MM Full-Review: 2015 Nissan Murano
02-25-15, 06:50 PM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
MM Full-Review: 2015 Nissan Murano
By CL member special-request, a Review of the 2015 Nissan Murano.
http://www.nissanusa.com/crossovers/...card.vlp.image
IN A NUTSHELL: A significant advance over the quirky earlier versions.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9/CX-5 (depending on version), Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Ford Edge/Explorer (depending on version), Dodge Journey, VW Tiguan, Subaru Outback.
OVERVIEW:
The mid-sized Murano crossover-SUV, derived from the Altima sedan's basic platform and drivetrains, was introduced in late 2002 as a 2003 model. It was Nissan's first attempt at a car-based, crossover SUV in the American market......a market that competitors Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi also entered with their Camry/Highlander, Accord/Pilot, and Galant/Endeavor series (the Galant and Endeavor, of course, are now gone). It remained Nissan's sole car-based American-market SUV until the smaller, Sentra-based Rogue was introduced several years later, although the second-generation Nissan Pathfinder converted from a truck-based SUV to crossover car-based, only to convert BACK to body-on-frane at the next redesign.
While styling, of course, is subjective (and I respect other views), the Murano's first and second-generation body-styling was simply not my cup of tea. Neither was the first-generation's EL Cheapo dash and gauge-panel (which was shaped somewhat like the old Mickey-Mouse ears from the 1950s). The first-generation Murano was, unfortunately, introduced at a time when Nissan faced severe (even critical) financial strains and had been bought by the French manufacturer Renault a couple of years previously. For several years, Renault/Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn became noted in the auto industry for his no-nonsense cost-cutting and stark interiors.....indeed, at the time, we had a number of threads/posts and much discussion here in the Car Chat forum about that. The starkness of the Nissan interiors of that era were also shared (but to a less extent, since they were considered more upscale vehicles) by Infiniti's first-generation G35 sedan/coupe, also introduced around that time. Added to those general financial woes was the fact that Nissan also lost a fair amount of money on lease-deals where the depreciation/residual value of their leased-products did not meet the projections the deals were based on.
However, to be fair, while it may not have satisfied some of us at the time, (nor those looking for plushness in Nissan interiors), it has to be noted that Mr. Ghosn's belt-tightening on the Nissan budget eventually did pay off (literally), and, in fact, saved Nissan and Infiniti from bankruptcy. Of course, today, Infiniti has its own share of marketing problems, and has historically trailed Lexus in sales, but that is another whole issue and not part of this review.
The second-generation Murano kept the (IMO) rather quirky exterior body styling, but improved notably inside, as, by then, Nissan's financial condition had improved to the point where they could afford to spend a little more more on their interiors. CVT (Continuously Variable) transmissions were introduced for the first time, as was an unsuccessful two-door convertible version of the Murano platform called the CrossCabriolet. (Suzuki, previously, with its X90, had already tried a similar, though more crude and less-expensive design, and it didn't go anywhere either).
Which, now, brings us to the current, all-new third-generation (2015) Murano...the subject of this review. For 2015, the Murano is offered in four trim lines....S, SV, SL, and Platinum. One engine is offered....the ubiquitous Nissan 3.5L V6, tuned in this case for 260 HP and 240 ft-lbs. of torque. Likewise, one transmission is offered.....the also-ubiquitous CVT. (Nissan, like Subaru, seems to have become more or less wed to CVTs). All four versions offer a choice of FWD or AWD...a good marketing feature, IMO. Base prices run from $29,560 for a FWD S model to $40,600 for an AWD Platinum model. I personally think this new 3rd generation Murano is noticeably nicer, both in and out, than its two predecessors (especially the first-generation model)......read on for the details.
Since this specific review-request, was for a Platinum version, that is what I chose for the review.....a Black AWD Platinum model with Graphite leather interior and the $2260 Platinum Technology Package, listing for the better part of 44K. I figured that most Muranos would be sold with AWD, so it made more sense to test that version instead of FWD. Platinum models are not as readily available in stock right now as lower-priced versions. The dealer says that is because of high demand (more so than lower-line versions)......but, given the Platinum's relatively stiff price, I'm not so sure I believe it.
Although it had no direct bearing on this review, one thing that DID surprise me at this particular Nissan shop was the fact that they had THREE Skyline GT-Rs sitting in the showroom (two brand-new and one CPO). The GT-R is an ultra-high performance coupe that is considered borderline exotic, and many Nissan shops have problems getting hold of even one of them, much less three. I guess that just shows what kind of money this area (D.C. suburbs....which has always been affluent) has to spend on new vehicles....and we are considered the second-largest new-car market in the country, behind SoCal/Los Angeles.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2015 Nissan Murano Platinum AWD
BASE PRICE: $40,600
OPTIONS:
Platinum Technology Package: $2260
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $885 (about average for this size vehicle)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $43,745
DRIVETRAIN: AWD, Transversely-mounted 3.5L V6, 260 HP @ 6000 RPM, Torque 240 Ft-lbs. @ 4400 RPM, CVT (Continuously-Variable-Transmission)
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 21 City / 28 Highway
EXTERIOR COLOR: Magnetic Black
INTERIOR: Graphite Leather
PLUSSES:
Well-proven, reliable V6 engine.
CVT transmission better-behaved than most.
FWD or AWD available on all trim levels.
