From its 2003-model-year beginnings, the five-passenger Nissan Murano has appealed as much to buyers鈥� hearts as it has to their heads. Both intangible qualities continued with the tall wagon鈥檚 last major overall for 2015 and, four years later, have been amplified to a slightly greater degree.
Fortunately for Murano followers, Nissan didn鈥檛 mess too much with the basic design. The automaker鈥檚 trademark V-Motion grille is more pronounced, as are the boomerang headlights. The pods for the optional fog light have been redesigned and new 18- and 20-inch wheels (depending on the trim level) have been installed. The revised look adds a greater degree of separation from the more conservatively shaped seven-passenger Nissan Pathfinder and the smaller five-passenger Rogue.
Left unaltered is the Murano鈥檚 crisply formed sheetmetal that extends along the door panels. The fin-like hitch above the rear fenders also remains. It鈥檚 a design cue that other automakers have since begun to copy. For proof, check out the GMC Terrain and the Lexus RX.
Likewise, the roomy passenger compartment is mostly untouched, but the materials and trim pieces are upgraded for a richer appearance and feel. Those aboard are treated to accommodations that qualify as sumptuous, especially when the Murano is optioned with leather seat coverings (climate-controlled in front) and the Bose audio system.
The clean, clutter-free dashboard remains user-friendly, and the standard 20-centimetre touchscreen is integrated within the control panel instead of being perched on top, as it is with other utility vehicles.
Many of those competitors have also traded their six-cylinder engines for turbocharged four-cylinders, but not the Murano, at least not yet. Returning for 2019 is a non-turbo 3.5-litre V-6 rated at 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. The powerplant delivers a healthy kick at launch, and the low rumble emanating from the exhaust is a reminder that there鈥檚 plenty of punch to propel the 1,820-kilogram Murano.
On the downside, the tow rating maxes out at 680 kilograms, which is far less than many competing utility vehicles.
Bolted to the 3.5 is a continuously variable transmission. The Murano was an early adopter of the technology, and the current version with built-in steps mimics the characteristics of an actual multi-gear automatic. It鈥檚 only when pushed hard that you鈥檒l notice the rubber-band-acceleration sensation of the CVT. Why even bother with a CVT, then? They鈥檙e claimed to improve fuel economy. There are no steering-column-mounted paddles, but the floor shifter can be used to manually control the faux ratios.
Fuel economy is rated at 11.7聽l/100 km in the city and 8.3聽on the highway.
The Murano鈥檚 all-wheel-drive system 鈥� standard on all but the base S trim 鈥� is certainly effective in slippery conditions. It also reduces the natural tendency of the vehicle to continue in a straight line when turning (called understeer).
At a starting price of $34,100 (including destination charges), the price-leader Murano S comes with the usual assortment of basic content plus dual-zone climate control, emergency braking and heated front seats. A drowsy-driver alert is standard, as is a rear-door alert that warns if traffic is approaching from behind when the rear passengers are attempting to exit.
At the top of the trim spectrum, the $47,800 Platinum is loaded with diamond-quilted leather seats (heated in front), dual glass roof panels and a 360-degree around-view monitor. It鈥檚 also fitted with virtually every active-safety technology that Nissan offers, including traffic-sign recognition, lane-departure warning and intervention, and a system that automatically applies the brakes if a person, vehicle or object is in your way when backing up.
Ultimately, though, it鈥檚 the stylish appearance and exemplary comfort and road manners that have been the key selling points from the Murano鈥檚 earliest models.
