Nissan Murano Review

2010 Nissan Murano LE SUV Shown

The Nissan Murano was one of the first midsize crossovers to be introduced in the United States. As with other vehicles in this segment, the Murano combines the driving attributes of a car with the elevated seating position and versatility of a sport-utility vehicle. Also in its favor is a spacious interior, a powerful V6 engine and distinctive styling.

Since its introduction in 2003, the Murano has been one of Nissan's best-selling SUVs. Particularly when compared with the rugged truck-based SUVs in Nissan's lineup, the Murano's classy, sculptural lines stand out. Rounded edges mask the crossover's substantial size, translating into a surprising amount of cargo and passenger space inside.

An all-new Nissan Murano debuted for 2009. The redesigned Murano features subtle styling changes and more significant mechanical and interior upgrades, but it generally adheres to the formula established by its predecessor. As ever, with its car-based platform and available on-road-biased all-wheel-drive system, the Murano is definitely not made for rock-crawling. But on the road, where most SUVs will stay anyway, the Murano is a smooth operator and certainly one of the smoothest of its breed.

Current Nissan Murano

The Nissan Murano brings liberal helpings of style and performance to the crossover SUV segment. Available in either front- or all-wheel drive, the Murano packs a 3.5-liter V6 underneath its curvaceous hood that's good for 265 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is your only choice for putting this power to the ground.

The character of the strong V6 engine is nicely complemented by the CVT, which is among the best such units on the market. This pairing makes the Murano quite quick. Capable brakes and sharp handling round out the Murano's performance abilities, and they compare favorably with just about any vehicle in this segment. The current Murano gives up nothing to the competition inside, either, as its formerly marginal materials have been upgraded to near class-leading quality.

Three trim levels are offered. The base S model is reasonably well-equipped, including dual-zone automatic climate control and a six-CD changer, but many desirable luxury and convenience items are grouped into packages, most of which aren't available on the S. The more expensive SL model adds a few niceties here and there, but what really gets you is expandability, as numerous options packages are made available for this trim. The top-of-the-line LE pours on the decadence, coming standard with just about every option on the Murano's list.

Our editors have generally praised the Nissan Murano's sophisticated appearance, stylish and comfortable interior and sharp handling characteristics. Once a sluggish annoyance, the CVT's performance has been greatly improved for the current Murano. Our only concerns are the Murano's middling fuel economy and underwhelming cargo room. Competing models may be better on one or both of these counts, but they probably won't offer the Murano's combination of performance and style.

Past Nissan Murano Models

The first-generation Nissan Murano was produced from 2003-'07. (The Murano was on hiatus for the 2008 model year.) At the time, its combination of an SUV-like high driving position and ample cargo room along with sedan-like handling and acceleration was virtually unprecedented. Today, the market is saturated with such vehicles, which have become known as "crossovers." In other words, the first Murano was a trendsetter in its day.

The original Murano's styling -- an unmistakable offspring of Nissan's alliance with French automaker Renault -- was nothing if not distinctive, inside and out. Fortunately, it had an impressive array of hardware as well. All first-generation Muranos came with a 3.5-liter 245-hp V6, and a CVT was the only available transmission. Two trim levels were initially offered -- the luxury-oriented SL and sporty SE. A price-leading S model was added in 2005, offering fewer features for less coin. Even the S came well-equipped with dual-zone climate control, a CD player and (as of 2006) a 7-inch LCD display. The SL added such niceties as a power driver seat with adjustable lumbar support, while the SE rode on an exclusive sport-tuned suspension. Options included a roof rack, adjustable pedals, a Bose stereo, a sunroof and a DVD-based navigation system.

In our reviews of the first-generation Nissan Murano, low-grade interior materials were among the few nits we could find to pick. Our one serious complaint concerned the reluctance of the CVT to play along with spirited drivers -- a flaw that was rectified in the second-generation car. Beyond those two shortcomings, the first-generation Murano was generally a class act. It was stylish, powerful, handled well and had an impressive array of optional pleasantries.

Consumers interested in a used Murano should note that little changed mechanically on the first-generation Murano throughout its years of production. An update for 2006 brought subtle changes to the exterior trim and, for the interior, introduced new instrumentation and more elegant materials and color schemes. Previous to this, only minor equipment and trim level adjustments occurred.

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* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.