Generally quiet and refined on the road (but not luxury-car quiet).
Good brake-pedal location for large feet.
Decent brake-pedal response.
Gas struts for the hood.
Easy battery access.
Nice solid-feeling body sheet metal.
Solid-closing doors.
Good Entry/Exit height for many people.
Limited but (IMO) decent exterior-color choice.
Well-done paint jobs.
Lower body-cladding protects from road debris.
Interior trim quality/plushness nicer than before.
Superb, easily-read primary gauges.
Generally comfortable front seats.
Good front and rear headroom, even with sunroof.
Roomy, decently-trimmed cargo area.
Intermittent rear wiper a nice feature.
MINUSES:
Occasionally jumpy throttle from rest.
Relatively slow steering response typical of SUVs.
Somewhat Roly-Poly body lean.
Restricted hood-opening angle.
Tight engine fit and (except for battery) relatively poor access underhood.
No body side moldings for ding-protection.
Only seven exterior colors offered...not much for this class.
Some outside body trim over-plasticized with loose fits.
Some video-screen controls a little complex and unwieldy.
Temporary spare tire.
Rear roofline and styling affects visibility and (some) cargo height room.
(Maybe?) No available cargo-cover.
EXTERIOR:
Walking up to the new Murano for the first time, it looks almost nothing like the former-generation models. It now looks more like the rest of the Nissan SUV family, especially up front with the new front end, headlight, and grille designs. The new front fenders borrow somewhat from the Mazda-humped look. In back, though, the rear roofline droops a little more, and the belt line rises somewhat more, than in in other Nissan SUVs. This, and the design of the C and D-pillars, creates very small rear quarter windows.....more on those later. The body sheet metal and doors generally feel more solid and sturdy than on many other new vehicles (even some quite expensive ones), and the doors shut with a generally nice thunk. The paint jobs seem well done (but not quite to Toyota/Lexus standards), except for the black, which does show some orange peel. I don't know why, but it seems very difficult for many manufacturers today to do a really smooth black paint job without orange peel. Seven paint colors are offered, which is not much for a vehicle in this class, but I did like the burnt (Pacific Sunset) Orange. The twin outside-mirror housings swivell/snap and lock solidly and easily, and, on all trim levels, have nice LED turn-signal indicators in them. A nice strip of black body cladding runs around the entire bottom of the vehicle, including in the wheel wells, to protect from road debris, and a nice tapered chrome strip runs along the lower doors just above the cladding. Most of the outside trim was well-done and solidly-attached, but some of the dark trim along the C/D pillars seemed overly thin and-plasticized, not particularly well attached, and ended to creak when you ran your hand or fingers along it. The Murano seems to sit at more or less good a height off the ground for many people (and especially those my size, about 6" 2") to easily slide right in and out of the front seats....about level with one's butt. This, of course, can be an important consideration for those who dislike or have trouble with either stooping way down to get in and out of low-slung sports cars or up on running-boards getting and in out of high-stance trucks and large SUVs.
UNDERHOOD:
Open up the rather small hood (the secondary hood-latch is a little tricky), and it doesn't rise up very far in its angle....only to about my shoulder height, so , at 6' 2", I had to bend forward and stoop down a little somewhat to actually get my head (and its baseball cap) under it and look at the engine. On the underside of the hood lies the usual insulation pad, which seems to work well on the engine noise itself but, of course, not on exhaust noise (more on that later).
Despite the size of the vehicle's exterior, this is not a terribly large underhood compartment, and the transversely-mounted 3.5L V6 fits in rather tightly, with little room for air to circulate around it, though that didn't (at least by the temperature gauge) seem to make a lot of difference in engine-cooling, as the gauge didn't show any overheating while I was driving. But this was a fairly cold day, without much stop-and go traffic to get the engine real hot, either. The typical plastic cover blocks top-engine access, there is very little engine-component access down the front or sides, and some other underhood components are also blocked by smaller black plastic covers. The battery is up front and to the right in a rather narrow deep hole, but at least it is uncovered, and its terminals are easily accessible. Dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs are generally easily-accesssible.
INTERIOR:
Inside, the new interior continues to improve on that of the last-generation, just as that generation was a BIG improvement over the almost-military-stark interior on the original Murano. Most of the trim inside was attractive-looking, though, like on the plastic rear-quarter trim I spoke of outside, some of it tended to creak when pressure was applied. Three different leather colors are available inside, depending on model, and two cloth. The basic accent-trim pattern, besides the regular imitation brushed-metal, is what Nissan calls "Jasper"....the best way to describe it is kind of a cross, in the way it looks, between a dark-ivory texture and the Scandanavian Birchwood seen in some Volvos.
The sun-visors and headliner are of a nice-feeling fabric. The BMW-simple and superb primary gauge panel (speedometer, tach) is stunningly easy to read, especially in the daylight. Most of the interior hardware seems of good quality, and the controls/buttons/***** are mostly easy to decipher and use except for some of the upper switches surrounding the video screen. The stereo sound quality was not on the same level with premium upmarket stereos, but acceptably good. The steering wheel was nicely-designed and comfortable to hold. The leather on the seats seemed of a nice grade (no imitation stuff), and the front seats are comfortable to sit in....the rear seats, slightly less so. The seat cushions were soft enough to have a little give to them. Side-support in the seats was somewhat lacking, although that's probably not a big deal with the decidedly un-sporting driving characteristics and road manners of this vehicle.....more on that later. Headroom and legroom were both very good, front and rear, even under the moonroof housing (somewhat surprising with the droop-rear roofline)...perhaps as result of the Murano's new slightly larger exterior size. You are not likely to feel cramped in this vehicle unless you are up there with those 7' NBA guys....and, even then, not as bad as with some of the Murano's competitors. (NBA star Shaq O'Neal, for instance, is doing TV ads trying to convince us that he can easily fit into today's Buicks).
