Stadium Nissan

• Introduction  »
• Interior / Walk Around  »
• Driving Impressions  »
• Summary

Walk Around

The Nissan Murano made a strong statement with its swoopy lines when it was originally introduced as a 2003 model. The Murano was among the first of a new wave of space-efficient crossover SUVs that are highly styled. Sharing much of its design with the stylish Nissan Rogue launched in late 2007, the new Murano takes crossover styling another step further.

The 2009 Murano has a bolder grille and a more aggressive front end design than that of the compared to the successful original. The grille is more in-your-face and the air intakes under the bumper are larger than before. Very complex aero headlamps hang off the front corners of the body and gracefully lead into the fenders.

Bumper to bumper, this Murano has much more sculpted sheetmetal than the original, with swoops and sweeps and dips from end to end. Nissan calls it curvaceous modern art. One feature that affects both the exterior and interior is a new dual-panel moonroof that lets huge amounts of light into the cabin, but looks from the outside like a single pane of glass covering two thirds of the roof area.

Interior

2009 Nissan Murano

Nissan has redesigned the Murano interior for 2009, starting over with a much more inviting, better organized, and much more modern and user-friendly package of instrumentation and controls, including a new center console and new graphics.

In terms of comfort, we found the new seats more comfortable and supportive than those in the previous version. Every model has a tilt/telescope steering column (manual or power) to accommodate more body types and leg lengths.

Everything on the instrument panel is well marked, and easy to use. The instruments are large, graphically clean and clear, and bathed in red-orange lighting day or night. The multi-function steering wheel is beefier, with better function buttons. The multi-controller knob at the top center of the dash has been redesigned for ease of use. The base AM/FM/CD sound system has been modernized, with a total of six speakers and the inclusion of an AUX plug on lower models and full iPod integration on the LE version, with full control and track information displayed on the central screen. The same deeply hooded screen is used for navigation, backup camera, telephone, HVAC, and radio displays. Pushbutton ignition and an iPod interface are standard.

The interior and exterior dimensions are all within an inch of the previous-generation model, which means it's as roomy and comfortable in the front and second seats as any five-seater on the market, and holds about the same volume of cargo. Many of the midsize crossover SUVs that compete with the Murano, such as the Toyota Highlander, were designed to accommodate three rows of seats. The Murano was designed for just two rows, so the second row in the Murano tends to be roomier than the second row of seats on other vehicles in this class. Bottom line: The back seats of a Murano are comfortable and very roomy for two adults.

For maximum cargo space, the back seats power up and flip down quickly and easily, and there are two different cargo storage systems available, depending on model.

Go to Driving Impressions