Nissan Murano

NISSAN'S strange place with the Murano. It sells more every year—annual sales are nearly double what they were after the Murano came out for the 2004 model year—but the Murano was getting stale. Plus, fresh new entries are overwhelming the segment: There were only a handful of crossovers five years ago; now there are more than 25, and that number could go up to 35 by the end of 2008. How does Nissan make the Murano better without changing what makes it sell?
The new model adheres to the basic Murano theme—sporty drive, functional yet stylish cabin, wrapped in a unique-looking shell. The body is updated, though it looks much like the original. However, there's a new front end, which uses a more angular grille, narrow, sportier headlights (HID optional), and a much brighter chrome-accented finish. The face is more aggressive, yet more refined than the old front fascia, and as with the exterior design of the first-gen, won't be universally loved. Nissan also upgraded the wheel and tire package, making 18-inch alloys standard, with a 20-inch option. Some differences take longer to notice, such as the changes to the character line along the sides, more defined fender flares, and new taillights, which are now horizontal and triangular instead of vertical strips. These changes are much more apparent when a 2007 (there's no 2008) is parked next to a 2009.



With the next generation comes a new platform, shared with the current Altima coupe and sedan. The D-platform provides a much stiffer foundation, giving the Murano a tighter, more buttoned-down feel. There are noticeably fewer vibrations in the steering wheel and seats, and cabin noise has been dramatically reduced. The same basic suspension design is intact, but it now uses more aluminum components, reducing mass, and the shocks area new dual-flow path design. Dimensions stay essentially the same—wheelbase is identical, length and height add less than an inch, the 2009 is 0.1 inch wider than the 2007. The Murano comes with such standard fare as VDC with traction control, speed-sensitivepowersteering, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, ABS and Brake Assist, EBD, tire-pressure monitoring, and six airbags. There are fewer trim levels—the sporty SE is gone. Buyers can choose from S, SL, or LE, and the optional all-wheel-drive [Nissan lists it as standard, but front drive will cost less) system, upgraded for 2009, is available in all three. This newest version uses the stability-control system's steering-angle, yaw, and wheelslip sensors to determine how torque should be distributed.

Also shared are the Altima's 3,5-literV-6and continuously variable transmission, which are similar to the first-gen Murano's, but the updated VQ now puts out 265 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque (up from 240 and 244, respectively), and the new CVT is more efficient and more responsive. Yes, it still sounds like a CVT, but new software has made the transmission quicker to react to driver input, making it feel closer to a smooth automatic.
We do miss the manual mode the old CVT had, though [even the Rogue's is available with paddle shifters). It's always nice to have the option. Heck, even the finest auto-dutch manuals are still fun to shift once in a while.



Most of these changes translate into impressive results at the track, where the new Murano reaches 60 mph 0.4 second quicker than the 2006 SE AWD model we tested and finishes the quarter at 91,6 mph, compared with 87.2. Also, skidpad and figure-eight numbers have improved, up to 0.77 from 0.73 on the skidpad and down from 28.9 seconds to 28,3 on the eight. There are two interesting discoveries with the new model: It actually weighs 31 pounds less than the last one we tested (both similarly equipped), and the 2009 needed 12 more feet to stop from 60 (133 versus 121). Around town and on the highway, throttle response is noticeably quicker than in the previous crossover, and even though Nissan has successfully made the ride more comfortable, little if any handling prowess has been sacrificed in the process. For those who like their crossovers sporty, this one's still a blast on a canyon road, but it's now better equipped for long freeway rides as well. When based on the same EPA standard, fuel economy has improved by 1 mpg on the city and highway cycles.

In addition to the nose job and engine upgrades, Nissan made dramatic improvements to the cabin, skewing it more toward luxury and refinement. It also wisely resisted the temptation of having three-row bragging rights and didn't try to cram another bench seat where there just isn't room. In topline LE trim, gathered leather, an option available in light gray or black, adorns the door panels and seats. Materials are soft to the touch and are of higher quality than before, the center stack, accented with attractive woodgrain or brushed aluminum, is more elegant—and more streamlined. Our SL tester came with comfortable cloth seats and the black/brushed aluminum interior. (Note: Vehicle in photos is an SL equipped with optional leather.) Unlike other value-skewed midlevel interiors, this one is well appointed, using the same soft-touch plastics throughout, and doesn't look cheap. Some cool features are available, like a 9,3GB Music Box hard drive, Bluetooth connectivity, 11-speaker Bose system, rearview monitor, iPod interface, and nav with XM NavTraffic. A few optional items—power-up (manual flip-down) rear seat, power liftgate, fold able cargo organizer—make toting gear a snap.

Those who liked the old Murano will love this edition. Nissan solved its dilemma by staying true to what the crossover is known for and worked to eliminate its weaknesses. But the new one doesn't redefine the crossover the way the first-gen did. In 2003, crossovers looked like SLIVs and drove like minivans; the Murano's design was unlike anything else on the road, and the sports-carlike mode! was priced well below the high-performance SUVs.The value proposition remains and tremendous improvements have been made under the hood and in the cabin, but the new Murano doesn't raise the bar for the category.This second-generation crossover follows in the Infiniti G35's footsteps: Nearly everything is new or revised, including the sheetmetal, but it requires careful scrutiny to see the difference.