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Open the solid rear hatch (it is power-operated, and can be remotely-controlled in any one of several places), and one is treated to a generally well-shaped and roomy cargo area. On both the floor and walls is a generally nice-feeling but somewhat thin grade of black fabric carpeting. Nice cargo hooks are built-in. The 60/40 rear seats fold down to expand the cargo area to some 74 inches long, 45 inches wide, 32 inches high (with moonroof housing) and 69 total cubic feet...a fair amount. But, as with some other SUVs these days (the Land Rover Evoq and Infiniti QX50 are good examples) the droop-rear roofline does impact somewhat on the available cargo-height and rear visibility. One has just adequate vision out the back window, but the tiny Peek-a-Boo rear quarter windows between the C and D-pillars were a joke. Under the floor lies the (usual) temporary spare tire/wheel......only true off-road SUVs and trucks these days seem to her a real spare, either standard or as an option. I did notice one other (possible) shortcoming inside the cargo area...a lack of anything to cover the cargo in the bed from prying eyes. I noticed there were mounting-holes on the sides of the trunk walls for one of those removable cross-beams (with the pull-out cover to hook across the back) to fit into.....but no cover or bar itself. I asked the salespeople about this, and they said it was a dealer accessory. Hmmmm.....I hunted it up on the Murano's Build-Your-Own feature on its website (which lists all the factory-approved accessories), and, while a number of cargo-area accessories were listed, no actual cargo-cover. Of course, that old blanket lying around your house in the closet, doing nothing but collecting dust for the last 20 years, after a couple of good shakes to clean it out, could be put to use covering up the cargo, free of charge.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the ubiquitous 3.5L V6 with a nice engine START/STOP button. The V6 comes to life and idles smoothly and fairly quietly, with a decent amount of refinement, but not quite as silky as the average Toyota or Lexus V6. This is a fairly good-sized vehicle, and the AWD, of course, adds more weight and drag. In Murano spec, the engine's 260 HP and 240 ft-lbs.of torque is decent enough for typical stop-and-go driving, mild grades, and/or a reasonable load of passengers and cargo, but I wouldn't call it a powerhouse. The engine itself is fairly responsive and quiet under acceleration, but audible exhaust noise makes it into the cabin. The drive-by-wire throttle can sometimes be jumpy from a rest unless you are careful to really feather-foot it...other times, from rest, it seems a little less-sensitive. Go Figure.
The CVT transmission, by typical CVT standards, seems to have relatively good road manners....which perhaps is not surprising, given that Nissan has a fair amount of experience over the years in refining them. Though still not quite the same as a conventional torque-converter or twin-clutch automatic, under reasonable acceleration and pedal-pressure, I noticed little from this unit in the way of motor boating and rubber-banding, two traditional CVT quirks. A separate Sport-Manual mode, with the lever in the separate gate on the left, allows manual "shifting", or selection of predetermined ratios for things like steep hill climbing or descending, or for simple driver control of the transmission's drive-belt ratios as desired.
The chassis, though adequate by the standards of this class, is, as expected, not particularly driver-oriented....certainly not like something you would find in a BMW X3 or Mazda CX-5. Steering response from input is somewhat on the slow side, and the Roly-Poly body lean, though not all that disconcerting, is quite noticeable. Steering/road feel from the electric power steering was a little on the numb side, especially at slow speeds. Ride comfort on the 20" 55-series tires was a little choppy when cold, but, as the rubber in the tires and the fluid in the shocks warmed up in the winter cold, became noticeably more compliant over bumps. Lower-line versions of the Murano have taller-profile, 18", 65-series tires which are a little less-aggressive and can be expected to be a little smoother. Wind and road noise were both reasonably well-damped (wind noise was slightly more pronounced than road noise). The brake pedal, relative to the gas pedal, is located in a reasonable position to my big size-15 circus-clown shoes, and I only had very minor hang-up problems on my right shoe when lifting off the gas to the brake. Brake-response itself was reasonably well.....not German sport-sedan firm, but with only a small amount of mushiness in the top half inch or so of pedal travel.
THE VERDICT:
Though the new Murano, like any vehicle, has its pros and cons, overall, it seems like a significant step forward from the last-generation model......all but the over-styled rear end that, similar to others like it, trades function for form. The Murano combines a well-proven V6 engine, a well-designed CVT (which can be somewhat difficult to find), decent if not top-notch reliability, a livable interior, and a decently-good driving experience (if you remember that you are not driving a sports car). The almost-44K list price of the Platinum AWD I reviewed may be disconcerting to some, but substantially less-expensive versions are available.....with both FWD and AWD. Like with most other typical mid-sized SUVs (the Dodge Shelby Durango and GMC Typhoon of the past were rare exceptions), the Murano was not designed for aggressive driving. Drive it like it was designed for and it should give years of good service. The standard factory warranty is 5/60 Drivetrain and 3/36 Bumper-to-Bumper........the same as its Toyota, Honda, and Subaru competitors.
