2007 has proven to be a wild year for me in the 'cars' arena... I've switched quite a few vehicles, thinnned out my motorcylce collection considerably, and upon selling my multi-utility Altima (which has been my daily-driver and beat-up-on car) I had a need for a vehicle which would fit the DD bill AND have the space and function to fulfill my work and gig needs.

2007 has also proven to be the year of the CrossOver... With gasoline prices continuing along the upward trend, as many drivers have steered themselves away from the tradition SUV because of how costly gas becomes, I found myself looking at a host of new crossover products from a multitude of manufacturers. Among the notables were Ford's Edge, Subaru's B9 tribeca, the Grand Vitara and Toyota's Rav4 (plus a few others). I'm going to list a few 'shootout' points toward the end of the review -- I hope you find these particularly useful, because if you find yourself in the market for such a Crossover, I assure you, you'll be asking many of the same questions I asked when I comes time to lay down the coin.. For now, on to the review.

Ironically, a few years back I penned a 350Z review, and called it potentially 'Nissan's Renaissance' -- for what seemed to be a lame-duck Nissan had just unveiled what ultimately became a superstar in the world of Japanese made sports cars. Continuing the upward trend, a now flourishing Nissan has introduced some exceptional vehicles since then (2 awesome Altimas- every new model change they seem to get it right and then righter..) and for a number of years now, the Murano has gained popularity and applomb. The Murano remains virtually unchanged for the 2007 model year, with the exception of a new (and very useful and convenient) feature of automatic tire-pressure monitoring. Hit one button and all four tire's pressure will pop up on the main screen on the dashboard. Other than this, the vehicle keeps the same sleek lines, same well-appointed interior and the same unique drivetrain, with a shift-less CVT transmission and a reasonbly torquey 3.5 liter V6. The engine's 240 HP is plenty to move this mid-size XO (we're going to call a crossover an 'XO' for the remainder of this review, for sake of brevity) and the neat, gearless CVT transmission seems to always keep the engine close to peak torque, so acceleration is pretty nice for something bigger and heavier than your average car.

In short, the Murano is Nissan's solution for the driver who needs more space than a car, room for 5 people comfortably and wants some decent aesthetics / refuses to buy a minivan! It's a sharp looking vehicle with real sleek lines, and perhaps even more importantly, is clearly a notch above its competition in the interior department, but more on this later...

The Murano is available in 3 different base packages: S, SL and SE. The base S package is what I chose, strictly on price, as the SL is nearly 5K more to begin with, BEFORE you start adding stuff to it... The SL is the 'luxury' edition, while the SE is the sport-edition and has a tighter, sportier suspension. All of them can be had as either FWD or AWD and all editions employ the slick, aforementioned CVT transmission. All models also come equipped standard with dual-zone climate control. Also note, moving from S to SL or SE will give you more color choices -- as my color of choice was the charcoal, I ultimately decided to forego it and take silver, because 5K more sticker was too much for just color!!! But if you're set on charcoal, midnight blue or red-red, you'll have to step up to an SL package just to have access to those exterior colors.

EXTERIOR (A-) I Like the looks of this XO alot! Nevertheless, I think the back end, despite the cool LED taillights, is a little funky and bulbous. The front grill, while chrome-looking, is plastic and leaves a little to be desired. Other than that it's a sharp looking XO and I think it looks considerably nicer then Rav4, Grand Vitara and is on par with the Tribeca. The Mazda CX7 was the only one I looked at that I thought came very close, or possibly topped the Murano and Tribeca. Even the 'S' package comes standard with 18" allows and chrome exaust tips - I am very impressed with my Murano in the looks department.

