2015 Nissan Murano Platinum AWD

WHAT WE LIKE: Our long-term test of this Nissan Murano nears its completion, thanks to a heavy helping of lengthy road trips. Indeed, the Pacific Sunset–hued crossover is well suited to long journeys, given its excellent seats, ample cargo room, easy-driving character, and decent gas mileage. A couple of staff members have even defended the continuously variable automatic transmission, which has generally been subject to substantial criticism. After a long weekend of driving to and around Chicago, one editor noted, “The CVT enables syrupy, unobtrusive power delivery that seems perfect for this personal-luxury pod.” Testing director Don Sherman agreed, saying, “For all the CVT whiners, realize this is an ideal solution for most owners who don’t need or want jerky shifts on their daily rounds.” In other news, with the back seat folded down, the smooth-driving, plenty spacious Murano was the perfect shuttle for 48 cases of Girl Scout cookies. Mmm . . . Tagalongs.

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE: A red Murano spent some time at the office, and it reinforced feelings that our color choice perhaps wasn’t the best. Gee, who could have imagined that orange might not have been an ideal paint color for a big family hauler? And on the subject of visibility, one driver said the kickup at the rear edge of the hood “hinders the view forward, making maneuvering and parking that much less certain.” It’s a good thing Nissan’s 360-degree Around View Monitor does its job so well. It’s inoperable at highway speeds, however, which has led some drivers to rely more than usual on the blind-spot monitors because the C-pillars are “crazy huge.”

The panoramic sunroof amplifies the sense of interior roominess, but it doesn’t help keep the cabin any quieter, particularly if the power-retractable shade is open, which allows sound waves to bounce off the glass. One driver found road noise so prevalent that she thought she hadn’t properly closed the doors. Also, the navigation system discarded one driver’s destination input on multiple occasions during a trip to North Carolina; he noted that his iPhone provided better routing. And what would an update on our long-term Murano be without some new gripes related to the transmission? Said one driver: “The CVT encourages annoying exhaust boom that reverberates throughout the cabin at vehicle speeds of 30 to 40 mph and engine speeds between 1000 and 1100 rpm.”

WHAT WENT WRONG: As usual, nothing has really gone wrong with this Nissan, which has been extremely easy to care for—not always the case with our long-termers. Since we last checked in, the Murano has twice passed through our dealer’s service bay for scheduled maintenance. The 25,000-mile service cost $59.34, not more than a dollar off from the cost of three of our four previous visits. The 30K service cost a bit more—$87.58—because the cabin air filter was replaced. With winter finally vanquished, we swapped out the winter tires for stock all-season Bridgestones. (The Yokohama winter rubber played a huge part in making the Murano a worry-free cold-weather companion, even in icy, white-out conditions.) On occasion, we have had some trouble linking our mobile devices to the car for streaming audio. Also, when we switched a Bluetooth-connected iPhone from music to a podcast, the Nissan’s head unit continued displaying the artist and song title of what we’d previously been listening to. Radiolab definitely is not Motörhead. Fortunately, this was limited to just a couple of instances.

WHERE WE WENT: The miles keep piling up on long trips. Since our January update, the Murano has carried us to Chicago (twice); Indianapolis; Atlanta; Fayetteville, North Carolina; and Traverse City, Michigan. Surely the final 5000 miles will find the Murano crossing another state line or three.

Months in Fleet: 13 months Current Mileage: 35,158 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 23 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 19.0 gal Fuel Range: 440 miles
Service: $437 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE AS TESTED: $43,955 (base price: $41,485)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and aluminum heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 213 cu in, 3498 cc
Power: 260 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 240 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm

TRANSMISSION: continuously variable automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 111.2 in
Length: 192.8 in
Width: 75.4 in Height: 66.6 in
Passenger volume: 103 cu ft
Cargo volume: 40 cu ft
Curb weight: 4070 lb

C/D PERFORMANCE: NEW
Zero to 60 mph: 7.3 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 18.7 sec
Zero to 110 mph: 24.0 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.9 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.9 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.6 sec @ 92 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 119 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 178 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.78 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 21/28 mpg
C/D observed: 23 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt

WARRANTY:
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper;
5 years/60,000 miles powertrain;
5 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection

The Nissan Murano falls behind the brand’s compact Rogue and three-row Pathfinder in the sales pecking order, but it is nevertheless hugely important and arguably the most familiar to consumers. The model also has a history of debuting bold styling languages for Nissan (witness the 2003 and 2009 editions), and the look of this new-for-2015 version already has spread to the 2016 Maxima. Given that tone-setting role—not to mention its practicality—the latest Murano was a strong candidate for a 40,000-mile long-term test, and so we ordered one.

