2016 Nissan Murano

The Nissan Murano is offered in four trims this year with prices ranging from $29,742 and going all the way to $40,780. Right from the base trim level, the car is very well equipped with auto on and off headlamps, remote engine start, universal garage door opener and so on that make it hardly seems like the base trim.

Which trim should you buy?

Since the base trim level is itself very well equipped and since the SUV is aging a bit, we would not advise you to spend on the higher trim levels since they cost more than the competitors do. However, like we mentioned the base trim is far from being bare-bones as it has the choicest of features that one wouldn’t find in an SUV of this class. One also has a lot of optional extras that can be added to make the car more special.

Under the hood of the Nissan Murano is a 3.5 L naturally aspirated V-6 engine that generates an excellent 260 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque. This engine itself is pretty athletic and capable of doing 0 to 60 mph in just 7.8 seconds which makes it very fast for an SUV. It feels very much capable of taking the car on highways as well as in city runs.

When it comes to quarter-mile acceleration figures the Murano performs very well again with a 16 second time which is definitely quick. The power delivery is also extremely smooth and the throttle response is excellent. The transmission shows some signs of age with its reluctance to be quick in terms of shifting speeds.

The Honda Pilot is a more expensive car than the Nissan. But it also happens to be a more powerful car and a more engaging car to drive. The Ford Edge is one of the least expensive cars in this category when equipped with the base trim. However, it is the least powerful car in its segment when you look at the figures on paper. In terms of real-world numbers, the Nissan Murano is the slowest car with 0 to 60 mph times.

Although the Nissan Murano does not have the most engaging engine or transmission of its class, it does pay off well in terms of fuel efficiency. One can see that from the EPA-rated fuel efficiency ratings of 21 MPG in the city, 28 MPG on the highway, and 24 MPG combined. Combine this with the fuel tank capacity of 19 gallons, and this SUV is able to return a range of 399 miles in the city and 532 miles on the highway.

We find that the more powerful cars, the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Honda Pilot, lose out in terms of fuel efficiency. The Ford is the most frugal engine of the lot and does not have an excellent performance like the others. It suffers greatly because its tank is small at just 15-gallon capacity. The Nissan Murano is one of the more efficient cars in its class and impresses us gently in the department of range as well.

The interiors of the Nissan Murano are a bit dated but one can never say that it is not comfortable. Other than being quiet and packed with features, the material quality is also definitely nice. The interior design is also nice to look at and offers a lot of functional storage spaces. Overall it is a very practical cabin and can definitely impress buyers.

The seats are also sufficiently large and can seat five people with ease. The seats are built very well and are supportive for passengers of all sizes as well. The controls are also very easy to use and the switchgear is placed very well so one can say that it is an ergonomic cabin. It is also easy for ingress and egress and remains a very likable cabin.

One can see that despite being around the same size externally, the Nissan Murano and the Ford Edge do not offer seating for more than five passengers. The Santa Fe and the Honda Pilot manage much better than this due to extended passenger capacities. However, when it comes to cargo capacity, this order is exactly reversed with the Nissan Murano being the leader in terms of cargo capacity. Some standard features include:

• Cruise Control
• Keyless Ignition
• Dual Illuminating Vanity Mirrors
• Front And Rear Cupholders
• Dual Zone Front Climate Control
• Interior Air Filtration
• Electrochromatic Inside Rearview Mirror

What’s there to keep you entertained? 

There are plenty of infotainment features of the Nissan Murano that can keep you entertained throughout your journeys. It offers excellent features like an 8-inch touchscreen, smartphone integration as well as a decent sound system. One can also upgrade to an 11 speaker Bose sound system that delivers excellent quality audio. Some features of the infotainment system include: 

• AM/FM Stereo
• Auxiliary Audio Input
• HD Radio
• Satellite Radio
• Smart Device Integration
• Bluetooth streaming
• Voice recognition functionality
• Hands-free text messaging

The Nissan Murano has an especially bold design that makes it stand up to its competition. Since it has been around for a while, the SUV no longer looks as luxurious as the ones used to. It does look a bit polarizing as many buyers are not exactly fans of the design. It is not expected anytime soon but the car looks far from being dated.

Everything looks small next to the Honda Pilot in this category and it is also the heaviest car of the bunch. The Nissan Murano is much smaller and hence is lighter. It also has the least ground clearance of the lot even though it is not deprived of it by much. We find that it is nearly the longest car but is small otherwise. Some standout features include:

• Premium Paint
• BlindZone Mirrors
• Splash Guards
• Roof Rail Cross Bars
• 20" Split 5-Spoke Bright PVD Alloy Wheels
• Privacy Glass

The Nissan Murano has a four-star crash test rating from NHTSA. However, it has not been declared as the Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or IIHS. Despite this, however, it has scored very well in the IIHS tests as well. We can however assume that it is still a very safe car. This is due to having features like knee airbags, hill start assist, active front head restraints, rearview camera, etc. being offered as standard features. Some of the standout safety features include:

• Driver Airbag
• Passenger Airbag
• Front Head Airbag
• Rear Head Airbag
• Front Side Airbag
• Brake Assist
• Electronic Stability Control
• Daytime Running Lights
• Child Safety Locks
• Integrated Turn Signal Mirrors
• Traction Control
• Blind Spot Monitor
• Cross-Traffic Alert

 The Nissan Murano is a very versatile five-passenger crossover SUV. It has good space in its interiors and has a decent engine that provides both performances as well as efficiency. With its more upscale styling, it has also established its presence in the market but fails to deliver quite as much as its competitors. For these reasons, we would not pick it over its competitors.