Auto review: Struttin' down the runway in the stylish, Nissan Murano

Miami Herald

a day ago

FARMINGTON HILLS, Michigan - You don't so much drive the Nissan Murano as wear it. It's a fashion statement.
Even coated in salt from a days' drive across Metro Detroit's wintry tundra, my Aurora Blue Pearl Metallic Murano looked ready for the Detroit Auto Show Charity Preview. Bezeled silver roofline like a Saarinen arch, muscular hips, slim front light signature over a lit lower grille (a touch of Ferrari Purosangue there?).
The Nissan Murano is lovely. Always has been. Since it strutted down the runaway as the first midsized crossover in 2003, it has put the "sport" in sport utility vehicles. Elegant lines, lush grilles, high-tech interiors, albino seats you want to lick they're so sweet.
Now in its fourth generation, the 2025 Murano is once again on the cutting edge of fashion, for good and ill.
For good, it has lost its voluptuous Rubensesque figure from the 2010s and emerged from the gym with a more svelte, athletic torso for the '20s. Cars are fashion, and this is the era of sleek iPhones and Teslas. So, too, the interior, which ditches the ol' vertical lines for lean, horizontal lines accented with high-tech screens and haptic touch controls.
For ill? Murano has conformed to the same common turbo-4 engine found in every other bot these days, from the Nissan Rogue SUV to the Hyundai Tucson to the Chevy Traverse. Sigh. Government emissions regulations force uniformity, and that works against elegant non-conformists like the Murano, which used to belt out healthy V-6 exhaust tunes.
As we danced across Huron River Parkway, I buried the throttle and ... oh. like watching Beyonce leaning into a chorus and Rosanne Barr's voice coming out.
The Ariya, Murano's fetching electric sister, boasts smooth torque that better complements its similarly exotic wardrobe - right down to the same twin screens and haptic wood dash accents. But that comfort becomes discomfort on a cold Michigan day, where 305-mile range drops 30% and the 270-mile trip to Nub's Nob suddenly looks challenging.
With 505 miles of gas range, the 27 mpg highway Murano is the safer date.
While I bemoan the absence of the optional 260-horse V-6, the 241-horse turbo-4 pairs with a smooth nine-speed transmission instead of the coarse, continuously-variable V-6 tranny of yore.
Speaking of yore, many Nissan shoppers will be empty nesters looking to downsize after years carting kiddies in a three-row Pathfinder or Armada. Murano is just the ticket. As is the subcompact Kicks, another stylish turbo-4 entry that is new for '25. Proving style doesn't sacrifice quality, both led their segments in J.D. Power's 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, which tracked reliability over three years of ownership.
Both SUVs boast big backseats for leggy friends, but the Murano bring more sophistication for its higher price. The interior is a great place to spend time.
Start with "Zero Gravity" seats, which you'll want to rip out of the car and use in your living room they are so comfy. The leather-wrapped console is easy on the eyes - and my knobby knees that rested against the console for miles.
For ill? Ergonomics are a mixed bag. Steering wheel controls are superb, with raised buttons that you can adjust without your eyes leaving the road. However, Nissan chose a push-button console shift design that requires you to look away from the road to shift gears. Better that they had chosen a stalk shifter solution like Chevrolet if it was the console space-saver they were looking for. And that stylish haptic climate control? It also requires taking your eyes off the road.
For good, Murano is tech-tastic.
My list of safety must-haves - adaptive cruise control, blind spot-assist, rear-backup assist, are all standard. Google Built-in (standard on the SL trim and up) has good voice recognition abilities. So you change the temp by voice rather than haptic touch.
Hey, Google, turn the driver-side temperature to 70 degrees.
Done. I like a car with a sense of humor, and Murano knows dumb jokes.
Hey, Google, tell me a joke.
What's a pig's favorite karate move? A pork chop.
Boom. Murano has a deep bench of convenience settings. My favorite: it locks automatically when you walk away with key in pocket - or unlocks automatically as you approach. Just like a Tesla.
Unlike a Tesla: Nissan brings 360-degree camera innovation. Not only will its eight cameras provide a bird's-eye 360-degree view, but it offers multiple views, including the ability to see through your hood so you can perfectly place your tires in a parking spot or avoid parking-lot potholes. I'm not making this up.
To discover more tech goodies, Nissan thoughtfully provides video guides in the infotainment screen.
My Murano tester was a top drawer, $51,415 all-wheel-drive Platinum model. But I'd recommend the SL, which allows you to option all the features above. Make mine an SL with standard Google Built-in, wireless charging, panoramic roof, all-wheel drive, 360-degree camera, plus ... Auria Blue Metallic paint ($425), spare tire ($180).
Boom. A state-of-the-art Murano for $47,950 that you'll never get tired of wearing.
2025 Nissan Murano
Vehicle type: Front-engine, front- and all-wheel-drive, five-passenger SUV
Price: $41,860 base, including $1,390 destination ($51,415 AWD Platinum model as tested)
Power plant: 2.0-liter turbocharged, inline 4-cylinder
Power: 241 horsepower, 260 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 8.0 seconds (Car and Driver est. AWD); towing, 1,500 pounds
Curb weight: 4,438 pounds (as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA est. 21 city/27 highway/23 combined (FWD and AWD); 505-mile range
Report card
Highs: Sculpted exterior; high-tech features
Lows: Uninspired turbo-4; distracting shifter, climate controls
Overall: 3 stars
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