A new Nissan Murano? I can barely remember the old one…
That’s probably because, despite selling over 241,000 units in America since its launch in 2004, the poor Murano managed barely 55,000 sales throughout Europe over the same period.
Clearly, Nissan has equally low hopes for European success with the next-generation Murano, anticipating a ludicrously modest 450 sales for this £33,000, one-model range in the UK between October 2008 (when it goes on sale) and March 2009, swelling to a mighty, erm, 700 units in the first full year.
So is the ‘new’ Nissan Murano just a facelift, or is it all change?
This is pretty much a brand new car. Based on Nissan’s new D platform, which it currently shares with nothing else in Europe, the new Murano boasts an all new bodyshell lauded as being 45 percent stiffer than its predecessor, a new interior, and improvements to the 3.5-litre V6 powerplant and its CVT transmission.
I’m probably alone in having found the outgoing car somewhat handsome, despite an excess of knuckle-sov’ bling about the front grille. There still is, but the new grille is more slender, and sits atop a new snout that looks as though some bully grabbed the top lip of the old model with a pair of pliers and pulled until it really, really hurt.
The rest of the design is not, frankly, quite as svelte as the old timer, with numerous extra lumps on offer to imbue sensations of increased muscularity. Same as it ever was… Name me one second-generation car better looking than the Mk1…
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And what about inside the new Nissan Murano?
On board, an all new interior groans under the weight of a standard specification boasting more toys than you can shake a stick at. Of particular note are a swanky Bose stereo, sat-nav, a rather s-l-o-w power-operated tailgate which beeps quietly but annoyingly like a lorry reversing in an adjacent street, rear seatback one-yank release handles in the loadspace walls, a power-lift function which takes eight seconds to whirr the back seats upright again, and a nearside kerb parking camera.
The camera is the biggest giveaway as to the extent that the Murano is specifically tailored to the Americas. Installed under the nearside door mirror, it actually faces forwards, giving a spiffing, centre console screen view of the front wheel and its surroundings. And only in the USA do they still insist on trying the head-on, alloy-wheel-excuse-me approach to kerbside parking.
How about performance? The old Murano had CVT didn’t it?
Still has, sadly. The 3.5-litre V6 has been breathed on to increase power by 22bhp to 252bhp and torque by 12lb ft to a stout 246lb ft, whilst reducing fuel consumption by 12 percent and CO2 by 11 percent. The benchmark 0-62mph comes up in a respectable 8.1 seconds, and there’s 130mph on offer. All of which would be a good thing were this admirable powerplant still not attached to a selection of expensive rubber bands.
Nissan itself makes much of the fact that the CVT system has been heavily revised to operate with a more linear relationship between vehicle speed and engine revs, especially in manual override mode, wherein it so closely matches speed to revs through each entirely artificial gear ‘step’ that it might as well be a conventional automatic box.
Why? Because, it strikes me (and obviously Nissan too) that the generation that can afford this car grew up with the noise of revs and speed building together in each gear, and – despite manufacturer protestations of efficiency and smoothness – have never been comfortable with a range of noises off suggesting they’re filming an episode of Bonanza under the bonnet. Still aren’t, truth be told.
Click ‘Next’ to continue reading CAR’s review of the new Nissan Murano
And the new Murano is a big old wallowy thing to drive, presumably?
It’s a bit baffling behind the wheel, actually. The first few miles of pottering seem promising; quiet, reasonably composed, comfortable, easy to drive… And then you begin to notice the niggles: a short seatbase allied to excessive bolstering of the cushion front conspires to make the driver increasingly uncomfortable as time progresses.
Moreover, independent strut front and multi-link rear suspension has been tuned by a man who should never be let loose on a concert piano. Albeit successful efforts to control body roll have resulted in what feels like a stiff-damper-sloppy-springs set-up which only really remains composed on the motorway. Given any sort of surface undulations or road degradation, the Murano quickly loses composure, all too often leaping around like a hermit’s fist under relatively modest titillation.
And all the while, there’s that dreadful yodelling coming from under the bonnet, like a cut-price, somewhat bovine diva warming up before a bad talent contest…
Anything seriously unique on offer, then?
Oh, I nearly forgot; the new Murano also has a funky, Nissan-developed, self-healing clear top coat to the paintwork which laughs in the face of those hawthorn laden hedgerows which F. Giles Esq can’t be arsed to get his tractor out and trim back. The bloke demonstrating it waved a copper wire brush about tentatively and then poured boiling water over the wound, which promptly healed. Such miracles will doubtless go down rather well in America’s bible belt.
I sneaked back later and scratched the surface properly dull with the same brush. And bugger me if boiling water doesn’t do the job really rather well. All of which does beg the question: with such a comprehensive standard equipment list, shouldn’t there be a kettle stashed somewhere?
Click ‘Next’ to continue reading CAR’s review of the new Nissan Murano
So why won’t the Nissan Murano sell in the UK?
Given American sales excesses, I’m not at all sure Nissan are overmuch bothered about it selling in the UK. They cite the Lexus RX350 and VW Touareg as rivals, both of which can be procured in base-model guise for less dosh, and there was even (possibly drink-fuelled) talk of the Porsche Cayenne at one point…
With the VW offering a far higher degree of that robust, unbreakable feel and the Cayenne not seriously in contention, the Lexus is perhaps the most interesting rival. And given the up-market Toyota’s propensity for a high standard equipment specification, this explains why Nissan has thrown the kitchen sink, waffle iron and isotonic energy fruit drink blender at the Murano.
Nissan Murano: the verdict
We have one lingering doubt over the Murano’s executive pretensions: is it not perilously close to Infiniti turf? The gap between Toyota and Lexus is appropriately large. It’ll be interesting to see how much clear water Infiniti can place between the gently pricey Murano and its new FX when it gets around to telling us how much it costs.
Though dynamically less than wholesome and somewhat blighted by a CVT supplier deal which presumably doesn’t allow Nissan to revert to conventional auto transmission just yet, the new Murano still has much to offer those who don’t own their own racing bootees, are too lazy to open a tailgate themselves and enjoy loafing around with windows bulging under bass pressure from a superior stereo turned up to 11.
If it were my money, however, I’d probably fork out £25,000 on a Mazda CX-7, giving me a hospitalising £8000 remaining to fritter on strong drink.