The Murano was ahead of its time when it was introduced. It eschews the square look of a truck in favor of a modern aerodynamic design. The Murano features a sleek front end with smooth lines front to back, and a greenhouse that slopes rearward, ending in a graceful C-pillar. Inside, the instruments and controls seem to float in pods that appear barely attached to the dashboard.
The 3.5-liter V6 engine, the same basic powerplant used in the 350Z sports car, delivers hearty performance, tuned here to produce 240 horsepower. In short, the Murano scoots. It comes with a continuously variable automatic transmission, or CVT, that's smooth and responsive while offering good gas mileage for the class. Murano shares basic underpinnings with the front-wheel-drive Nissan Altima and Maxima sedans (but not, despite popular misconception, the Nissan 350Z-based Infiniti FX). As a result, its road-tuned suspension delivers smooth and sporty handling. All-wheel drive is available, for good grip and stability in wintry weather and hard rain, and we recommend getting it.
The Murano is unchanged for 2007, except for the addition of a tire-pressure monitor as standard equipment. Nissan freshened Murano's appearance a bit for 2006. Next Page