Murano ST is priced from $51,990 (RRP)
and the Murano Ti is priced from $56,990 (RRP)

Nissan Murano’s sculpted design

“Nissan design has reached a highly distinctive stage in its development. In today’s crowded market it is vital that Nissan cars stand out from the rest. All our recent models – Micra, 350Z and now Murano – do just that.” said Shiro Nakamura.

Murano was designed at Nissan’s Design Studio in California. The brief was to create a new ‘crossover’ sports utility vehicle that would appeal to sophisticated buyers not prepared to follow the crowd.

The result is a crossover in every sense. Not only does Murano fulfil the brief from a dynamic point of view, it does so visually, fusing emotional shapes with geometric design, combining fun and function in one highly distinctive package.

The exterior, guided by a “sculpture in motion” theme, offers a new wrap-around surface construction, an architectural front grille and a sporty upswept shaped D-pillar that blends with the rounded rear cargo door to project a very three-dimensional feel. It features “SUV strength” below the beltline and sport sedan-like openness above.

Another distinctive styling cue is the shape of the rearmost side window, which is triangular and has a sharply upswept lower edge. Similar shapes can be found on two Nissan concept cars from 2004, Qashqai, which was shown at Geneva Motor Show, and Tone, seen at Paris.

The lightweight tailgate, made from advanced composite plastics with steel reinforcement to make it easy to open and close, echoes shapes seen on 350Z. In fact, the tailgate design is so rounded that it proved impossible to shape the door in steel. Instead it is injection moulded from polypropylene and formed around a steel frame. The advantages are numerous – not only is the shape as the designers intended, the use of plastic reduces weight by 15 per cent, or about 2 kg. Its exaggerated form increases space for luggage, while the lightweight door is far easier to open than a conventional steel tailgate.

Advanced, vertical stack headlights are offered with Xenon lamps. Standard 6-spoke alloy 18-inch wheels and tyres contribute to the contemporary, high quality exterior appearance.

Aerodynamic body enhancements include use of an under engine body cover, front and rear tyre deflectors and rear spoiler.

The Nissan Murano’s unique, modern design is made possible, in part, by the use of Nissan’s new FF-L (front engine, front-drive) platform. The FF-L platform pushes the wheels out to the corners, allowing a long wheelbase and wide stance within a manageable overall length. Along with the platform’s inherent handling and performance advantages, it allows greater packaging and styling flexibility.

Commanding driving position

As befits its crossover image, Murano has the purposeful and robust look of a 4x4 – an impression helped by the large 18-inch alloy wheels – but, although as long and as wide as many of its rivals, Murano is not as tall. This gives aerodynamic benefits and makes the vehicle more accessible. However, it is still taller than a conventional sedan or wagon and therefore has the commanding driving position expected from a 4x4.

Murano is 4770mm long and sits on a wheelbase of 2825mm, providing ample legroom in the front and rear as well as generous luggage space. It is 1880mm wide, but at only 1705mm tall (Ti model, including roof rails), is almost 100mm less than some rivals. This has the benefit of lowering the centre of gravity, thereby improving handling.

An Inviting, Highly Functional Interior

Murano’s interior represents a cool fusion of dynamic function, high quality materials and genuine luxury, ensuring the Murano is as user-friendly as possible.

As a reflection of the active lifestyles of the target Murano buyers, the interior has been designed to provide an abundance of storage and cargo capacity, “first class seating” for five passengers, and ample, flexible luggage space.

Access to the cabin is eased by the adoption of cutaway sills at the base of the body frame; since the lower edges of the doors extend over the sill area, mud stays on the doors rather than ending up on passengers’ legs. Ingress and egress is straightforward thanks to a lower than typical 4x4 seat hip-point both front and rear.

The dashboard is an object lesson in clarity. The three-pod instrument binnacle comprises speedometer, tachometer and a combination meter for fuel level and water temperature. The three-spoke steering wheel incorporates controls for the hi-fi system and the cruise control.

