Nissan Murano: Lifestyle With The Courage To Fill Gaps

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36

With the Murano, Nissan competes with the BMW X5 or the Volvo XC90. But in Germany the noble SUV is only offered with a 3.5 liter machine.

Stefan Grundhoff

America vacationers could admire it on the highways and one or the other gray import has already been spotted on German roads. The call for the Murano was getting louder and louder, and in spring 2005 Nissan will also be launching the highly regarded lifestyle SUV in Germany. It has been a top seller in the USA for two years. Now he is supposed to conquer the European market.

Sporty engine is missing

To the surprise of many, the competitor to the Volvo XC 90, BMW X5 and Mercedes M-Class is only available in this country with a 3.5-liter six-cylinder. Not that Nissan did not want: but a high-horsepower common rail diesel that matches the sporting demands of the Murano is currently not in sight at the Renault-Nissan group. Annoying, after all, around 80 percent of customers in this class opt for a diesel version.

So the all-wheel drive has to score better than the established competition with other qualities in order to get the hoped-for 2100 sales units. But the elegant design and the mercilessly good price-performance ratio should ensure the success of the latest Nissan. The Murano outfit is unique in the competitive SUV segment. The curved shapes ensure a confident appearance. The slightly futuristically styled front, the rounded rear and the 2.82-meter wheelbase are striking.

The engine underlines the Nissan's sporty aspirations. The 3.5 liter V6 engine of the Nissan 350 Z has been slightly revised and does a good job in the 1.8 ton Asian. The six-cylinder has an output of 172 kW / 234 hp and a maximum torque of 318 Nm. 0 to 100 km / h in a little more than nine seconds and a top speed of over 200 km / h ensure propulsion that is befitting even on longer distances. After all, the Murano is also to replace the Maxima luxury-class sedan.

Consumption over 15 liters

The new Maxima in the four-door 350-Z styling remains in the USA. The large six-cylinder is not a food lover. Anyone who drives the Murano in a sporty way pushes consumption at least above the 15 liter mark. Currently, the Nissan Murano only manages the sluggish Euro 3 emissions standard. Improvement should and must follow in 2005. Unusual in this class - a specially developed continuously variable CVT transmission takes care of the power transmission. The ratio is matched to the speed and position of the accelerator pedal.

The gearbox harmonizes in an exemplary manner and it is also fun to drive the Murano quickly on country roads. The drive concept is reminiscent of the Volvo XC 90. In normal operation, 91 percent of the power is transferred to the front axle. If the front wheels threaten to spin, up to 50 percent is transferred to the rear wheels. A little more power on the rear axle would look good on the Murano. Until the variable power distribution takes effect, it drives itself at the limit as a front-wheel drive. The chassis is comfortable, but not as soft as tuned in the US version. In total, more than 300 changes were made to the European models.

Spacious interior

The interior is unusually spacious, even for an SUV. At the front there are numerous parallels to the 350 Z sports car. The contourless seats show that the car was designed for the US market. The light switch on the turn signal lever and the lack of height adjustment on the passenger side are annoying. In addition, the handy steering wheel can only be adjusted in height.

The quality impression of some interior parts leaves room for improvement. The space at the rear is even more generous - the largest knee room in its class. Even three people can sit comfortably on the tilt-adjustable rear seats, which can be folded down with one movement. This increases the meager trunk volume from 438 to almost 900 liters.

Metallic paint alone can be ordered from the Murano. Electric leather seats, electric pedal adjustment, xenon lights, DVD navigation, 18-inch aluminum and Bose sound system are also standard, as is an electric sunroof, automatic air conditioning and a reversing camera. The sensible fog lights alone had to give way to cooling inlets in the front apron in the European version. Otherwise, the safety equipment with ESP, ABS, as well as front, head and side airbags shows no weaknesses. The Nissan Murano will be available from dealerships from March - for an almost unbeatable 42,500 euros.