Helping the tester earn its $50,500 price tag, the Murano LE also featured keyless entry and engine start, a Bose audio system with hard drive, navigation, Bluetooth, a dual-pane sunroof, and automatic lights, wipers and climate control.
Drivers sit up high with a great view of the road ahead, but Murano doesn't beg most folks to stretch out inside like in some of the larger machines available for the money. Rear seats are surprisingly comfortable, and headroom is decent.
Visibility isn't. Proper rearview-mirror aim and the backup-camera with parking assist are must-haves here. Thick A-Pillars up front can impede vision as well.
The ride- good news on nice roads
Like the interior, Murano's ride and handling are well set up. In most situations, it's premium sedan quiet. The steering is quick and sharp, and the suspension nicely tuned for a comfortable but sporty experience. It's not cushy or floaty, but it's usually not harsh or jarring either. This is a great balance of ride and handling for the crossover buyer who really wanted a sporty sedan.
Mind the 20-inch wheels though. They look fantastic, but can result in some potentially unwanted sound effects when the road gets rough. The suspension helps keep things civilized overall, though twenties with low-pro tires and a tight suspension are never the smoothest way to go on uneven surfaces.
Brakes are powerful and provide excellent feel, and stability control is standard.
A smooth performer
Sending Murano on its way, a 3.5 liter, 265 horsepower V6 teams up with a Continually Variable Transmission (CVT) and standard all wheel drive system for automatic traction and smooth acceleration in any situation. There's even a 'lock' setting for the AWD system for additional traction on slippery or loose surfaces.
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| The cargo area in back is accessible by a powered lift-gate. |
Drivers sit up high with a great view of the road ahead, but Murano doesn't beg most folks to stretch out inside like in some of the larger machines available for the money. Rear seats are surprisingly comfortable, and headroom is decent.
Visibility isn't. Proper rearview-mirror aim and the backup-camera with parking assist are must-haves here. Thick A-Pillars up front can impede vision as well.
The ride- good news on nice roads
Like the interior, Murano's ride and handling are well set up. In most situations, it's premium sedan quiet. The steering is quick and sharp, and the suspension nicely tuned for a comfortable but sporty experience. It's not cushy or floaty, but it's usually not harsh or jarring either. This is a great balance of ride and handling for the crossover buyer who really wanted a sporty sedan.
Mind the 20-inch wheels though. They look fantastic, but can result in some potentially unwanted sound effects when the road gets rough. The suspension helps keep things civilized overall, though twenties with low-pro tires and a tight suspension are never the smoothest way to go on uneven surfaces.
Brakes are powerful and provide excellent feel, and stability control is standard.
A smooth performer
Sending Murano on its way, a 3.5 liter, 265 horsepower V6 teams up with a Continually Variable Transmission (CVT) and standard all wheel drive system for automatic traction and smooth acceleration in any situation. There's even a 'lock' setting for the AWD system for additional traction on slippery or loose surfaces.
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| The suspension is nicely tuned for a comfortable but sporty experience. |