INTERIOR (A+) The Interior of the Murano is clearly a cut above all the others, if not a few cuts! Compared the cheaper feeling and looking Rav4 and Grand Vitara and CX7(which I thought the Murano walked over) even the Tribeca and Acura's awesome RDX were only on-par with the Murano. While the Murano is built on the Altima platform, the interior amenities are way nicer - the door panels are much sturdier and better insulated for noise and comfort. Again, even base-S models come equipped with standard Dual-Zone Climate-Control and I am really digging the center-console: The Murano has two convenient coin-compartments next to the shifter- I've found the forward one perfect for my blue-tooth so I never have to worry about not having my bluetooth in the car- I leave it there. The main center-compartment is really two-in-one. Up top the console has two flip-up-to-open doors and the entire compartment moves fore and aft for elbow comfort. BELOW the top fli-open area is a bigger compartment which goes down nice and deep- there is a latching detent which you hook your fingers under to open it. It's nice and deep- fits my GPS device easily, plus a ton more stuff. ALSO, in the bottom compartment, a second 12V power-port is conveniently located, so you can leave your phone chargers cord 95% INSIDE the compartment -- It's got a little hole to route it into the cabin to plug your phone in. Again, the interior was very well thought out and I really dig the compartment layout and functionality.

CONTROLS (B+): The Murano has an appoximately 4x6 inch LCD screen where you control radio and HVAC, and access all other diagnostic info (like the aforemention tire-pressure monitor, fuel economy and other info). Everything is easily accessable with as few button pushes as possible - once a 'category' is selected (such as 'fuel economy') further navigation is accomplished very similar to an internet browser, and according 'BACK' is one of the main buttons, along with an up-down-left-right mini 'joystick' to move around the screen and select things. The stalk-layout is standard japanese car, with headlights/brights etc on the left, and wiper control etc on the right. Some people have criticzed the shifter since it has multiple notched detents so that the shifter 'locks' into place once driving. Please do NOT think it has a 'notchy' shifter - it shifts SMOOTHY into gear, however the track that the shifter physically rides inside of is simply NOTCHED. I have no complaints about the shifter- especially because the damn thing HAS NO GEARS - you put it into drive and you go. Lastly, you can select AWD lock, where the car will always drive all 4 wheels - normally the computer selects AWD for you, based on road conditions and its detection of wheel slippage.

The only reason i give it a B+ is because the screen causes the stereo to be a funky shape- no standard DIN unit here... If there were one spot that I feel is MOST criticizable on the Murano, its the barely-decent stereo it comes with. SL models and higher come with a better Bose system, but regardless, you still can't easily switch to a better aftermarket head unit, if you want better sound. The non-DIN format will make the head-unit switch more of a chore. Also, none of the 'packaged' Muranos come with standard IPOD dock- this is an option from Nissan and costs 200 bucks.. Now if you're spending over 40K on a loaded SE, i guess 200 bucks is a non-issue. But truthfully, since Nissan hit it out of the park in almost every other department, I would have loved to see a stock 1/8th inch IPOD input installed out of the factory on my S... More on the mediocre stereo in the tab below...

SEATS AND AMENITIES (B+/A-) The Murano comes with very comfortable seats - the have good support all around and are very plush and comfy, even on the hottest days. One comment though, despite the 8-way power seat my S AWD (with convenience package) came with, I feel that the range of lumbar support motion is quite limited, and you can move it as much as you want, but you don't feel very different sitting in the seat. This is a minor complaint, especially because the seats are quite nice, but as a potential buyer, you should spend some time in the drivers seat and really play with the power-lumbar to see if you can make the seat optimally comfortable. Also, as I mentioned a moment ago, the stereo is really pretty poor.. I would change the head unit in a SECOND if I could - however since the Screen / HVAC controls / Stereo are all clumped together in this big ol' non-DIN shape, there will be NO head-unit change on my leased vehicle!!! More's the pitty, because the stereo is rather underpowered and sounds 'ok' at best -- plus no IPOD input was an added inconvenience for me!!! Everything else about the interior is quite far ahead of the competition though, and I'm very satisfied with the creature comforts in my Murano S.

OVERALL DRIVING IMPRESSION (A) I'm really digging this Murano and it's engine/tranny. It's a pleasure to sit in the cockpit, with a great gauge-cluster and saeting position. Pedals are also movable with the addition of the 800 dollar convenience package, which I opted for (roof rails, 8-way power drier seat and moving pedals are the significant mentioneable features its adds).

