Road Test: 2015 Nissan Murano SL AWD
Story by John LeBlanc
If you’re looking to point a finger for the death of the traditional station wagon, feel free to direct your index at Nissan’s Murano.
Arriving over 10 years ago, the five-passenger, four-door Murano was one of the pioneers of the car-based crossover utility vehicle craze. Based on a Nissan Altima sedan platform, the Murano’s tall-wagon formula has been mimicked by many. Ford’s popular Edge was heavily influenced by the Murano, and so was the Toyota Venza, plus a slew of other midsize sedan-based crossovers that have flooded into showrooms over the past decade.
Unfortunately, buyers have not recently rewarded Nissan for its Murano’s first-to-market merit badge. In Canada last year, a little over 4,700 Muranos were sold; far behind copycat rivals like the Edge (17,940), Kia Sorento (14,542) or the Hyundai Santa Fe (26,010). Can extroverted styling and an upscale driving experience gain some much-needed attention for Nissan’s redesigned–for-2015 midsize crossover in a very competitive segment?
Despite the fresher competition, Nissan has kept to the original 2004 Murano’s formula for the third-generation model. Unlike the Edge and Sorento (both also redesigned for 2015) that offer four- and six-cylinder gas engines, the 2015 Murano comes as it ever has solely with a gas-V6 mated to a continuously variable transmission.
Prices range from $31,748 (all prices include freight and pre-delivery inspection fees) for the base, FWD Murano S to the range-topping AWD $45,248 Platinum. My tester was a one-rung-down-from-the-top $40,848 Murano SL AWD. Standard equipment highlights include navigation, upgraded Bose audio system, moonroof, 360-degree parking camera, heated steering wheel, heated leather front seats plus blind spot detection and rear cross traffic alert safety systems.
What’s included in every new Murano is look-at-me exterior styling. First seen as the Resonance Concept at the 2013 Detroit auto show, Nissan hinted that the next Murano was going to be a looker. And now that the production model has arrived, little of the concept’s wow factor has been diminished. From its arrow-like front headlights to its “floating” rear roof design, the Nissan stands out as one of the most dramatically designed vehicles in its class.
While Nissan designers have had a bit of fun with the Murano’s exterior, the crossover’s interior remains relatively conservative. All the controls are standard Nissan fare, but at least the fit-and-finish is more luxurious than the Japanese automaker’s three-row Pathfinder. The wheelbase remains unchanged from the last version, but the Murano is now longer by a few inches. Interior dimensions are within inches of its Ford and Kia rivals, and the space behind the Nissan’s second-row seats grows to 1,121 litres — now on par with the redesigned 2015 Edge and Sorento models.
Like its Japanese counterparts at Honda and Toyota, Nissan’s been playing catch-up on the powertrain front. So while you’ll find direct-injected and turbocharged four-cylinder engines on competing midsize crossover engine menus, the 2015 Murano sticks with the same engine it started out with in 2004: Nissan’s familiar 3.5-litre six-cylinder gas engine. Rated at 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque, the Nissan lags behind the Sorento’s 290 hp and 252 lb-ft 3.3L V6. And, as before, we’re still not fond of the Murano’s CVT. Yes, there’s a manual shift option that acts like a traditional torque-converter automatic, but it’s a poor imitation, not helped by the lack of steering wheel-mounted shifters.
Dated powertrain aside, the Murano scores better fuel economy estimates than some of its V6 rivals: 11.2 litres per 100 km in the city and 8.3 on the highway (V6 AWD versions of the Edge and Sorento are rated at 13.7/9.0 and 13.4/9.4, respectively.) That said, during my week with the Nissan I saw an indicated average of 12.8 L/100 km.
Although Nissan has been slow to respond in the powertrain department, the Japanese automaker has come to the conclusion that today’s crossover buyer’s idea of off-roading is traversing the gravel road at the weekend spa resort. So, while the third-generation Murano loses its locking mode for its front-wheel-biased all-wheel-drive system, it gains a higher level of on-road capabilities than ever before.
Once on the move, the 2015 Murano will impress stressed-out daily commuters with its near-silent cabin. Nissan’s added acoustic laminated glass and plenty of sound deadening pretty much eliminate road noise. Combined with a composed ride quality, the mainstream Murano (at least here in near-top SL AWD form) ends up feeling more like a product from Nissan’s premium Infiniti brand.
Like the last Murano, the 2015 version offers a nice balance between a comfortable ride and relatively athletic handling. Keen drivers will want more feedback from the Nissan crossover’s steering wheel. But the Murano stays relatively flat in tight corers. More than ever, though, the Murano should appeal to buyers who may be considering a luxury crossover, like a $50,000-plus Lexus RX or Mercedes-Benz GLE.
The new Murano is roomier than either of Infiniti’s small crossovers, the aging QX50 and the forthcoming QX30. Yet, check off the right level of trim, and the mainstream Nissan offers many of the luxury Infiniti brand’s signature technology.
In the end, the new 2015 Nissan Murano’s styling will have to be of your liking. And you’ll have to not mind the Nissan crossover’s less than state-of-the-art powertrain. With its list of available high-tech goodies and refined ride and addling characteristics, though, the Murano makes for a reasonable alternative to pricier luxury-first crossovers.