Set in an aluminium surround, the controls for the climate control and high quality Bose sound system, which incorporates an in-dash six disc CD player, are easy to operate.

The wide centre console adds to the feeling of spaciousness thanks, in part, to the lack of a conventional handbrake – the parking brake is foot-operated.

Thanks to the vehicle’s long wheelbase, wide cabin and tall stance, there is ample head, leg and elbow room within the cabin. The Murano can carry five adults with ease – each with a full three-point seatbelt – and will move four in extreme comfort, especially with the wide rear armrest folded down. The rear seats also recline, with each backrest capable of being moved up to 24 degrees in three steps.

The compact multi-link suspension means a rear load space free of intrusions, maximising the area for luggage, giving Murano one of the widest boots in its class. With the rear seats in use, the luggage area offers 476cu litres of load space, which expands to 877cu litres when both seats are folded.

The rear backrest has a 60/40 split for maximum versatility and features an easy to operate folding procedure: one pull of a lever – conveniently located inside the luggage area near the tailgate – drops the backrest and lowers the seat cushion to provide a near-flat load area. Murano is perfect for golf enthusiasts: the load area will house four full size golf bags.

Storage

Storage opportunities continue under the boot floor, where a tray and two deeper bins are provided for oddments, while storage space within the cabin itself is both generous and versatile. A large double-deck storage box between the front seats, for example, is just one of a number of storage solutions inside the cabin. It is deep enough to hold a laptop computer while beneath the sliding lid – which doubles as an armrest – is a tray for oddments.

Ahead of the front seat passenger is a deep glovebox and all four doors have deep pockets. The rear door pockets can be flipped inwards for easier access to the contents and are also large enough to hold a laptop computer. Two further cup-holders can be found at the base of the centre console for rear seat passengers.

Safety

The Murano comes with many standard safety features such as SRS front air bags, SRS front-seat side-impact air bags and SRS curtain air bags. Zone Body Construction with front and rear crumple zones help absorb the crash energy, lessening the force of impact on the passenger compartment. Also standard are front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters and front seat active head restraints.

Nissan Murano provides the optimum driving experience

The power and torque from the 3.5-litre V6 combines with the smoothness of the Xtronic CVT to ensure that progress in the Murano is always effortless and refined. Thanks to the independent suspension and the advanced electronic ALL WHEEL DRIVE with Lock system, the Murano is fun to drive on typical cross-country roads even when the conditions are poor. Its agility will be familiar to car drivers and a surprise to 4x4 owners.

VQ 3.5-litre DOHC engine

The VQ engine is built at one of the world’s most advanced engine assembly plants– Iwaki in Japan – where more than half a million units are produced each year. Essentially the same engine can be found powering cars as diverse as the Nissan Altima, Quest minivan and Pathfinder 4x4 from North America… but Australian enthusiasts will know it best as the power under the bonnet of the mighty 350Z and the prestigious Maxima sedan.

The VQ engine’s compact dimensions help achieve optimum weight distribution, excellent crash energy absorption and also permit the maximum amount of passenger space in relation to the overall vehicle dimensions.

The use of aluminium for the block and heads reduces weight, which benefits both fuel consumption and performance. Other weight reduction techniques include the adoption of lighter pistons and connecting rods as well as hollow camshafts, which help reduce energy losses, allowing the engine to spin more freely and making it feel more responsive. Nissan’s Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS) has also been adopted to help the engine deliver optimum performance and torque under all conditions.

For Murano, the twin cam, 24-valve, V6 has been tuned to match its advanced Xtronic CVT transmission and delivers 172kW @ 6000pm with a peak torque figure of 318Nm at 3,600rpm.

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with M Mode

Integral to Murano’s smooth performance – and contributing greatly to its ease of driving – is its Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with M Mode. In place of a manual or conventional automatic gearbox with a fixed set of gear ratios, the computer controlled ‘stepless’ transmission provides a virtually limitless number of ratios, ensuring the engine is always working as efficiently as possible.

