Nissan Murano 2009 Review

Nissan Murano

What we liked
>>Competitive pricing
>>Comfortable leather seats
>>Quiet ride

Not so much
>>Polarising style
>>Engine lacks punch
>>Nervous handling over bumpy and twisting road

Overall rating: 2.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 2.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.0/5.0
Safety: 2.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.0/5.0
X-factor: 2.5/5.0

OVERVIEW
Design. Design. Design. You couldn't escape the 'D word' at the launch of the updated Nissan Murano.

'Design Delivers' was the motto written across the back of the t-shirts, the presentation was held at GYD, a trendy Sydney designer furniture complex and leading Australian designer Ken Cato was brought in to make a speech. And it was all because the Murano's 'love-it-or-hate-it' styling remains its major selling point.

Cato gave a very thoughtful talk on the importance of design, its role in society and why the Murano is an attractive car. But it was hard not to think that great style doesn't need to be explained...

Having said that, the point was made during the launch that most products these days -- whether they are televisions, computers or cars -- all do pretty much the same thing for the same price, which means style is all that separates one from the other. If that's true then the new Murano certainly stands out.

Every body panel is different on the new model, but in what Nissan calls an 'evolution of an iconic shape' overall the car retains a strong resemblance to the 2003 original. The front grille remains the standout feature with vertical chrome bars running in between its "arrowhead cool-eye" headlights. The taillights have been changed from the vertical to horizontal units. But the upswept triangular rear side window remains similar to the outgoing model because of its role as a signature of Nissan crossovers (a signature that does little to help rearward visibility!).

Nissan has high hopes, in relative terms, for the Murano with a target of 200 sales per month. That would be a major boost for the car (over double what it was selling last year) and needs to happen in an increasingly competitive SUV marketplace.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
As well as making significant changes to the car Nissan has also made significant changes to the price. According to Nissan Australia CEO Dan Thompson the company had to fight hard to get the Murano here for the right price with the right specifications.

The two model line-up starts with the ST from $45,990 with the Ti priced from $55,890 -- both equipped with 3.5-litre V6 engine and CVT gearbox.

The ST comes standard with leather upholstery, eight-way power adjustable driver's seat, rake and reach adjustable steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, six-stack CD player with six-speakers, genuine aluminum trim accents and drive computer. It also comes with xenon headlights, LED taillights, tailgate spoiler, 18-inch alloy wheels and a full size spare.

The Ti enjoys the ST's features but adds DVD-based satellite navigation with a 7-inch screen, reversing camera, Bluetooth with steering wheel controls, BOSE 11-speaker stereo with six-disc CD stacker, rear tonneau cover and luggage net, rain sensing wipers, electric tilt steering column, heated front seats and power flip-up 60/40 rear seat backs on the inside.

On the outside the Ti adds auto on/off headlights, smart entry intelligent key, power tailgate, black roof rails, fog lamps two-tone bumpers and electric folding door mirrors.

Both models also come with keyless ignition with a start/stop button while the Ti also includes an intelligent key system that remembers the driver's seating, steering and mirror position.

MECHANICAL
Nissan has once again called on its trusty 3.5-litre V6 VQ35 engine but with improvements to both performance and economy.

Power has increased to 191kW, up 19kW over the previous model, while torque has been boosted 18Nm to 336Nm. Although based on the outgoing Murano engine, the aluminum unit has undergone a number of modifications for the new car. Lighter pistons, connecting rods and camshafts are a major part of the engine's improved performance, but Nissan has also worked hard to improve cooling.

Nissan's pioneering CVT is the only gearbox available. Called Xtronic CVT it has also been updated with a shift-control logic CPU and changes to its pressure control system.

The result of these changes is a 0-100km/h time of 8.0sec and fuel consumption figures of 10.9L/100km on the combined cycle.

Dynamically Nissan has focused on sporty handling rather than offroad capabilities with its updated chassis. Ultra high strength steel and extra cross members have resulted in dramatically improved torsional rigidity of 45 per cent. As well as helping the handling the strengthened chassis has also improved ride comfort thanks to less vibration and road noise. Nissan has gone to great lengths to keep the cabin as quiet and comfortable as possible with extensive underbody aerodynamic work and insulating materials.