One thing about the ride or specifically driving the vehicle: It definitely feels very "drive-by-wire" and if you're used to either A) driving manual or B) driving a performance oriented automatic, you will be cognizant of a change... I love the way it drives though - however what I'm talking about specifically has to do with how the computer operates the CVT transmission relative to how you are applying throttle: If you're on the highway cruising at 60, and you floor it, the computer will bring the engine up to around 4K RPM, where it's at peak torque. As you gather speed (rather rapidly I might add- it's got great hiway acceleration) you'll notice that the rev's don't count higher - instead, the engine stays at 4K and yet the speedometer keeps on climbing... Basically what's happening is the computer is keeping the engine in peak torque and instead of revving it higher, it's telling the Coninuously Variable (CVT) transmission to change itself to a highed final drive ratio - the result, more speed. This is not a huge change, and honestly perhaps most (or maybe 1/2) the people who drive a Murano for the first time may notice- but it's VERY very easy to adjust to and won't change anything about your driving- except to notice that there's no feeling of gear-shifts, because there aren't multiple gears- just ONE continuously adjustable gear...

HANDLING A+ A few years ago I raved about BMW's introduction of the X5, because it was the first ever SUV/PUV that actually FELT like a car... Later, is gave commendation to Nissan/Infinity for the FX35 - an AWESOME XO, which combines some of the best features of a performance car, along with some of the better points of an XO and smashes them togheter into a great fun XO to drive... In my opinion, Murano is equally a fantastic BLEND, and thus my title. In short, while the FX35 might appeal more to the sports-driver enthusiast, the Murano would appeal to the more practical multi-purpose driver -- however it does NOT lose all the sportiness of the FX..
Please also note: the FX35 is NOT built on the Altima chassis as the Murano is, but rather on the hot 350Z chassis -- This is a common misconception about both vehicles. Cooincidentally, my father drives an FX35 with sport package (20" wheels). While the FX is certainly sport as hell, even my dad admits, ESPECIALLY after spending some time in my Murano, that if he had to do it all over again, he's probably take the Murano.

On the road, the Murano is predicatable, well mannered and handles like a car, only bigger. Because all four wheels are virutally as close to the corners of the vehicle as possible, it does great in the rain AND snow, and corners extremely well. While I woundn't go as far to say that it's an X5 killer, it's certainly in the ballpark -- The Murano is alot of fun to drive, it responds quickly and crisply to steering input and again, the torquey V6 puts its power to the pavement quickly with the CVT- though the absence of any shifting might make one say it's not exactly 'sporty' feeling. Nevertheless, as I said in the beggining of the review, I was looking for something that could seat 5 comfortably and NOT be a station wagon or a mini-van!! Lastly, because the wheels are so close to the corners the Murano has a fairly tight steering radius and is very easy to throw around parking lots. It's also very easy to backpark, and despite the (nice) tinted windows, great visibility in 360 degrees and overside side-view mirrors eliminate just about any blindspots. In 4-5 months driving it, I haven't once complained about peripheral line of sight.

ROAD NOISE (A+): As mentioned earlier, the Murano also has a much nicer interior than the altima- despite that they share a common chassis. While one might find that the Altima has a sort of noisy cabin, the Murano's cabin is quite well insulated (those aforementioned door panels etc) and I think it's a big step ahead of the Altima in terms of creature comforts. The interior is quiet, comfortable and plenty spacious.

SAFETY, FUEL CONSUMPTION and OVERALL VALUE (A+/B/A-) Firstly, the Murano is one of the highest safety rated vehicles on the road- it posted some of the best crash-test results for ANY crossOver ever, including NHTSA's 5-star crash rating for both side and front impact. All trim-levels (S, SL and SE) come equipped with standard dual-front and side-zone airbags + supplemental over-head curtain airbags on the roof-rails. Additionally ABS is standard equiment on all models. Again, the sturdy quality of the interior + all the protection features and awards amount to a very confidence inspiring ride: I feel exceptionally safe in my Murano.

