The Nissan Motor Corporation has a diverse stable of vehicles. The automaker has vehicles as small as the Kicks and as large as the full-size Armada. However, the Nissan lineup also includes the Pathfinder and the Murano. Both midsize SUVs bring a bit to the table, but they don’t fit in with the automaker’s other vehicles.

Because of this, there is some rumblings that Nissan should discontinue one or both. It might be too early to tell as one of the two will get a facelift soon, but people wonder if it needs both midsize SUVs when neither really jells with the rest of the Nissan catalog.

Here’s a look into what the future of the Nissan Murano and the Nissan Pathfinder might hold.

The strengths of the 2024 Nissan Murano

The Nissan Murano has been around since 2003 and has become more powerful than before. For 2024 this SUV comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that makes 260 horsepower and has a torque of 240 lb-ft. It has front and all-wheel drive configurations and uses a continuously variable transmission.

The 2024 Murano may not be one of the best midsize SUVs for speed, but it’s also not slow. According to some road tests, it takes the Nissan SUV about 7.1 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour. Regarding fuel economy, it averages 20 miles per gallon in the city and 28 MPG on the highway. This isn’t bad for an SUV that uses a V6 engine. However, other options in Nissan’s catalog are more efficient.

The strengths of the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder

The 2024 Nissan Pathfinder has many similarities to the Murano. It also uses a 3.5-liter V6 engine, but it’s a little more powerful as it has a maximum output of 284 horsepower and a torque of 259 lb-ft. The Murano has front and four-wheel drive options and uses a 9-speed automatic instead of a CVT. Like the 2024 Murano, the Pathfinder has multiple trims, but they all have the same powertrain.

The 2024 Pathfinder is a tad bit faster than the Murano. It accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 6.7 seconds. The Pathfinder isn’t too far off regarding fuel economy, as it averages 20 miles per gallon in the city and 25 MPG on the highway.

Again, this isn’t too bad for a V6, but most of the other vehicles from Nissan are more efficient. This is also a solid option for off-roading, especially for those who opt for the Rock Creek trim. This midsize Nissan SUV can tow up to 6,000 pounds.

Sales of the Murano and Pathfinder

Both the Nissan Pathfinder and the Murano have buyers who still believe in them. However, neither is as popular as they once were. For example, the Pathfinder sold 76,149 units in 2005. So far in 2023, it’s sold about 56,443 units. Still, these are decently healthy figures for a vehicle that’s been on the market since the late ’80s.

The Murano has never been as popular as the Pathfinder. According to GoodCarBadCar, the Murano sold about 74,454 units in 2005, which was a few years after its debut. However, as of 2023, it’s only sold 23,307.

Both these SUVs are seeing their popularity decline over the long-term.

New and upcoming generations of Nissan’s midsize SUVs

It’s important to point out that perhaps one of the big reasons the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder is doing so much better than the Murano is that it got a full redesign in 2022. This was the fifth generation of the SUV, and people are still appreciating the new design.

However, the Nissan Murano won’t get a redesign until the 2025 model year, which means buyers might be getting bored with the vehicle’s look. Because of this, it may be too early to say that one needs to go over the other. However, based on the similarities of the two and the higher sales of the Pathfinder, most would probably lean toward getting rid of the Murano.