At the heart of the CVT system is a strong steel belt, connecting two pulleys which have V-shaped grooves in which the steel belt rides. One pulley receives the torque generated by the engine and the other pulley transmits drive torque to the wheels.

When activated by various sensors, hydraulic cylinders increase or reduce the amount of space between the two sides of each pulley, therefore infinitely varying their working diameters. ‘Steps’ between gears are eliminated, resulting in a smoother, more efficient operation by keeping the engine in its optimum power range under a variety of driving and load conditions.

Although once seen as the perfect transmission for smaller-engined cars, Nissan proves that CVT is also very well suited to more powerful machinery. Murano generates a maximum torque figure of 318Nm and the Murano CVT can handle up to 350Nm. By introducing CVT on such a high output engine, Nissan is building upon its proven reputation as a pioneer in this technology. Transmitting the Murano’s high torque requires the application of higher pressure to the pulleys that squeeze the steel belt. A belt with sufficiently high durability was developed to withstand that additional pressure.

Smooth performance

Murano’s CVT transmission offers a more comfortable driving experience - a long uphill drive in an ordinary automatic will invariably be accompanied by regular down shifts as the engine hunts for power. With CVT, the engine revs stay constant as the transmission itself adjusts seamlessly to ensure momentum is maintained. CVT also provides less power-loss than a typical automatic transmission, resulting in better efficiency and acceleration, thanks to torque converter lock-up from low speeds.

Murano’s shift control mapping software has been modified to provide the system with a third map, adding a dedicated start-up cycle to the conventional normal and power modes. The start-up map allows sharper acceleration from rest and operates up to a set speed when the normal or power modes take over. It provides seamless and rapid acceleration without the typical jerk associated with a conventional automatic’s kickdown gear change.

Six speed M Mode

Nissan adds extra sophistication to the CVT by incorporating a sequential manual override – M Mode. Operated via the central gear stick, six set ratios can be accessed manually by nudging the lever forward or backwards.

Car-like handling

Murano’s chassis features all-round independent suspension for car-like handling and ride comfort: MacPherson struts are used at the front with a compact multi-link setup at the rear. Both front and rear suspension assemblies are rubber-mounted in sub-frames for enhanced ride comfort, handling, noise suppression and collision performance. Road noise is further reduced by the adoption of low rate spring bushes.

Anti-roll bars front and rear help keep body-roll in check, while straight-line stability is enhanced by fine-tuning of the front suspension’s camber and toe-change characteristics.

The rear multi-link system has optimised camber angle rigidity for swift lane change response, while road noise is reduced by the use of double-insulated suspension members. The upper suspension arm is made from aluminium to save weight.

Ride comfort is improved – and the luggage area optimised – by the separation of the coil springs and the dampers at the rear. Not only is the set-up more compact than a conventional coil-over-shock absorber arrangement, it offers reduced friction for a smoother ride. The shock absorbers themselves are Nissan developed ‘ripple control’ units with an extra damping control lip to counter small road imperfections.

Electronic ALL WHEEL DRIVE system

Central to the the Murano’s overall driveability is the use of the advanced and easy-to-use ALL WHEEL DRIVE electronically controlled 4x4 chassis (Fig.1). This system is developed from the ALL MODE 4x4 system found in Nissan’s mid-sized four-wheel drive wagon, the Pathfinder.

ALL WHEEL DRIVE guarantees secure and relaxed driving under all conditions, both on- and off-road, with advanced electronics taking care of all traction needs. Although more sophisticated than the 4x4 systems found on some competitor cars, the compact ALL WHEEL DRIVE package is notably lighter. Most important is its speed of activation, and as soon as wheel slippage is anticipated, the system apportions drive between the front and rear axles.

