2005 Nissan Murano Reviews

Ewan Kenned reviews the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 Nissan Murano as a used buy.

Four-wheel drives look great bashing through the bush, but they're not so attractive cruising our city streets, as most do. When that reality struck home at car central the boffins hit on the idea of prettying up their box-like creations to make them more appealing to city slickers.Cars like the Nissan Murano were the result; cars with decent four-wheel drive systems that didn't look out of place in town.MODEL WATCHThe Murano comfortably slotted into the crossover scene alongside cars like the Toyota Kluger, Holden Adventra and Ford Territory, but took the concept to a higher level.It looked even less like a clunky four-wheel drive than any of its rivals, with a slinky, wraparound shape that clearly set it apart.Housed within the swept back sheetmetal was the same sweet 3.5-litre V6 that powered many Nissan models, most notably the 350Z sports car.In the Murano it boasted 172kW at 6000rpm and 318Nm at 3600rpm.The smooth revving V6 is a revelation after some of the clunky old nails that lurk under the bonnets of some of the Nissan's rivals. Backing up to the V6 was a CVT continuously variable belt-drive transmission that offered variable drive without the usual steps of a fixed ratio transmission, but at the same time it had a manual shift option that mimicked a six-speed for a more normal drive feel. Final drive was through all four wheels using a version of Nissan's intelligent All Mode 4x4 system as used on the Pathfinder.The system has two settings, Auto and Lock, the former a set and forget deal that operates as a front-wheel drive for most of the time, but when sensors find wheel slippage drive is sent to the rear axle as needed.In Lock the system is permanently locked in four-wheel drive mode to handle more demanding conditions.The ride is smooth courtesy of independent suspension all round, ABS controls disc brakes at each corner and the steering is power-assisted. Rear vision is limited by the curvy shape and drivers have to be cautious when changing lanes or reversing.IN THE SHOPCarsGuide has received no complaints about the Murano, which suggests owners are a contended lot.Nissan service agent Jerry Newman is so impressed by them that he drives one himself. He also services a number of Muranos and says they are very reliable and don't have any issues worth reporting. Regular servicing is crucial and it's important to check potential purchases for a service record before buying.IN A CRASHANCAP hasn't tested the Murano, but with a comprehensive array of safety gear, including ABS brakes EBD electronic brake distribution, BA emergency brake assistance, head, side and curtain airbags, plus electronic stability control it would be expected to achieve a high star rating if tested.AT THE PUMPThe official fuel consumption for the Murano was 12.3L/100km, which would seem a relatively accurate guide given that CarsGuide road tester was able to get 12.7L/100km in road test conditions. Nissan recommended PULP for the Murano, but have approved it for E10.RAY BOUGHT ONERay Williams is very happy with the ride, comfort and fuel consumption of his Murano Ti, but is concerned about an intermittent vibration at the bottom of the windscreen that the dealer has not been able to fix, and a weep from the transfer case which appears to be a common complaint."I am concerned the transfer case weep could become a major and expensive issue after the warranty runs out."NISSAN MURANO - 2005-2008Price when new: $51,990 to $60,490Engine: 3.5-litre V6 petrol; 172 kW/318 NmTransmission: CVT, all-wheel driveEconomy: 12.3 L/100 kmBody: 5-door wagonVariants: ST, Ti, Ti-LVERDICTGood looking, well equipped wagon with a great engine.COMING UPDo you own or have you owned a Mitsubishi Outlander? Share your experience with other Carsguide readers by sending comments via e-mail to grah.smith@bigpond.com or write to Carsguide, PO Box 4245, Sydney, NSW, 2010.