And, as always......Happy car-shopping.
MM
http://www.nissanusa.com/crossovers/...card.vlp.image
IN A NUTSHELL: A significant advance over the quirky earlier versions.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9/CX-5 (depending on version), Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Ford Edge/Explorer (depending on version), Dodge Journey, VW Tiguan, Subaru Outback.
OVERVIEW:
The mid-sized Murano crossover-SUV, derived from the Altima sedan's basic platform and drivetrains, was introduced in late 2002 as a 2003 model. It was Nissan's first attempt at a car-based, crossover SUV in the American market......a market that competitors Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi also entered with their Camry/Highlander, Accord/Pilot, and Galant/Endeavor series (the Galant and Endeavor, of course, are now gone). It remained Nissan's sole car-based American-market SUV until the smaller, Sentra-based Rogue was introduced several years later, although the second-generation Nissan Pathfinder converted from a truck-based SUV to crossover car-based, only to convert BACK to body-on-frane at the next redesign.
While styling, of course, is subjective (and I respect other views), the Murano's first and second-generation body-styling was simply not my cup of tea. Neither was the first-generation's EL Cheapo dash and gauge-panel (which was shaped somewhat like the old Mickey-Mouse ears from the 1950s). The first-generation Murano was, unfortunately, introduced at a time when Nissan faced severe (even critical) financial strains and had been bought by the French manufacturer Renault a couple of years previously. For several years, Renault/Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn became noted in the auto industry for his no-nonsense cost-cutting and stark interiors.....indeed, at the time, we had a number of threads/posts and much discussion here in the Car Chat forum about that. The starkness of the Nissan interiors of that era were also shared (but to a less extent, since they were considered more upscale vehicles) by Infiniti's first-generation G35 sedan/coupe, also introduced around that time. Added to those general financial woes was the fact that Nissan also lost a fair amount of money on lease-deals where the depreciation/residual value of their leased-products did not meet the projections the deals were based on.
However, to be fair, while it may not have satisfied some of us at the time, (nor those looking for plushness in Nissan interiors), it has to be noted that Mr. Ghosn's belt-tightening on the Nissan budget eventually did pay off (literally), and, in fact, saved Nissan and Infiniti from bankruptcy. Of course, today, Infiniti has its own share of marketing problems, and has historically trailed Lexus in sales, but that is another whole issue and not part of this review.
The second-generation Murano kept the (IMO) rather quirky exterior body styling, but improved notably inside, as, by then, Nissan's financial condition had improved to the point where they could afford to spend a little more more on their interiors. CVT (Continuously Variable) transmissions were introduced for the first time, as was an unsuccessful two-door convertible version of the Murano platform called the CrossCabriolet. (Suzuki, previously, with its X90, had already tried a similar, though more crude and less-expensive design, and it didn't go anywhere either).
Which, now, brings us to the current, all-new third-generation (2015) Murano...the subject of this review. For 2015, the Murano is offered in four trim lines....S, SV, SL, and Platinum. One engine is offered....the ubiquitous Nissan 3.5L V6, tuned in this case for 260 HP and 240 ft-lbs. of torque. Likewise, one transmission is offered.....the also-ubiquitous CVT. (Nissan, like Subaru, seems to have become more or less wed to CVTs). All four versions offer a choice of FWD or AWD...a good marketing feature, IMO. Base prices run from $29,560 for a FWD S model to $40,600 for an AWD Platinum model. I personally think this new 3rd generation Murano is noticeably nicer, both in and out, than its two predecessors (especially the first-generation model)......read on for the details.
Since this specific review-request, was for a Platinum version, that is what I chose for the review.....a Black AWD Platinum model with Graphite leather interior and the $2260 Platinum Technology Package, listing for the better part of 44K. I figured that most Muranos would be sold with AWD, so it made more sense to test that version instead of FWD. Platinum models are not as readily available in stock right now as lower-priced versions. The dealer says that is because of high demand (more so than lower-line versions)......but, given the Platinum's relatively stiff price, I'm not so sure I believe it.
Although it had no direct bearing on this review, one thing that DID surprise me at this particular Nissan shop was the fact that they had THREE Skyline GT-Rs sitting in the showroom (two brand-new and one CPO). The GT-R is an ultra-high performance coupe that is considered borderline exotic, and many Nissan shops have problems getting hold of even one of them, much less three. I guess that just shows what kind of money this area (D.C. suburbs....which has always been affluent) has to spend on new vehicles....and we are considered the second-largest new-car market in the country, behind SoCal/Los Angeles.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2015 Nissan Murano Platinum AWD
BASE PRICE: $40,600
OPTIONS:
Platinum Technology Package: $2260
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $885 (about average for this size vehicle)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $43,745
DRIVETRAIN: AWD, Transversely-mounted 3.5L V6, 260 HP @ 6000 RPM, Torque 240 Ft-lbs. @ 4400 RPM, CVT (Continuously-Variable-Transmission)
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 21 City / 28 Highway
EXTERIOR COLOR: Magnetic Black
INTERIOR: Graphite Leather
PLUSSES:
Well-proven, reliable V6 engine.
CVT transmission better-behaved than most.
FWD or AWD available on all trim levels.
