The Nissan Murano is named after the glass sculpted in the islands near Venice, known for its beauty as well as for the high-tech methods used in its production. In the Nissan Murano, this duality is most obvious in the styling. The Murano is designed to blend the look of a car and a truck. The top half of the body is sleek like a car, while the bottom half is bulky like a truck. Overall, the look is much sleeker than tall box-shaped SUVs. At first it looks a bit over the top. Get used to it, though, and traditional SUVs start looking boxy and dated.
The Murano's huge 18-inch wheels contribute to its muscular styling. Sculpted, vertical-stack headlights define the front corners. The highly styled rear hatchback is made of reinforced plastic because steel won't bend easily in such a complex shape. The windshield and front side windows are tinted green to deflect UV radiation; the rear side and rear windows are near black for privacy.
As its looks suggest, the Murano is an aerodynamic machine. Details in the design help it slip quietly through the air. Airflow-improving devices include an underbody engine cover, front and rear tire deflectors, a rear spoiler, and aerodynamic mirrors. Combined with the low frontal area and roof, these enhancements increase fuel efficiency and limit wind noise at high speeds.
To finish the high-fashion look, Nissan offers eight color combinations for the exterior two-tone scheme, with three interior hues to mix and match. The colors were chosen carefully to promote a luxury look.
Climbing into the Nissan Murano is easy, easier than other SUVs. The seating position and steering wheel orientation make it feel more like a car than an SUV. Slide into the driver's seat and you'll notice that outward visibility is excellent in all directions. This isn't a small vehicle, though, and you can't see the corners so you'll need to be careful when parking. It's a mild surprise that the view rearward isn't compromised by the stylishly thick D-pillars.
The front seats are comfortable and supportive, even for people well over six feet tall. Petite drivers are also able to get comfortable, with the power-adjustable pedals that help ensure a good driving position without getting too close to the steering wheel where the airbag is housed. The overall interior fit and finish are good. Murano's instrument cluster is garnished with genuine brushed aluminum trim that gives it a younger, sportier look.
A prominent pod juts from the center of the Nissan Murano's dash presenting audio and climate controls. We aren't crazy about the pod's appearance, but it puts the switches close at hand. Murano's standard dual-zone, fully automatic climate control is a step above the class, and it features rear air-conditioning vents located on the B-pillars.
Buttons on the stereo are on the small side, but easy to use once you get the hang of them. The preset buttons, for example, can be programmed to select either AM or FM stations without having to press the separate mode button first. Controls on the steering wheel allow easy volume adjustments.
The navigation system works well and includes a three-dimensional birds-eye view that's sometimes more fun to follow than the flat map.
Useful features make the Nissan Murano a satisfying car for day-to-day use. A large center console separates the front seats, enhancing the sports sedan feel of the interior. The center console features a two-tiered lockable storage box with enough room for a laptop computer or a purse, cell phone, sunglasses, coins, cups and bottles. The door pockets flip out for easy access, and there's a hidden storage tray and two bins under the cargo floor. There are also three power outlets: front-passenger footwell, center console and rear.
Murano's cabin feels airy. The Murano is a five-seat vehicle with similar interior space as the seven-seat Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. The rear seats take advantage of the additional space. As a result, the Nissan Murano's back seat is limousine-like. A six-foot, four-inch rear-seat passenger can cross his legs comfortably. The rear seatback easily adjusts for rake by pulling a strap, allowing your back-seat passengers to kick back and enjoy the ride. We found Murano's rear accommodations more comfortable than the second-row seats in many SUVs where passengers sit more upright.
The rear seats flop forward by pulling on a strap as you normally would or from the rear hatch by flipping a clever manual lever accessed from the rear hatch. The seats are split 60/40 and are flipped down individually. Flopping both seatbacks down presents a big cargo area with a nice flat floor. The load floor measures about the same length as the seven-seat Honda Pilot's. Indeed, with maximum cargo capacity of 81.6 cubic feat, Murano dwarfs nearly all of its five-seat competitors and some of the seven-seaters as well. Even with the back seats in place and five passengers aboard, there's still a substantial 32.6 cubic feet of storage space. Moreover, the rear seats split 70/30 when they fold, so the Murano can carry one or two passengers in back with long items like skis laid flat along the other side.
On the downside, at 30.4 inches, the rear load height is a bit higher than the class average. And the Murano's bulky cargo cover seems to flap around and take up room. We'd be inclined to store it in the garage.