They often have a crack at sharpening up the style in their cars. However, the Land of the Rising Sun cannot often be credited with delivering the goods.But the Murano works in the looks department - and has the performance and handling to match thanks to the variant of the 350Z powerplant under its hood.Designed in Nissan's California-based studio, the Murano changes the face of the all-wheel-drive . . . in a positive way. The smooth lines and curves show a real French influence - it's very Renault in its looks - adding more class to a segment known mostly for its rough and rugged charm. One thing for sure, the Japanese are forward thinkers, producing concept cars ranging from Toyota's Pod which displays, with front bumper lighting, the mood of the driver, to the Honda WOW which caters for families with dogs. But in the Murano is a futuristic design which is not over the top - one that will age gracefully and keep this vehicle at the forefront of style in years to come.Japan-based Mitsubishi designers must be chatting with those at Nissan, we think, given the futuristic design of the Thailand-built Triton dual-cab utility and the awesome muscle look of the Evo 10, which is some years off hitting Australian shores after its unveiling at the Tokyo Motor Show.Akinori Nakanishi, in charge of global design for Mitsubishi and based at the car maker's Okazaki design and research centre, is proud of his work with the Triton - released in Australia early next year - and promises something "special" with a new Challenger four-wheel-drive in the near future.Back to Nissan's Murano. Even though I'm more than won over by its exterior styling, I'm afraid Nissan has not got the goods in the Murano to back its claim that it is "as stylish inside as out".It looks as though the designer's cash pot was already well and truly empty by the time they opened the doors of this well-sculpted vehicle to add the finishing touches.The leather seats of the Ti Murano tested were quite respectable and having a rear seat release lever in the hatch compartment is handy, but anything forward of the front seats is less than impressive.The digital watch I got for my fifth birthday was more impressive than the central trip and information meter and dash shelving - although probably practical - really detracts from a ride which promises so much style.What lies under the hood of this all-wheel-drive does go a long way to making up for its poor interior design, however.A 172kW V6 engine, a variant of the same engine that powers the 350Z, is mated to one of the smoothest transmissions around - the Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) plus all-wheel drive helps make Murano a sure-footed, all-weather performer.It is an all-surface performer also, feeling almost as comfortable and confident on sweeping dirt tracks as it did on tarmac.By selecting from a near-infinite number of ratios, Xtronic CVT keeps the engine in its most efficient range. The result is better fuel economy.There is no jumping from gear to gear, no matter what the gradient of the road. Xtronic tailors the output to suit the incline to do away with shift shock. It also features a six-speed manual mode to let you shift. The race-bred lightweight 3.5-Litre 172kW V6 engine generates 318Nm of torque at 3600rpm. The multi-link independent suspension features an advanced rear suspension design with aluminium components for better reaction. A unique lateral link and control rod that helps keep the wheels perpendicular to the road to give you more tire-to-road contact.The suspension setup certainly helps the Murano to hug the road and softens the bumps out dutifully. However, there is a bit of rock'n'roll which comes with it.A seamless switching from all-wheel drive to front-wheel drive - therefore getting improved fuel economy - is a bonus, and all-wheel drive can be locked in at lower speeds at the press of a button.Murano certainly has delivered hope that the style school is in session in Japan and there is at least some from the automotive industry attending. Here's hoping Nissan realises it's on to a good thing and polishes u this product with interior improvements.