Generally quiet and refined on the road (but not luxury-car quiet).
Good brake-pedal location for large feet.
Decent brake-pedal response.
Gas struts for the hood.
Easy battery access.
Nice solid-feeling body sheet metal.
Solid-closing doors.
Good Entry/Exit height for many people.
Limited but (IMO) decent exterior-color choice.
Well-done paint jobs.
Lower body-cladding protects from road debris.
Interior trim quality/plushness nicer than before.
Superb, easily-read primary gauges.
Generally comfortable front seats.
Good front and rear headroom, even with sunroof.
Roomy, decently-trimmed cargo area.
Intermittent rear wiper a nice feature.
MINUSES:
Occasionally jumpy throttle from rest.
Relatively slow steering response typical of SUVs.
Somewhat Roly-Poly body lean.
Restricted hood-opening angle.
Tight engine fit and (except for battery) relatively poor access underhood.
No body side moldings for ding-protection.
Only seven exterior colors offered...not much for this class.
Some outside body trim over-plasticized with loose fits.
Some video-screen controls a little complex and unwieldy.
Temporary spare tire.
Rear roofline and styling affects visibility and (some) cargo height room.
(Maybe?) No available cargo-cover.
EXTERIOR:
Walking up to the new Murano for the first time, it looks almost nothing like the former-generation models. It now looks more like the rest of the Nissan SUV family, especially up front with the new front end, headlight, and grille designs. The new front fenders borrow somewhat from the Mazda-humped look. In back, though, the rear roofline droops a little more, and the belt line rises somewhat more, than in in other Nissan SUVs. This, and the design of the C and D-pillars, creates very small rear quarter windows.....more on those later. The body sheet metal and doors generally feel more solid and sturdy than on many other new vehicles (even some quite expensive ones), and the doors shut with a generally nice thunk. The paint jobs seem well done (but not quite to Toyota/Lexus standards), except for the black, which does show some orange peel. I don't know why, but it seems very difficult for many manufacturers today to do a really smooth black paint job without orange peel. Seven paint colors are offered, which is not much for a vehicle in this class, but I did like the burnt (Pacific Sunset) Orange. The twin outside-mirror housings swivell/snap and lock solidly and easily, and, on all trim levels, have nice LED turn-signal indicators in them. A nice strip of black body cladding runs around the entire bottom of the vehicle, including in the wheel wells, to protect from road debris, and a nice tapered chrome strip runs along the lower doors just above the cladding. Most of the outside trim was well-done and solidly-attached, but some of the dark trim along the C/D pillars seemed overly thin and-plasticized, not particularly well attached, and ended to creak when you ran your hand or fingers along it. The Murano seems to sit at more or less good a height off the ground for many people (and especially those my size, about 6" 2") to easily slide right in and out of the front seats....about level with one's butt. This, of course, can be an important consideration for those who dislike or have trouble with either stooping way down to get in and out of low-slung sports cars or up on running-boards getting and in out of high-stance trucks and large SUVs.
UNDERHOOD:
Open up the rather small hood (the secondary hood-latch is a little tricky), and it doesn't rise up very far in its angle....only to about my shoulder height, so , at 6' 2", I had to bend forward and stoop down a little somewhat to actually get my head (and its baseball cap) under it and look at the engine. On the underside of the hood lies the usual insulation pad, which seems to work well on the engine noise itself but, of course, not on exhaust noise (more on that later).
Despite the size of the vehicle's exterior, this is not a terribly large underhood compartment, and the transversely-mounted 3.5L V6 fits in rather tightly, with little room for air to circulate around it, though that didn't (at least by the temperature gauge) seem to make a lot of difference in engine-cooling, as the gauge didn't show any overheating while I was driving. But this was a fairly cold day, without much stop-and go traffic to get the engine real hot, either. The typical plastic cover blocks top-engine access, there is very little engine-component access down the front or sides, and some other underhood components are also blocked by smaller black plastic covers. The battery is up front and to the right in a rather narrow deep hole, but at least it is uncovered, and its terminals are easily accessible. Dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs are generally easily-accesssible.
INTERIOR:
Inside, the new interior continues to improve on that of the last-generation, just as that generation was a BIG improvement over the almost-military-stark interior on the original Murano. Most of the trim inside was attractive-looking, though, like on the plastic rear-quarter trim I spoke of outside, some of it tended to creak when pressure was applied. Three different leather colors are available inside, depending on model, and two cloth. The basic accent-trim pattern, besides the regular imitation brushed-metal, is what Nissan calls "Jasper"....the best way to describe it is kind of a cross, in the way it looks, between a dark-ivory texture and the Scandanavian Birchwood seen in some Volvos.
The sun-visors and headliner are of a nice-feeling fabric. The BMW-simple and superb primary gauge panel (speedometer, tach) is stunningly easy to read, especially in the daylight. Most of the interior hardware seems of good quality, and the controls/buttons/***** are mostly easy to decipher and use except for some of the upper switches surrounding the video screen. The stereo sound quality was not on the same level with premium upmarket stereos, but acceptably good. The steering wheel was nicely-designed and comfortable to hold. The leather on the seats seemed of a nice grade (no imitation stuff), and the front seats are comfortable to sit in....the rear seats, slightly less so. The seat cushions were soft enough to have a little give to them. Side-support in the seats was somewhat lacking, although that's probably not a big deal with the decidedly un-sporting driving characteristics and road manners of this vehicle.....more on that later. Headroom and legroom were both very good, front and rear, even under the moonroof housing (somewhat surprising with the droop-rear roofline)...perhaps as result of the Murano's new slightly larger exterior size. You are not likely to feel cramped in this vehicle unless you are up there with those 7' NBA guys....and, even then, not as bad as with some of the Murano's competitors. (NBA star Shaq O'Neal, for instance, is doing TV ads trying to convince us that he can easily fit into today's Buicks).
