Nissan Murano test drive

-HOW IT LOOKS
When the 1st generation Murano came out, for the 2003 model year, I thought is was one of the best looking and modern design on the road.
And I think it still is. the new one, like almost all current Nissan designs, looks like a more complicated version of the previous model.
The front end is way o busy for my taste. And the rest of the car still has too many lines.
It till looks really modern and stands out in a the sea of mostly boring looking cars we live in.
It’s just not as “pure” as before.

It actually now looks like a big Rogue. And that’s not good.


-HOW IT IS INSIDE.
The same thing goes for the interior. The quality of the plastics is up. But now it looks pretty much like a Maxima or Infiniti.
Even a little bit more boring. it is very nicely put together, but now it has zero personality. Unlike the previous one.

It is very roomy. Tons of space in the back etc… But even though it isn’t much larger than before, it feels larger to drive.
The worse thing about the interior is the lack of iPod connectivity when you order the Premium Package.
The standard iPod USB plug is replaced by a stereo/video jack behind the console.
Who was the idiot who thought of that??!! The the car I had was a $36 000 model with no iPod plug. When the base model for $10 000 less has one…. Amazing.
Even though the car feels pretty solid, I noticed a few little squeaks here and there. They could become rattles down the line. Or not…
And the “dual panel sunroof” was also a bit disappointing. Offering nothing better than a regular sunroof from the driver’s point of view.

-HOW IT DRIVES.
-Ride.
The ride is mostly comfortable, but sometimes has a hard time absorbing the smallest bumps at low speed. So it can be pretty rough on a bad street.
I would never call is sporty. But it’s also not as cushy as a Lexus RX.

-Steering.
The steering feels great. Very light but very precise at the same time.
But the car in general doesn’t inspire anyone to drive fast when turning. Handling is just OK. The seating position is always pretty high. Just like in the Rogue.

-Engine.
The Nissan V6 is always a great engine. Powerful and refined all the time.
In any car they use it. So it is the same thing here. And there is always plenty of power.

-Transmission.
After being hugely disappointed by the CVT in the Rogue, I was ready to hate it as well in the Murano.
Instead, the transmission turned out to be a revelation. It works perfectly with the V6.
There is always plenty of power when taking off. And it even feels like it’s downshifting when you push it.
There was almost no way to tell this was a CVT. It was pretty amazing.
The Murano is rated at 18City and 23 HWY. I did get about 18 in the city, but I reached a bit over 30 on the freeway.
Compare this to the maximum of 23 I got in the Infiniti EX a few weeks ago, and the Murano does make a good case for the CVT/V6 combo.

-SO???
I thought the Murano was a fine crossover, but no better than most. Nothing really stands out anymore. It used to look so much better than any other crossovers out there.
The interior especially, has no personality at all.
It does everything well. But doesn’t stand out in any way.
And the design now looks too complicated, almost vulgar from some angles.

It also feels larger than it is when you drive it. It feels really wide and high. The larger Buick Enclave was much easier to drive around, for some reason.
I guess it comes down to a matter of taste. I would still pick the Murano over the horrific looking Highlander and 2010 RX.
For now, the Venza looks to me like the main modern looking alternative. But watch out for the rock hard ride from the huge 20 inch wheels.

I just think they should have never redesigned the Murano. But that’s just me….