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The first impression

Nissan South Africa launched their Murano back in 2002 and made its way to South Africa in 2005.. Acclaimed for it's coupe like design and overall sporty lines, it was unique and fresh. The medium sized segment was pretty new back then. Eight years on and it’s a cut throat segment filled with some fantastic options.

The second generation Murano was introduced in 2009. The new variant was less revolutionary than its predecessor but rather an evolution. The family lines are more in keeping with the rest of the Nissan family DNA. Because the first shape was so wow the second generation appeared more of the same. It is still a handsome SUV, with interesting front and rear design treatments that give it an aggression that sits well on the road. The side of the Murano gives its age away; the side doors panels are simple to the point that they lack the interesting detail of newer SUV’s. Convex and concave vectored lines are needed to carry through the stronger front and rear styling.

Four years on and sales are modest for the second generation Murano. With numbers under ten being sold a month. This is alarming considering that its rivals; the BMW X3 is selling approximately 180 units, the Audi Q5 about 160 units per month and the VOLVO XC60 plus minus 40 units per month.

This is obviously why Nissan SA has thrown in more value into the 2012 Murano’s, giving a gaget gizmo punch for The Murano brand. The sporty coupe looking SUV now comes standard with: Nissan Premium Connect navigation and infotainment added, sleeker, sexier front end, stylish Double Panel Moon Roof, new LED rear light clusters, same sports car heart in even more passenger car comfort. These bells and whistles are nice to haves which give additional value to the Murano’s R600 K price tag.

 Open-up the cabin and it’s a plush affair. The Murano features soft touch leather, an ergonomically pleasing layout that is similar but not the same as its premium cousin the Infiniti. Unfortunately some of the buttons have a dated look and feel to them, which brings the premium feel of the cabin down a notch. The Murano is a big car, with big comfy seats and loads of headroom. The Double Panel Sunroof adds to the cabins ambiance, letting in loads of natural light. Pity the Murano doesn’t come with a few bottles of Sun Screen too! You could catch a nice tan though all that glass.

The Murano is driven by all its wheels, hence an AWD vehicle. It is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine which is from the naughty 350Z sports car. So I thought the Murano would be fast!? To be honest it is brisk but not fast. The car is driven by a CTV gearbox which feels like an elastic band that is being stretched and released as you climb up and down the rev range. It’s a strange sensation but very smooth and quite well suited to the Murano's character. Be warned, the 3.5-liter isn’t the newest engine as a result the Murano is thirsty on fuel. The suspension is set on the soft side so is comfortable, soaking up the roads cellulite well but as a by-product wallows and is less sport utility vehicle and more comfort utility vehicle CUV! Hence the comfy Marshmallow term of endearment.

The facts

Highlights

• Comfortable and relaxing drive
• Large cabin that can easily accommodate 5 adults
• Great sounding engine
• Double Panel Sunroof

Low lights

• Heavy on fuel
• Not that quick
• Wollowy drive if you feel like being sporty
• Skinny door bins that are no good for anything other than an iPad or magzine

The figures

The extra stuff

The new Murano includes all of the advanced features and premium equipment as standard specification, as well as a 5-year/90 000km service plan.

The verdict

The Murano is a good car. It is luxurious, quite, and easy to drive and has plenty of accommodation for all and sundry. Thing is, it isn’t the only good car in the medium sized SUV segment. This segment is a very important one. This segment covers the needs of families and would be mom or dads main mode of transport. The customers in this segment have gone the luxury SUV choice as opposed to the medium sized luxury sedan or station wagon. So SUV and luxury are two important factors by which the customer will be eye-balling there prospective choices.

The BMW X3 though I have not tested the car it’s well known for being sporty and does a good job of the utility part of the deal. Luxury, it is a Beemer so you know you are going to get to notch quality. But the concern comes into the equation when you consider that there aren’t as many “luxury” items included as standard on the 3.5 X3. But is got a beaut of an engine!

The Audi Q5 which I recently reviewed and I likened my driving experience in the Q5 to an aged whiskey, refined dark chocolate and a piece of silk velvet fabric. Sublime! The Audi Q5 is a great vehicle, with the only down side being its heavy fuel consumption.

The Volvo XC60 has just undergone a makeover and comes standard with an array of great gizmos. It’s an underrated car and a fantastic option in this company. The Volvo also has the most comfortable seats of the competition.

So would I buy the Murano over the three Europeans listed above? If I hated European cars then yes. Otherwise the Volvo XC60 would be my choice!

Nissan Murano Web link