Then along comes Murano.Here's a serious off-roading car maker with credibility at stake, bringing in a luxurious urban cowboy's taxi.It might make the diehard off-road fans shake their heads in disbelief, but it is bound to make the folk over at Lexus, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo a little nervous.And so they should be, because if customers can get their minds past the Nissan badge and its workmanlike off-road background, they'll find a handsome wagon that is more than capable among the ranks of the luxury crossover set.If you didn't see the Nissan badge, you would think this striking piece of automotive architecture was another European off-road buggy, even though it was developed and designed at the Nissan Design Centre in California.It takes the SUV body shape and makes it an artwork with its fastback look, Xenon headlamps, integrated rear spoiler and sporty dual exhausts.The interior is fittingly artistic, futuristic and tasteful.And it's well appointed with a Bose sound system with subwoofer and in-dash 6-stacker CD, steering wheel audio controls, automatic climate control airconditioning, cruise control, leather steering wheel and gear shift and power windows.And that's the "base" ST model. The luxury Ti model has leather seats, heated front seats, electric sunroof, rear parking sensors and roof rails.Best of all is the price. The ST costs only $51,990 and the Ti $56,990. Competitors include the Lexus RX330, Honda's MDX and Volvo's XC90, which cost up to $17,000 more.Closest in price is Ford's Territory Ghia, but equipment levels in the Ti are far superior. It is one of the best value packages on the market, next to its stablemate the Maxima.After price, the best feature is the 3.5litre V6 engine; a lusty, torquey hunk from the 350Z and Maxima, albeit tuned a little differently.Power is instantaneous at every point on the rev range and always startling, from take-off to overtaking.Power delivery is assisted by a constantly variable transmission with six-step mode for manual ratio shifts.It runs an all-wheel-drive system with drive biased towards the front wheels until there is traction loss. There is no low range.Murano is named after the elegantly sculpted glass art from the islands near Venice. It's not a name that inspires off-road adventures. This is for crawling urban boulevards.And there it does just fine, performing safely in all types of road conditions.If it does go pear-shaped, secondary safety levels are good with SRS driver and front passenger airbags, SRS curtain airbags and SRS driver and front passenger side-impact airbags and active front head rests.For such a big beast, it copes well around town and parking, while it eats speed bumps and Brisbane's potholes.It is less happy on a difficult sand track or slippery and hilly conditions, but it won't disgrace itself either, thanks to its vehicle dynamic control which provides traction and stability.The long wheelbase and large 18-inch alloy wheels in each corner give it a sure-footed ability, good approach and departure angles as well as a smooth ride.Passengers will appreciate the ride as well as the room, sound deadening and plush seats.It all adds up to thousands of comfortable touring kilometres.But don't venture too far from civilisation — there's only a temporary spare under the flat cargo area.

The word "gear" is deliberately chosen: the Murano features a continuously variable transmission (CVT). And it has a development of Nissan's All Mode 4x4 system plus a vehicle dynamic control (DVC) to help avoid slips and slides, and keep the family wagon on track. Nissan pitches the Murano as a crossover vehicle where passenger car-like comfort, handling and performance are priorities (Nissan has the Pathfinder and Patrol for more serious 4WD users).The Murano has 180mm ground clearance, an approach angle of 28 degrees and departure angle of 25 degrees, and can tow up to 1500kg.The CVT is a computer-controlled "stepless" transmission giving an infinite number of gear ratios. CVT has two pulleys connected by a steel belt. Hydraulic cylinders infinitely vary the working diameters of the pulleys to give the differing gearing.Nissan says a long uphill drive in an orthodox automatic often is accompanied by downshifts.With CVT engine revs stay constant as the transmission itself adjusts.On the Murano, the CVT has M Mode, a sequential manual override operated by a central gear selector should the driver want to manually select from the six nominated ratios.The All Mode 4x4 system is developed from the Pathfinder.In the Auto setting, the Murano runs in front-wheel drive until wheel spin is detected and a clutch is triggered sending torque to the rear axle.If the Murano is taken off road, the system can be switched to Lock which permanently locks the chassis into 4WD, with torque split 50-50 front and rear.This is held until 30km/h, above which it reverts to Auto mode.SMALL TORQUEZ car engineNISSAN Murano gets the 3.5-litre V6 also used in the 350Z sports car. In Murano the DOHC, 24-valve unit is tuned for 172kW of power at 5000rpm and 318Nm of torque at 3600rpm.Ends in a TiTHE ST Murano, from $51,990, has xenon lights with washers, rear spoiler, BOSE six-speaker sound system, six-stack CD, climate control, cruise control, leather-clad steering wheel, power windows, 18in alloys and cargo blind. The luxury Ti, from $56,990, adds leather trim, heated front seats, electric sunroof and rear parking sensor.Safety mindedFOR Muranos in Australia, Nissan installs driver and front passenger, curtain and front side-impact airbags. The vehicle dynamic stability control detects understeer and oversteer, and intervenes by braking of individual wheels, engaging AWD or cutting engine torque.