After driving the XO for about 5 months and over 3500 miles, I've averaged around 18 or so around town and over 22/23 for highway. This is certainly better than the 15/16 average I used to get in my other (american) SUV of yesteryear, and is on par or better than what I'd get in a MiniVan. While I'm not astounded at the mileage per gallon, I'm not upset or surprised negatively - I epxected right around 20 and I am getting right around 20... Note: Nissan recomends hi-test for the Murano. I'm not sure why though... The V6 is hardly a hi-performance engine. I've tried 87 89 and 91 or better -- None of the grades make any significant difference in mileage OR power, and so I've been sticking with 87.

In regards to Value, I felt that the Murano yielded the most bang for the buck, all around. While it was CERTAINLY not the cheapest in the lot, out of all the XO's I looked at, below, I will try to summarize in a sentence or two why I picked the Murano over all the other notables:

RAV4: Toyota's Rav4 wasn't a whole lot cheaper than the Murano to begin with -- and even after going back and forth a bit in negotiation, I found dollar-for-dollar, the Toyota was overpriced. Drivewise the Rav4 felt underpowered and unrefined. Same for the interior- while the Rav4's cheap feeling interior dissapointed me, the Murano blew it away for only a few bucks a month more and the SAME out-of-pocket. While the two aren't very different looking on the outside, I thought the Murano was clearly nicer, nonetheless. No contest- Murano wins.

Grand Vitara: I didn't hate the look of it, however the interior was way cheaper feeling, like the Rav4. I was impressed at the driving behavior of the Vitara though, and if there was a close second, THIS IS IT - however more so because the price of the Grand Vitara is soooo much cheaper - nearly 8k sticker. When I really compared everything at the end of the day though, because the Murano was so much more refined in almost every regard, I chose it over the Grand Vitara.

Tribeca B9: The Tribeca is an AWESOME truck- no doubt. However, I felt it came up short in the value department. Just as I opted for an S AWD, instead of an SL AWD, that extra 5-6K sticker was daunting, and likewise, the Tribeca was a no because of price just like the SL Murano. Looks wise however, the Tribeca is a gorgeous little XO, and you can expect a review from me soon...

Mazda CX7: Mazda was the only XO that I thought might have a little edge on the Murano for looks. It's sleek and sexy looking lines were what attracted me to it in the first place. Also, when you compare the different 'packages' or trim-levels offered, the Mazda MIGHT appear to be a better value- however once you build up the feature set, you'll probably be right around 30K, just about where the Murano is, perhaps short a few bucks. Regardless, the Mazda's interior felt cheap comparatively and I prefferred the smooth CVT transmission in the Nissan by far over the CX7.

Ford Edge: Just before I signed the Murano's paperwork, it was the Ford Edge that almost got the win. Sadly, the Edge is a brand new model for Ford- and so new, that I feel it hasn't had time to show it imperfections. Ultimately the Murano is a very proven platform- and has only gotten better through the years, just as Nissan has gotten stronger. sadly, Ford has clerly gotten WEAKER. and the Edge was almost the same price as the Murano- IN FACT, I got further away from (below) sticker MORE on my Murano deal than Ford was willing to budge on the Edge, despite that the Murano had a higher sticker price. Also, while I've criticized almost every other XO for interior, let me nicely say te Edge's interior was the cheapest and chinciest feeling of all of them. I wish Ford well with their Edge- but I'll take my Murano any day, thanks!

Overall, the Nissan Murano is a proven vehicle, which despite any significant exterior redesign since its inception, continue to turn heads and garner accolades from the rest of the industry. I am quite happy with the deal I got on Mine- Although, since 08's are coming soon, I probably could have eeked out a few more dollars if I'd have waited until end of august... Regardless, I got a much better deal than the "sepcials" being advertised and TV, and accordingly, I felt it was undoubtedly the best value in XO's out there. I love my murano and thus far, haven't had any significant complaints, except MAN, do I wish that thing had an IPOD port!
Amount Paid (US$): 2800 \ 289/m
Condition: New
Model Year: 2007
Model and Options: S AWD