2009 Nissan Murano Road Test Ratings

There are good reasons the five-passenger Murano has sold well over the past four years, but its interior was not among them. Driving dynamics remain sporty and the exterior is still nonconformist. This year, however, the Murano takes huge strides inside and the result is a class leader in terms of comfort and function.

The Murano's 3.5-liter V6 gets a bump in output this year and the transmission gets a better brain. Combined, the zippy FWD/AWD driveline is far more seamless and keeps the same fuel-efficiency. The entire platform, steering and suspension have been replaced, but Nissan was careful to retain the Murano's "fun-to-drive" quotient.

Comfort remains a priority for the five-passenger Murano. Recontoured seats for all and resisting the temptation to add a third-row seat means second-row passengers still have class-leading accommodations with reclining seat backs. Wind and road noise remain low, even with the new 20-inch wheel option.

Functionally, the Murano takes a giant leap with its complete interior redesign. There's an impressive list of standard equipment and xenon headlamps are optional, as are double-pane moonroof, power liftgate, back-up camera, smart key entry/ignition, HDD navigation with music server, iPod connection, rear-seat entertainment, one-pull release rear seat backs with power return, and so on. Frankly, this could be an Infiniti product rather than a Nissan. Swoopy roofline and rear glass still limit cargo capacity and produce big blind spots.

While the evolution of the exterior design is largely successful, it's the interior design, but mostly its quality that takes the Murano to a new, almost-benchmark level. Beyond that, squeaks and rattles were nonexistent and while the body-panel gaps were consistent, they weren't to the tight tolerances of true luxury marques.