But that's possibly as close as the Murano will ever get to venturing off the bitumen — and that's the way Nissan prefers it.Built in Japan with the US market clearly at the forefront, the Murano — named after the island off Venice noted for stunning yet fragile glass art — comes with all the right gear to be a winner.It enters the ring with some heavyweight and long-standing players in the competitive SUV market, but differs by being affordable, attractive and surprisingly economical.Murano is built on a Nissan Maxima framework with all-wheel- drive and a different body.That's not cheating, just common sense.A Toyota Kluger is a Camry on the same philosophy, as is a BMW X5 that is built on the architecture of a 530i wagon.The Murano gets a 3.5-litre V6 engine shared with the 350Z and Maxima. The suspension is shared around the group — a street-oriented MacPherson strut system up front and a multi-link independent design at the rear.It is basically a front-wheel-drive wagon — like the Maxima — but gets power delivered to the rear wheels when the front wheels lose traction.A smart driver will press a dashboard button to ensure all wheels are equally driven, preventing in theory a situation where the vehicle will be bogged.A smarter Nissan-oriented driver will buy a Patrol, or a new Pathfinder 4WD.The Murano isn't one for the bush. It would prefer to be just a front-drive wagon that seats four adults in plenty of room, five adults for shorter trips and luggage for all for a weekend.The engine's lovely, but the transmission is to die for. Call me soppy and nostalgic, but a CVT box — that's continuously-variable transmission — offers a seamless roll out of ratios.There is no bump between gearchanges because, rather illogically, there are no gearchanges within a CVT box.It'll take the engine power and find its own ratio on a cone-shaped transmission that — I am told — is similar to that of a junior go-kart.The result is 10.6 litres/100km fuel economy on a brisk two-day drive through the Mt Macedon region of Victoria. In city traffic, that fell to 13.8 litres/100km, but still pretty impressive for a five-seater, all-wheel-drive wagon.Better perhaps is the Murano's $51,990 starting price.This is a wagon that is very presentable on the road, has limited but sufficient off-road ability, excellent comfort, lots of room, and an appreciated list of features — all for a price that is $4000 above Nissan's own top-line Ti Maxima sedan.Nissan Australia product manager Michael Hayes admits there's a small chance that Nissan buyers will pick the Murano over the Maxima. He expects the Murano, which is now on sale, to win a lot of luxury SUV buyers from the European segment.He bases this prediction on the tremendous success of the Murano in the US, where it has been on sale for two years and, by July this year, had sold 327,000 units.More modest results are expected in Australia, with monthly sales of 300 forecast. While more are possible, Mr Hayes says supply will be a major problem.On the road the Murano is a welcoming wagon with a host of hidden attributes.The dashboard is dominated by a stand-alone binnacle, behind which is a wide dash-top parcel shelf.The impression of cabin space comes from the big, curved windscreen and deep side glass.The bulbous rear of the Murano is formed from a plastic hatch with a steel frame — saving space and solving stamping problems with steel sheet — and inside is an excellent cargo area.You can open the hatch and flick the rear seats flat using levers hidden in the vehicle's C-pillars.But the spare tyre is a space-saver, unnecessary given the available room under the floor for a full-size spare. This diminishes the exploration — on and off-road — potential of the Murano.It has comfortable seats borrowed from the Maxima, and the dashboard is neat and simple with good-quality equipment.The foot-operated park brake replaces a more traditional hand unit in the centre console. I hate foot brakes, but given the expanse of storage space within the centre console, I may make this an exception.Standard in the base model are six airbags, ABS brakes, a trip computer, 18-inch alloy wheels, a Bose sound system, an electric driver's seat, stability control and traction control, xenon headlights and roadside assist for its three-year warranty.The Ti model costs $56,990 and adds leather upholstery with heating for the front seats, and an electric sunroof.When you get into a car, you know if it will work or if it will fall flat on its face — and this one is a winner.It's affordable, surprisingly economical, looks great and is smooth and quiet on the road. Nissan will do very, very well with this one.