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Open the solid rear hatch (it is power-operated, and can be remotely-controlled in any one of several places), and one is treated to a generally well-shaped and roomy cargo area. On both the floor and walls is a generally nice-feeling but somewhat thin grade of black fabric carpeting. Nice cargo hooks are built-in. The 60/40 rear seats fold down to expand the cargo area to some 74 inches long, 45 inches wide, 32 inches high (with moonroof housing) and 69 total cubic feet...a fair amount. But, as with some other SUVs these days (the Land Rover Evoq and Infiniti QX50 are good examples) the droop-rear roofline does impact somewhat on the available cargo-height and rear visibility. One has just adequate vision out the back window, but the tiny Peek-a-Boo rear quarter windows between the C and D-pillars were a joke. Under the floor lies the (usual) temporary spare tire/wheel......only true off-road SUVs and trucks these days seem to her a real spare, either standard or as an option. I did notice one other (possible) shortcoming inside the cargo area...a lack of anything to cover the cargo in the bed from prying eyes. I noticed there were mounting-holes on the sides of the trunk walls for one of those removable cross-beams (with the pull-out cover to hook across the back) to fit into.....but no cover or bar itself. I asked the salespeople about this, and they said it was a dealer accessory. Hmmmm.....I hunted it up on the Murano's Build-Your-Own feature on its website (which lists all the factory-approved accessories), and, while a number of cargo-area accessories were listed, no actual cargo-cover. Of course, that old blanket lying around your house in the closet, doing nothing but collecting dust for the last 20 years, after a couple of good shakes to clean it out, could be put to use covering up the cargo, free of charge.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the ubiquitous 3.5L V6 with a nice engine START/STOP button. The V6 comes to life and idles smoothly and fairly quietly, with a decent amount of refinement, but not quite as silky as the average Toyota or Lexus V6. This is a fairly good-sized vehicle, and the AWD, of course, adds more weight and drag. In Murano spec, the engine's 260 HP and 240 ft-lbs.of torque is decent enough for typical stop-and-go driving, mild grades, and/or a reasonable load of passengers and cargo, but I wouldn't call it a powerhouse. The engine itself is fairly responsive and quiet under acceleration, but audible exhaust noise makes it into the cabin. The drive-by-wire throttle can sometimes be jumpy from a rest unless you are careful to really feather-foot it...other times, from rest, it seems a little less-sensitive. Go Figure.
The CVT transmission, by typical CVT standards, seems to have relatively good road manners....which perhaps is not surprising, given that Nissan has a fair amount of experience over the years in refining them. Though still not quite the same as a conventional torque-converter or twin-clutch automatic, under reasonable acceleration and pedal-pressure, I noticed little from this unit in the way of motor boating and rubber-banding, two traditional CVT quirks. A separate Sport-Manual mode, with the lever in the separate gate on the left, allows manual "shifting", or selection of predetermined ratios for things like steep hill climbing or descending, or for simple driver control of the transmission's drive-belt ratios as desired.
The chassis, though adequate by the standards of this class, is, as expected, not particularly driver-oriented....certainly not like something you would find in a BMW X3 or Mazda CX-5. Steering response from input is somewhat on the slow side, and the Roly-Poly body lean, though not all that disconcerting, is quite noticeable. Steering/road feel from the electric power steering was a little on the numb side, especially at slow speeds. Ride comfort on the 20" 55-series tires was a little choppy when cold, but, as the rubber in the tires and the fluid in the shocks warmed up in the winter cold, became noticeably more compliant over bumps. Lower-line versions of the Murano have taller-profile, 18", 65-series tires which are a little less-aggressive and can be expected to be a little smoother. Wind and road noise were both reasonably well-damped (wind noise was slightly more pronounced than road noise). The brake pedal, relative to the gas pedal, is located in a reasonable position to my big size-15 circus-clown shoes, and I only had very minor hang-up problems on my right shoe when lifting off the gas to the brake. Brake-response itself was reasonably well.....not German sport-sedan firm, but with only a small amount of mushiness in the top half inch or so of pedal travel.
THE VERDICT:
Though the new Murano, like any vehicle, has its pros and cons, overall, it seems like a significant step forward from the last-generation model......all but the over-styled rear end that, similar to others like it, trades function for form. The Murano combines a well-proven V6 engine, a well-designed CVT (which can be somewhat difficult to find), decent if not top-notch reliability, a livable interior, and a decently-good driving experience (if you remember that you are not driving a sports car). The almost-44K list price of the Platinum AWD I reviewed may be disconcerting to some, but substantially less-expensive versions are available.....with both FWD and AWD. Like with most other typical mid-sized SUVs (the Dodge Shelby Durango and GMC Typhoon of the past were rare exceptions), the Murano was not designed for aggressive driving. Drive it like it was designed for and it should give years of good service. The standard factory warranty is 5/60 Drivetrain and 3/36 Bumper-to-Bumper........the same as its Toyota, Honda, and Subaru competitors.
