a clean 2018 is the safer target.

Verdict

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

Reliability favors the Nissan Murano, and the edge is clear. Federal recall records show 5 recalls across its model years against 23 for the Tucson. Owners also filed far fewer complaints, though the Murano count has no sales data behind it, so it is not a per-car rate. The deciding point is severity: the Tucson has crash-linked complaints for engine, electrical, and forward collision problems, and the Murano has none in those areas. The Murano costs more to keep running, so its edge comes from recalls and serious failures, not price.

Key Differences

1Hyundai Tucson costs $81 less per year to repair
2Nissan Murano has 18 fewer total recalls
3Nissan Murano scores 6 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

3Hyundai Tucson

—

2Nissan Murano

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Hyundai Tucson vs Nissan Murano: Which Is More Reliable?

Hyundai Tucson vs Nissan Murano at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Hyundai Tucson	Nissan Murano
Reliability Score	73/100	79/100
Years Tracked	9	8
Total Recalls	23	5
Total ComplaintsRaw count — varies with sales volume	1838	134
Annual Repair Cost	$426/yr	$507/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.5/yr
Major Repair Risk	10%	14%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	1	7

What Are the Common Problems With the Hyundai Tucson and Nissan Murano?

Crashes tie to more problem areas on the Tucson than on the Murano. Tucson owners report oil vanishing at about a quart every 1,000 miles, clogged catalytic converters, engines that shut off at highway speed, and limp mode with code P1326. The forward collision system can brake hard on the highway with nothing ahead. Engine, electrical, and forward collision complaints all include crashes, and the Murano has no crashes in those areas. Murano reports are fewer and more scattered: a collision warning that keeps disabling itself, a brake pedal that sinks while stopped, a parked car fire, lurching in Drive, and a passenger airbag that switches off.

Hyundai Tucson vs Nissan Murano common problem areas comparison
Component	Hyundai Tucson	Nissan Murano
ENGINE	394	—
POWER TRAIN	260	6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	231	8
SERVICE BRAKES	225	9
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	210	24
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	106	21
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	88	—
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	68	4
AIR BAGS	30	5
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	20	4
STEERING	18	4
STRUCTURE	14	—
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	11	—
VISIBILITY/WIPER	6	4
LANE DEPARTURE	4	2
SUSPENSION	4	2
SEATS	2	—
SEAT BELTS	—	2
EQUIPMENT	—	2

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

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Hyundai Tucson or Nissan Murano?

Lower repair costs belong to the Tucson. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $426 a year against $507 for the Murano, a gap of $81 a year or about $405 over five years. The Murano also needs unscheduled shop visits more often, 0.5 a year against 0.3, and its repairs are more likely to be major, at 14% against 10%. The Tucson's lower costs come with a longer recall and complaint record.

How Does Hyundai Tucson vs Nissan Murano Reliability Compare by Year?

Hyundai Tucson vs Nissan Murano year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Hyundai Tucson	Nissan Murano	Edge
2026	80/1004R / 3C	82/1000R / 1C	Nissan Murano
2025	75/1006R / 251C	74/1002R / 14C	Hyundai Tucson
2023	75/1002R / 142C	82/1000R / 6C	Nissan Murano
2022	66/1003R / 433C	82/1000R / 5C	Nissan Murano
2021	78/1001R / 58C	82/1000R / 14C	Nissan Murano
2020	73/1001R / 153C	74/1002R / 41C	Nissan Murano
2019	68/1001R / 349C	77/1001R / 39C	Nissan Murano
2018	68/1001R / 362C	82/1000R / 14C	Nissan Murano

Best years to cross-shop: The 2021 Hyundai Tucson scored 78/100 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 Hyundai Tucson vs the Nissan Murano?

Pick the Murano if you want the lower risk of a serious failure and a shorter recall history. Target 2018 or 2021, the strongest years. Avoid 2025 and 2020, the weakest. On a test drive, check that the forward collision light stays off, and notice whether the brakes feel normal at a stop, since both are reported complaints. Pick the Tucson if you want lower running costs and can accept a heavier problem record. Its repair bills are lower and shop visits are less frequent. Aim for 2021, one of its strongest years. Avoid 2022 and 2019, the weakest. The 2026 model year is too new to have collected a meaningful complaint record, so do not read it as proof of better quality. Before buying, ask for oil-consumption records and confirm that every open recall has been done. Oil loss often shows up around 70,000 to 85,000 miles, so be wary of cars near that range with no service history. If a Tucson has a flashing check engine light or limp mode history, walk away.

Hyundai Tucson vs Nissan Murano: Common Questions

Is the Hyundai Tucson more reliable than the Nissan Murano?: No. The Murano has a clear edge on reliability. It has far fewer recalls and fewer complaints, and none of its forward collision or electrical complaints involve crashes. The Tucson's advantage is lower repair cost, but its record of engine failures and stalling is heavier.
Which has more recalls, the Tucson or the Murano?: The Tucson has more. Federal recall records show 23 recalls across 9 Tucson model years, compared with 5 across 8 Murano model years. If you buy a Tucson, confirm that every open recall was completed before purchase.
Which costs less to repair, the Tucson or the Murano?: The Tucson costs less. Independent repair-cost data shows about $426 a year for the Tucson and $507 for the Murano. The Tucson also has fewer unscheduled shop visits and a lower chance that a repair is major, at 10% against 14%.
What are the most common Hyundai Tucson problems?: Engine trouble leads the complaints. Owners report oil disappearing between changes, often around 70,000 to 85,000 miles, clogged catalytic converters, and engines that stall or shut off. Limp mode with code P1326 also appears. Forward collision braking with nothing ahead is another serious complaint.
What goes wrong with the Nissan Murano?: Forward collision warning faults top the list. The light comes on, the system shuts off, and adaptive cruise control stops working until a restart. Fewer owners report brake pedals sinking, lurching in Drive, and a passenger airbag that switches off. One report describes a parked car fire.

More Hyundai Tucson comparisons

Hyundai Tucson vs Honda CR-V reliability Hyundai Tucson vs Toyota RAV4 reliability Hyundai Tucson vs Nissan Rogue reliability Hyundai Tucson vs Mazda CX-50 reliability Hyundai Tucson reliability by year Hyundai Tucson years to avoid

More Nissan Murano comparisons

Nissan Murano vs Mazda CX-5 reliability Nissan Murano vs Honda CR-V reliability Nissan Murano vs Jeep Cherokee reliability Nissan Murano vs Toyota RAV4 reliability Nissan Murano reliability by year Nissan Murano years to avoid

Decided between Hyundai Tucson and Nissan Murano? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the Hyundai Tucson 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.

See incorrect data? Report an issue