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01/07/2011
REVIEW by EWAN KENNEDY
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Nissan Murano is aimed at those who want the interior space and high driving position of an SUV, but who aren’t interested in the macho image offered by just about everything else in this class.
Interestingly though, the facelift just announced for the Nissan Murano leans in the direction of that seen on Nissan 4WDs and SUVs. In particular, look at the centre area of the grille with its angled near-vertical bars. As well as the grille, the headlights and front bumper have also been reshaped. Foglights are the latest fashion accessory on cars so are now standard on all Murano models.
At the rear the latest Nissan Murano does continue with the futuristic style, using an even sleeker shape to the rear lights. The roof rails have been revamped to continue the sleek look.
It’s too easy to talk on and on about the shape of the Nissan Murano and overlook its practical features. This is far from being a show pony because its ability to provide stretch-out room for five adults makes it an ideal choice for families with large teenagers. The completely flat floor in the back seat, makes life more pleasant than normal for the occupant in the centre-rear position.
Murano’s boot is large and easy to load. Because this is a light-duty 4WD Nissan has wisely chosen to fit a full-sized spare wheel. Little depth is lost in the boot as a result of this.
All Muranos now have the safety of rain sensing wipers and a reversing camera. Heated front seats are a welcome addition at this time of the year.
The facelifted Murano ST has a Bose audio system with 2 Gigabyte hard drive and 7-inch colour display. The topline Nissan Murano Ti has Nissan’s new-generation satellite navigation and USB input jack and iPod connectivity. Its hard drive has a capacity of nine Gigabytes.
Power continues to come from a 3.5-litre V6 engine that produces 191 kW of power, and 336 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm.
Power is fed to the wheels by way of a fuel-efficient continuously variable transmission (CVT). This unit has been tuned to make it relatively sharp, thought it still doesn’t have the crispness of a conventional torque-convertor automatic transmission. The Nissan CVT has six preselected ratios to give the driver a fair degree of manual control when it’s required, such as on steep ascents and descents, and when preparing to overtake.
On the road we like the way the engine/CVT automatic responds. It’s not quite as good in its feel as a normal auto, but the fuel saving of around five to ten per cent is sure to appeal to many buyers.
Ride comfort is good and the European based suspension system gives good handling characteristics for this class. It’s no sports wagon, but most drivers will be more than happy with its on-road characteristics.
This revised Nissan Murano won’t go on sale in Australia until September, in the meantime you might be able to squeeze a good deal from your local Nissan sales people as they clear stock of the about to be superseded model.
Two models will be offered, with the ST priced at $47,990 and the Ti at $58,390. These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. |
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