And, as always......Happy car-shopping.
MM
Last edited by mmarshall; 02-25-15 at 09:38 PM.
02-25-15, 08:49 PM
#2
Murano is an interesting redesign and the start of their newest design language. I think it will definitely be distinctive and try to set the Nissan lineup apart from the rest.
Initial buyers are generally the people that want the newest, best, which is why demand for top trims, like the Platinum you tested, is high at launch. So the salespeople were right in that regard.
As for competitors, it doesn't really compete against the Ford Escape, it's pretty much directly in competition with the Ford Edge. You're mixing in a lot of Compact Utility vehicles in your list... and that's not really who shops for a Murano. Along with Ford Edge it also targets Toyota Venza, another 2-row utility/crossover type vehicle with similar customer demographics. On the "dream" targets, it also hopes to snag potential mainstream customers who might look to move up to a luxury crossover like the Acura RDX or Lexus RX350.
The latest CVT's from Nissan include their latest D-Step shift logic which has more stair-stepped ratios that can help reduce the whiny/rubber band feeling normally associated with CVTs. This generally kicks in if someone presses the accelerator more than 50%. Under that, it'll maintain more traditional CVT functionality for maximum efficiency. Were you able to feel any differences in the functionality?
Also of note, this is the first Murano made at Nissan's Canton Assembly plant.
Despite the GT-R being all-wheel drive, it's not uncommon to see high performance cars stuck in stock at northern area dealers in the winter time.
Initial buyers are generally the people that want the newest, best, which is why demand for top trims, like the Platinum you tested, is high at launch. So the salespeople were right in that regard.
As for competitors, it doesn't really compete against the Ford Escape, it's pretty much directly in competition with the Ford Edge. You're mixing in a lot of Compact Utility vehicles in your list... and that's not really who shops for a Murano. Along with Ford Edge it also targets Toyota Venza, another 2-row utility/crossover type vehicle with similar customer demographics. On the "dream" targets, it also hopes to snag potential mainstream customers who might look to move up to a luxury crossover like the Acura RDX or Lexus RX350.
The latest CVT's from Nissan include their latest D-Step shift logic which has more stair-stepped ratios that can help reduce the whiny/rubber band feeling normally associated with CVTs. This generally kicks in if someone presses the accelerator more than 50%. Under that, it'll maintain more traditional CVT functionality for maximum efficiency. Were you able to feel any differences in the functionality?
Also of note, this is the first Murano made at Nissan's Canton Assembly plant.
Despite the GT-R being all-wheel drive, it's not uncommon to see high performance cars stuck in stock at northern area dealers in the winter time.
Last edited by pbm317; 02-25-15 at 09:04 PM.
02-25-15, 09:21 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by pbm317
As for competitors, it doesn't really compete against the Ford Escape, it's pretty much directly in competition with the Ford Edge.
It does compete against the Edge. I'll add the Edge to the list and delete the Escape.
Along with Ford Edge it also targets Toyota Venza, another 2-row utility/crossover type vehicle with similar customer demographics.
The latest CVT's from Nissan include their latest D-Step shift logic which has more stair-stepped ratios that can help reduce the whiny/rubber band feeling normally associated with CVTs. This generally kicks in if someone presses the accelerator more than 50%. Under that, it'll maintain more traditional CVT functionality for maximum efficiency.
Were you able to feel any differences in the functionality?
Also of note, this is the first Murano made at Nissan's Canton Assembly plant.
I'm convinced, BTW, that one reason the Titan hasn't been able to really compete with the Tundra (or any full-size domestic truck) is because of the problematic history at that Canton plant. That, of course, and the traditional difficulties of any outside truck manufacturer trying to break into the stubbornly loyal American truck market.
(I'll talk about that some in my upcoming Ford F-150 review, which will be next)
Despite the GT-R being all-wheel drive, it's not uncommon to see high performance cars stuck in stock at northern area dealers in the winter time.
Last edited by mmarshall; 02-25-15 at 10:00 PM.
02-26-15, 02:12 AM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
From everything I've seen and read, I think the interior layout and design is the highlight of this new unit. It's nice to see them aim for car-like instead of truck-like on the inside. The early 4Runners used to choose the same path. Good review!
02-26-15, 05:02 AM
#6
Lead Lap
Absolutely love this new design.
This post is on point. 
Murano is an interesting redesign and the start of their newest design language. I think it will definitely be distinctive and try to set the Nissan lineup apart from the rest.
Initial buyers are generally the people that want the newest, best, which is why demand for top trims, like the Platinum you tested, is high at launch. So the salespeople were right in that regard.
As for competitors, it doesn't really compete against the Ford Escape, it's pretty much directly in competition with the Ford Edge. You're mixing in a lot of Compact Utility vehicles in your list... and that's not really who shops for a Murano. Along with Ford Edge it also targets Toyota Venza, another 2-row utility/crossover type vehicle with similar customer demographics. On the "dream" targets, it also hopes to snag potential mainstream customers who might look to move up to a luxury crossover like the Acura RDX or Lexus RX350.
The latest CVT's from Nissan include their latest D-Step shift logic which has more stair-stepped ratios that can help reduce the whiny/rubber band feeling normally associated with CVTs. This generally kicks in if someone presses the accelerator more than 50%. Under that, it'll maintain more traditional CVT functionality for maximum efficiency. Were you able to feel any differences in the functionality?