Set-and-forget

The system has two modes – Auto and Lock – selected via a switch on the dashboard. Auto is a ‘set-and-forget’ mode and for much of the time the system operates in front-wheel drive for optimum fuel efficiency. Engine torque is transferred to the CVT transmission and to the front transfer case, and the transfer case in turn is in constant mesh with, and driving, the propeller shaft (but not the rear wheels) at all times. Sensors linking the engine’s ECU and the anti-lock brakes, meanwhile, constantly monitor and anticipate wheel slippage.

Located just ahead of the rear final drive is an electronically-controlled coupling (Fig.2) which enables drive to be fed through both front and rear axles. Its main clutch is connected to the propeller shaft, while a control clutch connects to the rear drive.

The control clutch features a cam system comprising two plates with asymmetric grooves on both faces, separated by a series of ball bearings. In order to activate rear-wheel drive, the control clutch is engaged by an electromagnet and this causes one of the plates to be slowed down, causing the ball bearings to move to one end of the grooves. This forces the plates to separate which in turn applies pressure to the main clutch, and torque is transmitted between the two to give rear-wheel drive (Figs. 3 and 4). The main clutch transmits torque relative to the current applied to the electromagnet and the resulting engagement pressure.

Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)

Four-wheel drive grip is only part of the story. In conjunction with the electronic ALL WHEEL DRIVE system, a vast array of electronic traction aids, called VDC, work to enhance handling and straight line stability. The ABS sensors, G-sensor, yaw rate sensor, Electronic ALL WHEEL DRIVE system controller and drive-by-wire throttle all communicate with each other to detect a potential loss of traction on any wheel.

VDC works by sensing the intentions of the driver through the steering wheel position sensor on the steering column and through the wheel speed sensors at the wheels. At the same time, the actual behaviour of the vehicle is monitored through the yaw rate sensor (measures turning velocity about the vertical axis of the vehicle), wheel speed sensors and the lateral acceleration sensor. If the Murano deviates from the driver’s anticipated course, VDC instantly intervenes to bring it back onto the right line either by braking individual wheels, engaging four-wheel drive or through engine management intervention (reducing engine torque), or a combination of all three.

The Active Brake Limited Slip Differential system applies the brakes to any wheel that has lost traction and, in so doing, transfers drive to the opposite wheel on the same axle.

As a result of this integrated approach, VDC can either apply the brake or redirect torque to any individual wheel independently, thus controlling understeer and oversteer on the road and ensuring maximum traction is maintained off-road or when the going gets slippery.

All-round disc brakes

Ventilated disc brakes all round – 320 x 28mm at the front, 308 x 16mm at the rear – are controlled by the latest generation four-channel ABS system which incorporates Nissan Brake Assist for maximum emergency stopping power and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution for even braking under all conditions.

Steering is a power-assisted rack-and-pinion system needing 3.2 turns to go from lock to lock. The system is designed to provide more assistance at low speeds and a great feel at higher speeds.

