I’m going to get this out of the way early: I absolutely hate the color. It’s subjective, and it has nothing to do with the Nissan Murano’s driving dynamics or experience of ownership, but Pacific Sunset Orange is by far the least flattering paint color Nissan offers. I probably won’t mention this again. Maybe.
For the low price of $41,905, including the $2,260 Technology package and $210 floor mats and cargo area protector, our 2015 Murano SL AWD’s interior came lushly appointed.
The NASA-inspired zero-gravity front and rear seats in Mocha Brown leather might be my favorite thing about the Murano; they’re heated and incredibly comfortable. The leather-wrapped steering wheel, shift knob, center console, armrests, and instrument cluster round out an overall feeling of luxury inside. However, while the silver trim that surrounded the center console and air vents looks nice, that trim and the piano-black center console are susceptible to fingerprints. Keeping them clean is a hassle. With the exception of the silvery faux-wood trim, which I never grew to like, the leather, rubber pieces, and plastics all feel and look premium.
The bright and responsive 8.0-inch multitouch screen works well, but it lacks resolution compared to newer systems. The Bose 11-speaker (including dual subwoofers) audio system sounds great, especially because the Murano is so quiet. On that note, very rarely during my year with the Murano did I drive something else that was quieter on the road than the Nissan.
The Technology package added intelligent cruise control, predictive forward collision warning, and a much-utilized panoramic sunroof. The intelligent cruise control was smooth in deceleration and regaining speed, and the collision warning saved my bacon once while changing lanes in afternoon traffic. And one save is all you need to make up for the added cost of the system.
Describing the Murano’s exterior as bold is an understatement. It’s certainly polarizing, and it gets people’s attention. I lost count of the times I was approached in a parking lot by interested parties with a nod, thumbs up, and the more than occasional, “Is that the new Murano?” and “It looks great!”
What do I think? It’s unique. The Murano has intriguing styling. But what was wild in 2015 is pretty conservative compared to some of the other vehicles (looking at you, Lexus) that have launched since. The Nissan “bucktooth” grille is a little big, and the overall design is busy, but seven of the eight available colors make it look great.
Quiet, comfortable, and composed is the best way I can describe driving the Murano on a daily basis. The only engine option besides the hybrid (with a supercharged I-4), the VQ35DE 3.5-liter V-6, makes 260 hp and 240 lb-ft and sends the power through a very smooth Xtronic CVT. It’s a great pairing in the Murano.
The comfortable, slightly sporty handling characteristics never left me wishing for more power. It is not the best-handling SUV we have tested, for sure. But during an exhilarating few days chasing vintage sports cars and race cars though central California on the California Mille (at legal speeds, of course), the Murano felt great over the rough, twisty, unkempt roads. Good brakes, too, needing only 119 feet to slow its roll from 60 mph. To give you some context, the 2015 Ford Edge Sport AWD needed 120 feet, and the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Ultimate AWD needed 124 feet. So right in the competitive ballpark.
In terms of fuel economy, the Murano is a bit of a drinker around town. The EPA rates it at 21/28/24 mpg on its city/highway/combine cycle. But our colleagues in the lab coats recorded a less promising Real MPG rating of 17.0/33.0/21.7 mpg. I managed an average of 20.6 mpg, thanks in part to a few long road trips that evened out my city driving. To give these figures some perspective, the Ford Edge recorded a Real MPG rating of 18.5/24.3/20.7 mpg, and the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport managed 19.7/26.5/22.3 mpg. The Murano sits mid-pack for the combined rating but absolutely dominates on highway fuel economy.
Reliability-wise, the Murano never skipped a beat. The priciest of the scheduled maintenance events happened at 15,000 miles, which involved replacing the engine oil and filter and the brake fluid, rotating the tires, and replacing the in-cabin air filter, to the tune of $379.40. All told, we spent $589.76 on service. My dealership experience at our local Nissan of South Bay was pleasant, the employees were friendly, and the service was done in a timely manner.
The Murano’s overall reliability comes as a welcome change from my previous long-term test car, the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. Teething issues with the Jeep’s nine-speed transmission plus a number of additional issues and regular scheduled maintenance meant frequent service appointments and time out of my day. The silver lining to the numerous visits is that the majority of the Jeep’s issues were covered under warranty; we spent just $159 over our year with the Jeep. Our 2013 Honda CR-V cost $220.66, our 2014 Nissan Rogue cost $648.61, and our 2015 CX-5 cost $320.37. You might notice both Nissans cost a few hundred more to maintain than the competitors. The company still uses 5,000-mile service intervals, which few automakers do anymore, and is fairly aggressive on parts replacement, which explains the difference.