The suspension and all-wheel-drive system have also been changed for the new model.

Although capable of off-road driving the All Mode 4x4i works best on sealed surfaces. Under normal conditions the drive is biased towards the front wheels but 50 per cent can be sent to the rear-wheels if required. A predictive system operates under 80km/h using throttle position and engine torque to channel the torque to maintain ideal traction. Over 80km/h the onboard computer relies on actual wheel spin to prompt the transfer.

PACKAGING
Nissan has made great use of the interior space to give the cabin a feeling of space and comfort. The Murano is a true five-seater with good rear legroom for a mid-size SUV.

Nissan deserves high praise for the use of quality soft leather for the seating with the front seats both supportive and comfortable for long stints behind the wheel. The fully-adjustable seats and steering column made finding the right driving position straightforward.

The dashboard has been completely redesigned to change the ambience of the cabin. Nissan's press kit claims it has changed from "sports activity to club lounge". Gone is the sporty, orange dials replaced instead with a more conventional dash layout that bares a striking resemblance to the Mazda CX-7 range in places. Nissan has played it safe on the inside leaving all its risk taking to the exterior design.

The LCD screen in the Ti model is easy to see and use and the reversing camera has the usual predictive path technology. The rest of the controls are well laid out for both the driver and front seat passenger.

There is no seven seat option for the Murano, but the vehicle features a handy power folding 60/40 split-fold rear seat option on the Ti. A button located in the boot allows you to fold the rear seats to increase the 402-litre boot capacity.

SAFETY
Both the ST and Ti come with the same level of safety equipment. Active safety starts with Nissan's Vehicle Dynamic Control (stability control) with traction control and anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution.

Dual stage front airbags, side curtain airbags for front and rear passengers, active head restraints and low friction seat belts make up the passive safety.

The Murano also includes update crash structures with front and rear crumble zones. The car has not been tested by ANCAP or EuroNCAP but the US model has undergone testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It recorded a four-star frontal crash rating and five stars for side impact protection.

COMPETITORS
Given the recent strength of the medium SUV segment there is no shortage of competitors for the new Murano, meaning Nissan's target of a 3.5 per cent market share will be a big ask.

Nissan recognises the Mazda CX-7 and Toyota Kluger as the biggest threats but it seems every brand has a potential rival. Add to the already mentioned duo the Ford Territory, Holden Captiva, Hummer H3, Jeep Wrangler, Subaru Tribeca, Hyundai Santa Fe and the Mazda CX-9 and you have some very stiff competition for Nissan.

But to make matters more confusing, on value-for-money the Murano is classy enough to compete against luxury SUVs. The likes of the Lexus RX350, Volvo XC90 and Jeep Grand Cherokee are all well within the Murano's reach.

On price and performance the Murano is capable of competing with all those cars. The real question is -- can it compete on style? Or even more challenging, badge?

Despite its high riding, all-wheel drive mechanicals, the Murano is first and foremost urban transport.

Around town (where it is likely to spend the bulk of its time), the Murano performed well. The suspension was compliant and smooth over the typically uneven Sydney roads, and the seats were supportive and wrapped in nice, soft leather. The cabin is extremely well sound-proofed meaning very little outside noise penetrates, delivering a quiet and refined, even sophisticated ride.

On the open road, though, the suspension feels underdone with the car bucking and jumping when hurried through turns and across bumpy tarmac.

Taking the Murano onto the beach and across small sand dunes the car felt capable without offering true offroad performance. If you want to tackle the occasional beach or dirt track the Murano's all-wheel-drive system will handle it fine, but don't mistake it for a proper bush bashing machine.

Nissan's 3.5-litre V6 has rightly won many awards in its lifetime and is a very impressive unit in other models in the range. But mated to the CVT gearbox the engine feels hamstrung by the gearbox's constant search for the lowest revs possible. Only under the most extreme circumstances will it allow the motor to work its way into the high end of the rev range. While that's fine in the city and suburbs, we found it frustrating on the open road.

The claimed fuel consumption of 10.9L/100km is based on a combined cycle so purely suburban driving would see that figure closer to 14L/100km in the real world.

On the whole the Murano impresses with its performance and divides with its styling. But it is as a value proposition where it comes into its own.