Also of note, this is the first Murano made at Nissan's Canton Assembly plant.
Despite the GT-R being all-wheel drive, it's not uncommon to see high performance cars stuck in stock at northern area dealers in the winter time.
Initial buyers are generally the people that want the newest, best, which is why demand for top trims, like the Platinum you tested, is high at launch. So the salespeople were right in that regard.
As for competitors, it doesn't really compete against the Ford Escape, it's pretty much directly in competition with the Ford Edge. You're mixing in a lot of Compact Utility vehicles in your list... and that's not really who shops for a Murano. Along with Ford Edge it also targets Toyota Venza, another 2-row utility/crossover type vehicle with similar customer demographics. On the "dream" targets, it also hopes to snag potential mainstream customers who might look to move up to a luxury crossover like the Acura RDX or Lexus RX350.
The latest CVT's from Nissan include their latest D-Step shift logic which has more stair-stepped ratios that can help reduce the whiny/rubber band feeling normally associated with CVTs. This generally kicks in if someone presses the accelerator more than 50%. Under that, it'll maintain more traditional CVT functionality for maximum efficiency. Were you able to feel any differences in the functionality?
Also of note, this is the first Murano made at Nissan's Canton Assembly plant.
Despite the GT-R being all-wheel drive, it's not uncommon to see high performance cars stuck in stock at northern area dealers in the winter time.
02-26-15, 05:55 AM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
The early 4Runners used to choose the same path.
If you remember, the earliest 4Runners were just about as utilitarian as you could get.....essentially a large enclosed shell and some crude back seats clamped onto the back of a regular Toyota compact pickup. Ditto for the 1Gen Nissan Pathfinders, which were only slightly more sophisticated then the early 4Runners in their design. back then, SUVs, in general, outside of Jeeps, SUVs just weren't popular enough back then in the American market for most manufacturers to give them much attention.
Good review!
(But also thanks to pbm317 for that good catch on the Ford Edge).
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02-26-15, 06:10 AM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Subjective, of course. But, yes, most of us, including me, would probably agree it is, overall, an improvement over its predecessors. I don't find the new rear end, though, very impressive. Like some other newer SUVs (not all by any means), it trades some function (utility and outward visibility) for form (styling).
It's certainly not a Maxima, but Muranos, like other car-based SUVs, do come from sedan roots.....in this case, the Altima. But it does not drive like a typical mid-sized sedan. The steering is rather numb, response is slow, the body rolls with sharp steering input, and the front end plows. But, if you have a weak back or legs (I'm assuming you don't), it's easier to get in and out of than an Altima.
If you are looking for a driver-oriented SUV that drives and handles a little more like a good sport-oriented sedan, you might want to check out the Mazda CX-5 and the smaller, upcoming CX-3.
But I'm more of a sedan guy, so Maxi 4 life!
If you are looking for a driver-oriented SUV that drives and handles a little more like a good sport-oriented sedan, you might want to check out the Mazda CX-5 and the smaller, upcoming CX-3.
02-26-15, 06:16 AM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
02-26-15, 06:20 AM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
02-26-15, 06:22 AM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
don't know what it is but i'm not into the design of this vehicle. the exterior seems to be trying too hard and too busy, and the interior seems rather plain but with too much silver plastic (esp. on the steering wheel).
it's nice enough, but nothing special, especially not for $44k.
mmarshall - i don't think you said what was in the platinum package?
it's nice enough, but nothing special, especially not for $44k.
mmarshall - i don't think you said what was in the platinum package?
02-26-15, 06:38 AM
#13
Lead Lap
It's certainly not a Maxima, but Muranos, like other car-based SUVs, do come from sedan roots.....in this case, the Altima. But it does not drive like a typical mid-sized sedan. The steering is rather numb, response is slow, the body rolls with sharp steering input, and the front end plows. But, if you have a weak back or legs (I'm assuming you don't), it's easier to get in and out of than an Altima.
If you are looking for a driver-oriented SUV that drives and handles a little more like a good sport-oriented sedan, you might want to check out the Mazda CX-5 and the smaller, upcoming CX-3.
If you are looking for a driver-oriented SUV that drives and handles a little more like a good sport-oriented sedan, you might want to check out the Mazda CX-5 and the smaller, upcoming CX-3.
02-26-15, 06:42 AM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by bitkahuna
.
it's nice enough, but nothing special, especially not for $44k.
it's nice enough, but nothing special, especially not for $44k.
mmarshall - i don't think you said what was in the platinum package?
Power Panoramic Moonroof with one-touch open/close
Intelligent Cruise Control
Forward Emergency Braking
Predictive Forward Collision Warning
A Technology Package is also available for the SL version, and NAV and/or Premium Packages are standard or optional for the other lower-line S and SV models.
02-26-15, 06:52 AM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
There's definitely a difference between the way they drive, though....just as with a similar comparison between the Toyota Camry/Highlander and Honda Accord/Pilot. A higher center of gravity, less-aggressive tires, different steering-gear ratios, and different suspension characteristics all take a toll in handling. However, the majority of drivers probably aren't concerned about sharp handling....they don't drive aggressively, though it can be a factor if they have to swerve suddenly to avoid an obstacle.