A crossover is no one’s idea of exciting, so we tend to make our time with them a bit easier by loading them up with goodies. Here, we went Full Goodies and spec’d a top-of-the-line, $41,485 AWD Platinum; that isn’t cheap, but it comes standard with leather, heated seats front and rear, a heated steering wheel and outside mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, and remote start. (It was a long winter, so forgive us for first focusing on those bits.) The front seats are ventilated, too, and they feature Nissan’s “Zero Gravity” design, which reportedly was inspired by the way at-rest astronauts’ bodies are positioned while experiencing weightlessness. It sounds gimmicky—because space!—but the chairs are indeed very comfortable. The reclining rear seats are also Zero Gravity, and they're quite spacious. Our Murano also has proximity entry and start, a power liftgate, and a heap of LED exterior lighting.

On the entertainment front, the Murano Platinum has a Bose stereo with nine speakers and two subwoofers. (Its sound quality hasn’t particularly impressed yet.) An array of actual knobs, buttons, and dials makes audio adjustments blessedly easy, and an eight-inch dashboard touch screen is the interface for the standard navigation system, various “Mobile Apps,” and Bluetooth phone integration. There are also USB ports and 12-volt power outlets aplenty, which is great because we love plugging things into other things.

We selected only one factory option: the $2260 Technology package. It adds three driver-assistance components—adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and forward emergency braking—that can be managed via the high-res screen in the instrument cluster. The Tech package also includes a huge power sunroof through which we’ve been able to observe mostly angry, gray clouds.

So far, logbook commenters are digging the Pacific Sunset exterior paint and the lush brown leather, as well as the Murano’s smooth ride quality, spaciousness, and aforementioned seats. Negative comments center on steering that can sometimes feel rubbery (even if it is nicely weighted), glare from the bowl-like rear edge of the hood, and some imprecise interior fits.

There’s only one engine and transmission available in the new Murano: a 260-hp 3.5-liter V-6 and a CVT. Notable results from our initial foray to the test track: 7.3 seconds to 60 mph, 18.7 ticks to 100, and 15.6 to complete the quarter-mile at 92 mph.

Spacious and packed with luxe gear, the Murano no doubt has many long road trips in its future, and it’s already proving a popular respite for the daily slog. Although it’s way too early to call our Murano an orange crush, our test has started off on the right foot—now we have to see how the remaining 37,000 miles go.

Months in Fleet: 1 month
Current Mileage: 2888 miles Average Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 19.0 gal Fuel Range: 400 miles
Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE AS TESTED: $43,955 (base price: $41,485)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and aluminum heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 213 cu in, 3498 cc
Power: 260 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 240 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm

TRANSMISSION: continuously variable automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 111.2 in
Length: 192.8 in
Width: 75.4 in Height: 66.6 in
Passenger volume: 103 cu ft
Cargo volume: 40 cu ft
Curb weight: 4070 lb

C/D PERFORMANCE: NEW
Zero to 60 mph: 7.3 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 18.7 sec
Zero to 110 mph: 24.0 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.9 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.9 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.6 sec @ 92 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 119 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 178 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.78 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 21/28 mpg
C/D observed: 21 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt

WARRANTY:
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper;
5 years/60,000 miles powertrain;
5 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection

WHAT WE LIKE: This past summer, we liked loading the Murano with people and stuff and taking it on long-weekend excursions. Ride quality is good, and the interior is easily quiet enough for young children to nap­. The rear seat has plenty of room for young and old alike, and there’s lots of cargo room in back. The front seats are particularly comfortable for hauls long and short, and it’s easy to find a good driving position, although some drivers would welcome more thigh support. Pleasing ergonomics, a sensible layout of the controls, and logical display screens minimize driving distraction. The chocolate-brown upholstery and tasteful silvery wood-grain trim lend an upscale ambiance to the cabin. Well-behaved adaptive cruise control, which will bring the vehicle to a complete stop, helps minimize the stress of summer-weekend traffic jams on Michigan’s I-75. A fuel range of 400-plus miles is also a boon.

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE: The continuously variable automatic transmission has come in for a lot of criticism. One editor noted that the Murano “makes a beeline for the lowest possible engine speed. Every time you give it the boot, it moans and bellows its way up to 4000 rpm, sounding like a distressed cow in dire need of milking.” Another driver described the powertrain as “unpleasant,” but features editor Jeff Sabatini opined that the CVT is offensive only when you’re driving the Murano in a sporting manner, which buyers are unlikely to do often, if at all. Murano customers are perhaps more likely to be bothered by the high load floor in the cargo area as well as the somewhat shallow door pockets and the smallish cubbies for stowing road-trip paraphernalia.

WHAT WENT WRONG: Not a thing. The only times the Murano has seen a wrench so far is during its scheduled maintenance visits, which come every 5000 miles. The first service cost $59.59 and was comprised of an oil and filter change, a tire rotation, and an inspection. The second maintenance checkup was identical but cost 34 cents less, thanks to a drop in the price of the oil filter. Add that to the piggy bank.

