Nissan completely overhauled its Murano midsize crossover for 2015. This vehicle gains a host of improvements both inside and out.
It seems that car-based utility vehicles keep gaining in popularity. Automakers across the spectrum from high-volume brands to luxury marques keep offering more and more of them. But just because there’s new competition doesn’t mean some longstanding nameplates are wasting away.
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Nissan’s Murano has been around for more than a decade. The first generation hit the market in 2003 (has it really been that long?). At that time it was a pacesetter, leading the automotive industry’s soon-to-take-off crossover trend.
Keeping it relevant the company has introduced an all-new version for 2015 and I recently took it for a quick spin. Here are my impressions.
The first thing anyone will notice about the new Murano is its exterior styling. It is dramatically designed! From day one this nameplate has always been fashion-forward, pushing the boundaries of what a utility vehicle can look like, and the 2015 iteration continues this tradition.
Now in its third generation the Murano has an unmistakable front end, flowing character lines along its flanks and a C-pillar that’s unlike anything else in the business. Chances are you’ll either love or hate this vehicle’s looks, but either way you will have an opinion about it.
And that polarizing, almost theatrical feel continues inside. The Murano’s cockpit is a little more restrained than its bodacious exterior, if only just. The dashboard swoops across the car, featuring both concave and convex forms. The center stack bulges out a little and the middle air vents are pushed back to a slightly different plane. There’s a lot going on here but it all seems to work.
The vehicle’s controls are mostly straightforward and a snap to find, falling right to hand. The gauges are big and easy to read at a glance and even the materials quality seems pretty high. Nissan’s NASA-inspired “zero-gravity seats” are impressively comfortable; they have a soft feel yet offer great support.
The Murano’s front perches are comfy cozy and so are its accommodations for rear-seat riders. The back bench is spacious and suitably cushy, with a nice flat floor, which is great for both feet and cargo should you need to haul people or inanimate objects.
As for cargo space, this crossover serves up just shy of 70 cubic feet with the second-row folded flat. That’s a tiny bit less that the maximum volume offered by its arch nemesis, the Ford Edge, which, conveniently, was also totally overhauled for 2015. Do I smell a comparison test in the works?
Power is provided by Nissan’s venerable VQ35 V6, a stalwart engine that used to be the industry standard. It still works well, delivering decent refinement and responsiveness, though it’s no longer class leading.
In the new Murano horsepower is rated at 260 while torque peaks at 240 lb-ft. This engine pulls with decent verve, though the party doesn’t really start until she’s spinning north of 3,000 RPM.
The company’s latest Xtronic CVT routs power to either the front wheels or all four corners. As continuously variable transmissions go this one is surprisingly agreeable, making the most of the engine’s output while simultaneously maximizing efficiency. It can even simulate traditional stepped gear ratios to avoid droning, a all-too-common — and annoying — attribute of CVTs.
This transmission is also a boon for fuel economy. The Murano I tested stickered at 21 MPG city and 28 highway. Combined it should average 24 MPG. That’s impressive for a tall vehicle that weighs more than two tons.
The range-topping all-wheel-drive Platinum model I evaluated cost $43,995 including $885 in shipping fees. Given this trim level’s lofty starting price, which is north of 40 grand, there were only two options that increased its sticker. One was the technology package ($2,260), which adds things like a panoramic moonroof as well as intelligent cruise control; the other was floor mats and a cargo area protector ($210).
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Now, if a top-of-the line model is too rich for your blood you can always opt for a more sensible version. Base price for and entry-level S model a whisker more than $30,000 including destination. At that level you still get a generous amount of premium features including things like push-button start, a display screen in the instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control and more. And let’s not forget, its polarizing exterior design comes standard.
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