That trickle down theme continues throughout the Nissan's design and engineering, from perfectly parallel, micro thin panel gaps to beautiful paintwork, premium quality is the name of the game.
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| The Murano's 245 horsepower 3.5-L V6. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
The engine too is virtually the same award winning 3.5-L V6 as in the Infiniti G35, I35 and FX35 models. It's available in the Altima and Maxima too, and is especially rewarding when all 245 soul-stirring horsepower is mated to the Murano's continuously variable transmission (CVT).
It shows boldness by the Japanese automaker to offer only a CVT over a conventional automatic transmission. It's by far more efficient for both power and fuel economy but relatively unknown by the vast majority of new car buyers, despite the availability of similar CVTs on everything from the Mini to the Audi A4 Cabriolet.
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| The Murano's continually variable transmission makes the most of the engine's stellar power. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Of course, like all conventional automatics not all CVTs are alike. Nissan's Xtronic system is one of the best I've tried, offering seamless shifts and the ability to hold the engine's revs in the optimal power range to get the best acceleration all the way up to maximum speed. It's amazingly quick off the line too, with no noticeable hesitation.
The Murano's handling is likewise impressive. The vehicle is not particularly light at 1,724 - 1,796 kg (3,801 - 3,960 lbs), depending on options, but when tossing it through the curves it feels closer to a sports car than a fully functional sport utility. To be clear, while athletic Nissan's midsize isn't as magical as Infiniti's mind altering FX - possibly the best for on pavement driving dynamics among all SUVs. Its ruddy good though, and starts at about $10,000 less.