WHERE WE WENT: Aside from a handful of commutes to northern Ohio, the Murano hasn’t left the state of Michigan. But it racked up thousands of miles going back and forth a total of nine times to various locations in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula—Up North as we like to call it—from our home base in Ann Arbor. The Murano visited family cottages, summer camps, resort towns, and even Lake Michigan’s Beaver Island, which is a 32-mile ferry ride from the mainland.

Months in Fleet: 6 months Current Mileage: 14,106 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 22 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 19.0 gal Fuel Range: 420 miles
Service: $119 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE AS TESTED: $43,955 (base price: $41,485)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and aluminum heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 213 cu in, 3498 cc
Power: 260 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 240 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm

TRANSMISSION: continuously variable automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 111.2 in
Length: 192.8 in
Width: 75.4 in Height: 66.6 in
Passenger volume: 103 cu ft
Cargo volume: 40 cu ft
Curb weight: 4070 lb

C/D PERFORMANCE: NEW
Zero to 60 mph: 7.3 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 18.7 sec
Zero to 110 mph: 24.0 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.9 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.9 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.6 sec @ 92 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 119 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 178 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.78 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 21/28 mpg
C/D observed: 22 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt

WARRANTY:
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper;
5 years/60,000 miles powertrain;
5 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection

WHAT WE LIKE: Even after three seasons and nearly 25,000 miles, we consistently marvel at our long-term Murano’s stretch-out spaciousness, all-day comfort, and Costco-friendly cargo hold. Three-row crossovers have their benefits, but for those who don’t need the extra seats, the two-row Murano is extremely well packaged. And not many of those larger crossovers can yield the kind of fuel mileage we’ve been getting in the Nissan; our observed mileage climbed by 1 mpg since our last update, to 23 mpg. These aren’t the only factors that have helped us keep the odometer turning constantly: The ergonomics are easy to master, and the Around View Monitor system of cameras produces a bird’s-eye view that makes parking simple. Also, while winter was slow to reach the Midwest, we’ve been taking full advantage of the Murano’s remote start, heated steering wheel, and heated front and outboard-rear seats.

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE: Unless you’re contemplating the Murano’s exterior styling, it is perhaps the least-interesting vehicle in our current long-term fleet. After driving the Murano 1400 miles to Minnesota and back, contributor Tony Swan offered a one-word summary of the Nissan: “Boring.” That wasn’t his only criticism, however. He, like other drivers, complained about the vague steering, excessive body roll, and slow chassis responses when cornering. And several people have ranted about the glovebox—yes, that’s right, the glovebox. The problem is that it’s ridiculously deep, so much so that it makes extracting our fuel logbook an uncommonly difficult task. Colorful comments include: “If the glovebox had an access panel, you could probably check the engine oil without exiting the car,” and “The glovebox makes me feel like I’m spelunking.” This is fine for day-to-day storage, but it’s not so good for day-to-day use.

We’re not any happier with the continuously variable automatic transmission than we were previously. After his Minnesota escapade, Swan commented: “In ordinary freeway cruising, the CVT’s function is okay, but any time the driver tries to summon a big helping of power, there’s that annoying race between engine and transmission.” This is a major factor toward our lack of daily enthusiasm for the orange Nissan. On the weekends, though, the Murano shines (see Where We Went) . . .

WHAT WENT WRONG: Still nothing. Since our last update, the Murano has visited the service bay twice for routine maintenance. The 15,000-mile service cost was a little more expensive ($111) because the cabin air filter was replaced, but the 20K service came in right around the $60 mark, as did the two previous checkups. By the way, because we hail from the Midwest and believe strongly in the benefits of winter tires, we installed a set of Yokohama Geolandar I/T G072 ice and snow tires, which has helped the Nissan slosh through what winter has challenged us with so far.

WHERE WE WENT: The Murano hasn’t seen the parking lot of our home office in Ann Arbor, Michigan, very often in recent months. Besides the trip to Minnesota, it went to Richmond, Virginia, to coastal Wisconsin, and also back to northern Michigan—the tenth time it has been “Up North,” and almost certainly not the last.

Months in Fleet: 10 months Current Mileage: 24,492 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 23 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 19.0 gal Fuel Range: 440 miles
Service: $290 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE AS TESTED: $43,955 (base price: $41,485)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and aluminum heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 213 cu in, 3498 cc
Power: 260 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 240 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm

TRANSMISSION: continuously variable automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 111.2 in
Length: 192.8 in
Width: 75.4 in Height: 66.6 in
Passenger volume: 103 cu ft
Cargo volume: 40 cu ft
Curb weight: 4070 lb

C/D PERFORMANCE: NEW
Zero to 60 mph: 7.3 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 18.7 sec
Zero to 110 mph: 24.0 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.9 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.9 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.6 sec @ 92 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 119 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 178 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.78 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 21/28 mpg
C/D observed: 23 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt

WARRANTY:
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper;
5 years/60,000 miles powertrain;
5 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection