2009 Nissan Murano 3.5 LE AWD

The crossover utility vehicle is the newest and biggest trend, but it needs nointroduction. You've heard the song and dance enough - the roots, who was first, what it was, and so on so forth. What matters now, really, is how things have come along. And for that, we turn to one of the earlier entries, the Murano. You see, the Murano played a pretty instrumental part in leveraging the whole crossover movement into high gear. It proved that tall, spacious vehicles need not be boxy, and that the standard issue family hauler doesn't need to be boring. Without it, the car-like disposition that most new crossovers enjoy probably wouldn't be so prevalent. And, of course, there is also the matter of what the Murano did for Nissan. In 2002, when it debuted, it was quite literally a breath of fresh air within a brand that, other than the Altima which was introduced the year prior, suffered from a fairly timeworn product lineup. It was a microprocessor of modernity in a prehistoric world of ladder frame, live rear axles brutes.

For '09, the all-new Murano repeats, rather than reinvents. It is precisely the type of update you'd expect if Nissan were given a chance to go back and do it all over again, knowing what it experienced over the past five years. Instead of starting over from scratch it builds upon the foundation that the original model laid, polishing the rough edges and making a true effort to

Giant, spangly 20-inch wheels come standard on the LE. They look great. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

patch up all of its predecessor's shortcomings.

And what exactly were those shortcomings? Walk around a first-generation Murano and there are no short straws when it comes to design or content. It was a pretty serious threat to luxury brands who's buyers normally turn their noses up at non-premium nameplates like Nissan. Buyers' dislikes were consistent with any other Nissan of the era, and include dubious interior plastics and less than perfect fit and finish, which marred an otherwise excellent vehicle. Nissan addressed some of these issues as the outgoing Murano aged, and has especially done so with the new 2009 model.

Developmentally, the Murano follows the same path as the Altima, and for that matter the upcoming Maxima. Between the old and new models of the brand, they look similar, and mechanically, on paper at least, they are similar, yet there are improvements throughout. The chassis, for instance, is a generation newer and upgraded to the more rigid D-platform from the FF-L (like the Altima), which is more or less the same size -

Same size engine, but more power. The VQ is as good here as in any other application. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

fractionally longer, wider and taller, but with no more distance between the wheels than the outgoing crossover. A lighter, more advanced suspension system with a rear multi-link setup has been fitted, with more aluminum components, while the front wheels' direction is now dictated by a speed-sensitive rack that provides better feel and agility. Enhancements were made to the VQ35 engine to better performance (265 hp up from 240), refinement and real-world fuel economy (also, like the Altima).

Nissan has only ever offered the Murano with a CVT transmission, and there aren't any changes with the new model. What is surprising is what they've taken away, namely a manual mode. Apparently Nissan feels the algorithms of its new Adaptive Shift Control system, combined with the quicker acting actuators on the new CVT, are sufficient to render such an item pointless. I'm tempted to agree with Nissan's choice. In everyday driving, the CVT mates perfectly with the Murano's VQ engine, doing a very good job of mimicking engine braking and minimizing the rubber band effect, inherent with the CVT design, to unnoticeable levels. While I can say that I

CVT continues on as the only transmission choice, though it does so without a manual mode. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

personally didn't miss the manual mode, the added element of control that holding a given gear offers when going through corners, passing or towing is something buyers in this segment might be accustomed to.

The last step that the VQ's power takes before arriving to the Murano's rather big and spangly 20-inch alloy wheels is the standard all wheel drive system on LE models and optional on the base S and SL. In principle, this is essentially the same all wheel drive system as before, primarily sending the power to the front wheels with the wheels in back stepping in for work when extra grip is needed; the option to lock the power split at 50:50 is also the same. But there is a difference. The Murano's system has picked up a bit of an education along the way to the next generation, as it's now officially deemed intelligent. What makes it smarter is that it no longer waits for wheelspin before kicking in, making it feel more competent and sure-footed in slippery conditions.

As those who've driven the old Murano should be able to imagine, then, the new version drives very much like the outgoing one,

All wheel drive system builds upon the last model's foundations. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

but better. The D-Platform is vastly more rigid than the FF-L. Those suspension changes make the Murano feel more upscale and surprisingly Lexus-like. The steering is light and fairly accurate, while the suspension has been tweaked to be a little less firm, but no less capable at curing body roll; meaning you're free to drive it as if it were an Altima. The Murano is also vastly more refined when it comes to noise abatement. Wind noise is absent and road noise, despite its very wide Toyo tires, is minimal. The CVT also pitches in; for much of the rev range the engine's melodic thrum is absent, but flex your ankle and the VQ can be (distantly) heard. And you could do much worse than the Murano if you're looking for a fuel-efficient crossover. It's rated at 18 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway, which bests the smaller V6-powered Escape and just about every one of its direct, non-hybrid competitors.

With the exception of the Rogue, which has been, in essence, designed to look like a baby Murano, Nissan's midsize crossover looks unique whether viewing the details up close or taken in from a distance. The design has lost

Console draws heavily from the Infiniti lineup - no bad thing. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

some of its shock value with the entry of some equally curious crossovers (Mazda's CX-7 comes to mind), but the new Murano does an excellent job at staving off boring or stale design. The biggest difference, of course, is up front. The shapes remain the same, including the beveling on the hood, the rounded edges and so on, but the components are very different. The cheese grater grille has been replaced by one that now resembles another kitchen appliance, a slicing, dicing mandolin. And the headlamps now spread out horizontally with three individual bulbs. Again, the rest of the Murano looks more or less the same, but all of the trademark styling cues are enhanced with their individual volumes cranked up.

Step inside and you'd be forgiven for thinking it was an Infiniti. The styling of the dash certainly says so, as it's moved away from the 350Z-style podded instrument cluster to a more conventional shaped package. The biggest evidence is, however, the console, which seems to have been plucked straight from the luxury brand's parts pin, with the big central touchscreen display and the trademark wheel and button array. The rest of the cabin is comprised of equal doses of quality and luxury. The leather trim is soft and supple,

Cabin makes a giant step forward in terms of quality. You have to see it to believe it. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

and just about everywhere your fingers can reach find padded, soft-touch plastics with tight panel gaps. My personal favorite item is the glossy plinth of wood that houses the console. It's one of the most convincing applications of fake timber, outlined with thin slivers of chrome. It's nicer in here than just about any other crossover I can think of, walloping a lot of premium-brand vehicles like the Lexus RX, Lincoln MKX and Acura MDX, to name a few.

If you like toys, the Murano has plenty of ‘em. Proximity sensing Intelligent key with Push Button Start is standard on the LE, and depending on what model you've selected and what options you've ticked off, such luxuries as a power tailgate, heated rear seats and a giant panoramic sunroof can be had. Because of the sunroof's design, Nissan wasn't able to hang its optional DVD player from the roof, so you have to choose between the two. I happen to like the airy nature the skylight adds to the cabin, so it gets my nod. It's available on SL and LE models as an option. Speaking of electronics, Muranos are also iPod / USB literate, and with the Hard Drive Nav and Music Box Package on the SL and LE models it also comes with a built-in hard drive for storing your tunes, not to mention a PCMCIA card reader. Even more important for some, the rear seatbacks have an effortless power raising function, putting them back in their upright

Slightly less cargo space, but the rear seats fold themselves up automatically, and they recline. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

position after being folded flat.

If anything, the one area that hasn't been improved upon is that cargo bay. Its overall volume is actually slightly down compared to the outgoing model. Considering the raked hatch and the rounded backside it isn't off by much, however, and Nissan has made the most of the space by adding a flip-up cargo divider as seen in the Rogue. Much the same goes for the room. As it's on the same wheelbase the cabin doesn't enjoy any greater passenger volume, but it is more inviting and more comfortable.

I tend to find crossover vehicles, on the whole, a bit on the silly side. In essence, the Murano really is a tall-statured Altima station wagon, not an SUV, but that didn't stop me from enjoying my time with it. You see, the Murano is pretty much everything that you could ask for in a modern crossover, and maybe a few things you wouldn't have thought to ask for. Pricing starts at around $26k, with a fully loaded one such as my tester almost breaching the $40,000 barrier. That puts the Murano in the same league as the Lexus RX and some of the other premium branded vehicles, but as far as I can see it's definitely worth it. Being the early bird can be a very good thing.