Base price: $30,000 (est)
Vehicle type: front-engine, front- or 4-wheel-drive; 5-door 5-passenger wagon
Interior volume, F/R (cu ft) 59–60/48
Cargo volume, seats up/maximum (cu ft) 33/82
Wheelbase 111.2 in
Length/width/height 187.6/74.0/66.5 in
Turning circle 37.4 ft
Curb weight 3800–3950 lb
EPA city/highway mpg 20/24–25
Fuel-tank capacity/range 21.7 gal/434 mi
Passive restraints driver and passenger front, side, and head airbags; rear head airbags
POWERTRAIN
3.5-liter DOHC pushrod 24-valve V-6, 245 hp; continuously variable auto
SUSPENSION
F ind, struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
R ind, multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
F/R vented disc/vented disc
ABS standard
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NISSAN MURANO
Nissan’s curvilinear new sport-utility vehicle, the 2003 Murano, is the company’s first “soft-roader”—it’s not truck-based—in the fast-growing “crossover” sport-utility segment. Nissan is targeting buyers looking for a medium-size luxury SUV at a price starting at about $30,000, and the initial lure is likely to be the Murano’s stand-out “sculpture in motion” design theme. The rounded contours, sloping hoodline, steeply raked windshield, upswept D-pillars, and rear lights bearing an unmistakable likeness to the 350Z sports car represent a new direction in design that will likely flow to future Nissan models.
Powered by the versatile 245-hp, 3.5-liter DOHC V-6 engine derived from the 2002 Altima and Maxima, the front-wheel-drive Murano is available with all-wheel drive through a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Unlike conventional stepped-gear automatics, the new Nissan CVT operates as essentially one gear through the use of a belt and two pulleys, which provide smooth, responsive acceleration, quiet operation, and virtually eliminate traditional shift shock. The CVT also has a six-speed manual shift mode (much like Audi’s Multitronic) on top-of-the-line SE models.
The Murano also shares platform technology with the Altima and uses the same four-wheel independent suspension with struts up front and a multilink rear that provides good handling and a carlike ride, even with an SUV ride height. A cradle-type front subframe, high-stiffness stabilizer bars, and available traction-control and stability-control systems add to the Murano’s overall feeling of competence.
Inside the Murano’s well-equipped, luxurious interior, there is sculpted seating for four people, adjustable pedals, a tilting wheel with a movable gauge instrument pod like the 350Z’s, rear-seat air-conditioning outlets in the pillars, and rear seatbacks that fold forward for more space or recline for greater comfort. The instrument panel is trimmed in aluminum and has a standard 6.3-inch information monitor (7.0 inches with the optional navigation system). Ample storage includes a two-tier lockable center-console storage box and an underfloor compartment in the rear cargo area. A Bose seven-speaker stereo and an eight-way-adjustable driver’s seat are optional. On the safety front, the Murano offers front and rear side-curtain airbag protection as well as dual-stage front airbags and active front head restraints. And as we’ve seen in other recent Nissan models, the provision of a comprehensive equipment package—and a powerful engine at a fair price—offers a real advantage over the competition.
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