Aiding the Murano’s stellar chassis is its equally commendable partner-in-crime: the 3.5-liter VQ V6 engine. If it seems a bit too déjà vu for you, it should since this engine powers almost every Nissan from the Teana to the 350Z. It’s also one of the world’s most award powerplants, garnering a spot in Ward’s Ten Best Engine Awards for 13 straight years. Those unfamiliar with the VQ’s accolades need not scratch their heads with horsepower and torque figures; you only need to fire the engine to life to enjoy its creamy smoothness and unparalleled quietness. It’s rarely vocal; it whispers its way to a 6,000 rpm redline. The dual exhaust pipes bellow out a sporty rhapsody at full throttle. A word of caution though: the Murano’s diet consists of 95 octane unleaded. Any less will result in a less-than enthusiastic coarseness at the engine’s top end.
Quiet and refined as the engine is, the Murano feels a bit weak on long journeys because of its CVT transmission. Although the technology seems to benefit small displacement and hybrid cars, for a vehicle like the Murano, the result is less than exemplary. The most noticeable problem is the lack of a kick in a straight line. Sure, the Murano accelerates but it struggles to push its hefty 1,825 kilogram weight even past 60 km/h. Another, and quite possibly the most irritating defect of CVT is the transmission drone. It makes itself known at high speeds, interfering with the otherwise cathedral quiet cabin.
Despite its shortcomings, the Nissan Murano should be treated as a personal victory for the Nissan brand. As a company on the brink of bankruptcy a few years back, it is consumer-oriented products like the Murano that really steered it back to the right direction. At P 2.650 million, this isn’t a bargain Nissan and that’s despite all the luxury items thrown in for good measure. What’s most important is that the Murano changed the way perceived Nissan. With the Murano’s critical and commercial success, there’s little doubt that its combination of bold styling and good dynamics will one day trickle to Nissan’s bread-and-butter cars like the Sentra; and that is something worth waiting for.
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| 350Z styling cues again in the Murano's gauges (top). Interior space something to be desired (bottom). |
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| Some switchgear such as power window adjustment is not in its logical position. |
