Nissan Murano – Japanese Built, American Feel SUV
The new Nissan Murano is built by the Japanese, but drives like an American SUV. Which explains why some of my friends are so ga-ga over it. The new Murano, which is not an upgrade, but a totally new model from Nissan, was presented to me for a test drive by Edaran Tan Chong motor Sdn Bhd, the local importes and distributors of the Nissan brand.
With an upgraded V6 engine now producing 260PS at 6,000 rpm, and 336 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm, it delivers powerful, yet smooth power, and a plush interior puts it on par with the best European SUVs available. The plus side is a very palatable price list starting from RM318, 000, which is way below what you would pay for the considerably smaller-sized BMW X3.
As usual, with these imported cars, on the one hand with limited registered units, and on the other hand with high media demand to test them, it took a while before the Nissan Murano found its way into our hands, but find us it did, and we took some time off to check it out.
Now in its second generation, the Murano has enhanced looks, and believe it or not, although the basic Murano design cues remain, it is a totally new exterior. It continues to exude a sporty outlook, meant to keep the young and the not so young, young. For sure, it is more than just a two-box utility vehicle on wheels, with its rounded, sculptured curves; a refined vehicle that is more than an SUV.
The upgraded engine purrs when revved, emitting a deep throated roar that reminds me of a German brand with an engine of the same capacity. I had some reservations about the CVT (Constantly Variable Transmission), but to my pleasant surprise, its performance was outstanding. I think the large capacity of the engine, and its power made up for whatever shortcomings I may have found in CVT’s mated to smaller capacity engines. Power delivery was smooth, and instead of the screaming high revolutions associated with smaller engines, the huge torque of the V6 resulted in a smoother and more relaxed speed build-up. If no one mentioned it, the average user would probably not notice that the transmission was a CVT. A direct benefit of using a CVT is improvement in fuel consumption; in this respect, the Murano promises a rated fuel consumption of 9.3 km/litre, based on JP 10-15 mode. We did not get a chance to do a full consumption test; expect a little worse figure than what is promised, and a lot worse if you are heavy footed like I am – just bear in mind that the figure is relative to other manufacturers’ rated fuel consumption figures, and that it is a 3.5 litre engine we are looking at. Anyway, if you can pay the price for a Murano, the fuel consumption would be on the low priority list.
Inside, the Murano comes with a luxurious leather interior, and the occupants are bathed in a sea of comfort; ride is exemplary, and handling is exceptionally good. It actually is classified as a ‘cross-over’ vehicle, or something in between a sedan and a SUV; it looks like a SUV, but drives like a car, and that would be an apt description of the Murano.
When I was driving the Murano around town, it kept on reminding me of a continental SUV that I had tested a couple of years ago; you tend to forget that this is a Japanese vehicle, and to take the mystery out of it all, this vehicle was actually designed for the American market, and in an environment where the buyers expect instantaneous response to throttle demand, high cruising speeds, and a smooth ride, the Murano was designed to meet these expectations.
In the overall analysis, the Murano is a great vehicle to own and drive; it has enough grunt to not make you feel like you are going nowhere in a hurry, and looks good enough that your friends will not accuse you of driving a truck, and it drives like a car, so you don’t feel like you are in a truck.