Specifications Engine Engine type All-aluminium VQ35, 3.5 litre, DOHC, 24 valve V6 Continuously Variable Valve Timing System (CVTCS) Bore x Stroke, mm 95.5x81.4 Compression ratio 10.3 : 1 Max power kW@rpm 172@6000 Max torque Nm@rpm 318@3600 Induction Sequential multi-point electronic fuel injection Emission control 3-way catalytic converter Ignition system Nissan Direct Ignition System (NDIS) Battery 12 volt low maintenance Transmission Transmission type Continuously Variable Automatic Transmission (CVT) with manual mode (M-Mode) CVT gear ratios 2.371- 0.439 Reverse:1.766 Final drive: 5.173   Electronic ALL WHEEL DRIVE with LOCK MODE Suspension & Chassis Steering Speed sensitive power-assisted rack and pinion Braking system 4 wheel disc brakes (ventilated front/rear), with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), EBD and Brake Assist Stability control Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) including Traction Control System (TCS) Front suspension Independent struts with stabiliser bar Rear suspension Multi-link independent Turning circle (m) 11.6 Dimensions/Weights Overall length (mm) 4770 Overall width (mm) (excluding mirrors) 1880 Overall height (mm) 1685(ST) - 1705(Ti) Wheelbase (mm) 2825 Track front/rear (mm) 1620 Tare weight (kg) 1822 Gross Vehicle Mass (kg) 2380 Ground clearance (mm) @ GVM 180 Towing capacity with trailer brakes (kgs) 1500 Towing capacity without trailer brakes (kgs) 750 Approach angle - degrees 28 Departure angle - degrees 25 Wheels/Tyres 6 spoke alloy wheels 18 x 7.5JJ Tyres 225/65R18 Temporary spare tyre T165/90D Fuel Fuel type PULP Fuel tank capacity (litres) 82 Fuel economy - ADR 81/01 1/100km 12.3/100km ST Ti Exterior Electric glass, slide and tilt sunroof Std. Electric body coloured door mirrors Std. Std. Body coloured front and rear bumpers Std. Std. Chrome front grille Std. Std. Chrome door handles Std. Std. Dual chrome exhaust outlet Std. Std. Interior Seating capacity 5 5 Power windows Std. Std. Automatic climate control with rear outlets Std. Std. Central locking with remote entry and panic alarm Std. Std. Cruise control with steering wheel mounted controls Std. Std. Bose audio system with AM/FM cassette/in-dash 6-CD and steering wheel mounted controls Std. Std. 6 speakers and subwoofer Std. Std. Leather bound steering wheel and leather shift lever Std. Std. Tilt adjust steering column Std. Std. Luxury cloth seat trim Std. - Leather seat trim - Std. Front driver and passenger heated seats - Std. 8 way power adjustable driver’s seat including height adjust and lumbar support Std. Std. 5.8 inch LCD display with multi-function drive computer Std. Std. Front/rear cup holders 2/2 2/2 Driver and passenger assist grips front and rear Std. Std. Courtesy lights with interior logic Std. Std. Rear luggage area light 2 2 Map lights 2 2 Rear passenger reading lights 2 2 Cargo net Std. Std. Cargo blind Std. Std. Rear seat one touch flip down function Std. Std. Driver and passenger vanity mirror illuminated Std. Std. Driver’s foot rest Std. Std. Instrumentation Speedometer, tachometer, odometer and dual trip meters Std. Std. Digital clock Std. Std. Headlamp warning chime Std. Std. Key-in warning chime Std. Std. Door ajar warning light Std. Std. Drive computer Std. Std. Fuel gauge Std. Std. Oil pressure/voltmeter warning light Std. Std. Safety Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) including Traction Control System (TCS) Std. Std. Nissan Anti-Theft System vehicle immobiliser (NATS) Std. Std. 4 wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) Std. Std. Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) Std. Std. Brake Assist (BA) Std. Std. Driver and front passenger SRS airbags Std. Std. Driver and front passenger side-impact SRS airbags Std. Std. Front and rear SRS curtain airbags Std. Std. Driver and front passenger seat pre-tensioner with load limiter Std. Std. Front active headrests Std. Std. Adjustable front headrests (4 way) Std. Std. Adjustable rear headrests (2 way) Std. Std. 3 point front and rear seatbelts (all) Std. Std. Height adjustable front and outboard rear seatbelts Std. Std. Seatbelt warning lamp (driver) Std. Std. Child safety rear door locks Std. Std. Child restraint anchorage Std. Std. Side intrusion bars Std. Std. Front and rear crumple zones Std. Std. Energy-absorbing steering column Std. Std. Hazard warning lights Std. Std. Xenon headlamps with washers Std. Std. Laminated front windscreen Std. Std. Rear windscreen demister Std. Std. Variable intermittent front wipers Std. Std. Intermittent rear wiper Std. Std. Warranty 3 year/100,000kms Std. Std. 3 year 24 hour roadside assistance Std. Std.

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