It has been five years since I first entered into our long-term test program, and I have been pretty lucky to have been assigned five vehicles that each impressed me. The Murano passes my personal test, as well—and does so with a luxurious, quiet, comfortable interior. The exterior styling is bold, polarizing, and conversation-starting. It drives well and is reliable. And although it never hooked me emotionally, I would have no qualms about recommending one to friends and family. Except in orange.
More on our long-term 2015 Nissan Murano SL AWD here:
- Arrival
- Update 1: Track Testing the Quiet Murano
- Update 2: How to Improve This Potentially Useful Feature
- Update 3: Exploring a Couple of Our Orange Crossover’s Minor Interior Issues
- Update 4: On Winding Roads Supporting a Classic Car Rally
| Our Car | |
| SERVICE LIFE | 12 mo / 26,200 mi |
| BASE PRICE | $39,435 |
| OPTIONS | Technology package ($2,260: adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, panoramic moonroof), floor mats and cargo area protector ($210) |
| PRICE AS TESTED | $41,905 |
| AVG ECON/CO2 | 20.6 mpg / 0.94 lb/mi |
| PROBLEM AREAS | None |
| MAINTENANCE COST | $589.76 (5-oil change, inspection, tire rotation; 1-cabin air filter, brake fluid change, engine air filter) |
| NORMAL-WEAR COST | $0 |
| 3-YEAR RESIDUAL VALUE* | $20,650/$23,650 |
| RECALLS | Passenger front airbag, ABS actuator |
| *IntelliChoice trade-in/retail (at 42,000 miles) | |
| 2015 Nissan Murano SL AWD | |
| POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS | |
| DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT | Front-engine, AWD |
| ENGINE TYPE | 60-deg V-6, alum block/heads |
| VALVETRAIN | DOHC, 4 valves/cyl |
| DISPLACEMENT | 213.5 cu in/3,498cc |
| COMPRESSION RATIO | 10.3:1 |
| POWER (SAE NET) | 260 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
| TORQUE (SAE NET) | 240 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm |
| REDLINE | 6,500 rpm |
| WEIGHT TO POWER | 15.5 lb/hp |
| TRANSMISSION | Cont. variable auto |
| AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO | 4.68:1/1.79:1 |
| SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR | Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar |
| STEERING RATIO | 18.3:1 |
| TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK | 2.9 |
| BRAKES, F;R | 12.6-in vented disc; 12.1-in vented disc, ABS |
| WHEELS | 7.5 x 18-in, cast aluminum |
| TIRES | 235/65R18 106T M+S Michelin Latitude Tour |
| DIMENSIONS | |
| WHEELBASE | 111.2 in |
| TRACK, F/R | 64.6/64.6 in |
| LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT | 192.8 x 75.4 x 66.6 in |
| GROUND CLEARANCE | 6.9 in |
| APPRCH/DEPART ANGLE | 13.8/24.4 deg |
| TURNING CIRCLE | 38.7 ft |
| CURB WEIGHT | 4,023 lb |
| WEIGHT DIST., F/R | 59/41% |
| TOWING CAPACITY | 1,500 lb |
| SEATING CAPACITY | 5 |
| HEADROOM, F/R | 38.1/37.8 in |
| LEGROOM, F/R | 40.5/38.7 in |
| SHOULDER ROOM, F/R | 59.5/58.8 in |
| CARGO VOLUME BEH F/R | 65.0/31.1 cu ft |
| TEST DATA | |
| ACCELERATION TO MPH | |
| 0-30 | 3.2 sec |
| 0-40 | 4.5 |
| 0-50 | 6.0 |
| 0-60 | 7.8 |
| 0-70 | 10.0 |
| 0-80 | 12.8 |
| 0-90 | 15.9 |
| PASSING, 45-65 MPH | 3.6 |
| QUARTER MILE | 16.0 sec @ 90.5 mph |
| BRAKING, 60-0 MPH | 119 ft |
| LATERAL ACCELERATION | 0.78 g (avg) |
| MT FIGURE EIGHT | 28.2 sec @ 0.60 g (avg) |
| TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH | 1,250 rpm |
| CONSUMER INFO | |
| STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL | Yes/yes |
| AIRBAGS | Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, driver knee |
| BASIC WARRANTY | 3 yrs/36,000 miles |
| POWERTRAIN WARRANTY | 5 yrs/60,000 miles |
| ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE | N/A |
| FUEL CAPACITY | 19.0 gal |
| EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON | 21/28/24 mpg |
| ENERGY CONS., CITY/HWY | 160/120 kW-hrs/100 miles |
| CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB | 0.82 lb/mile |
| REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB | 17.0/33.0/21.7 mpg |
| RECOMMENDED FUEL | Unleaded regular |
The post 2015 Nissan Murano SL AWD Verdict: Orange is the New Black appeared first on Motor Trend.
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