Murano review

3. Equipment and design

At least there’s no frugality when it comes to equipment, either. The Murano was always lavishly packed with goodies, and this new model adds more besides. There’s a power-operated tailgate, for example, as well as twin sunroofs and reversing cameras which now include a kerb monitoring function.
The rear seat folding mechanism has been enhanced. On previous-generation models, you pulled a lever in the boot and the whole thing would fold down in one movement. It still does that, but now there’s a button next to said lever which you press to bring it back up again. Very nifty, and a much better use of electric motors than the power-adjusted seats so many manufacturers indulge you with (including Nissan itself here, needless to say).
It would be better still if the seats folded properly flat, but unfortunately they stop short as the squabs can’t drop out of the way to let the backs come fully down. The Murano thus falls short of the best as a serious cargo carrier, though there’s plenty of space there for an above-average Ikea haul or trip to the dump. You’ll love it at the supermarket, too, as a flap in front of the tailgate folds up to create a series of netted compartments to keep your shopping from flying around all over the place as you drive. Definitely one of those ‘why hasn’t anybody thought of it before’ moments.
As with the old model, rear-seat passengers get absolutely acres of legroom. That’s even with the front seats fully back, and they go a long, long way – you accommodate a full complement of six-footers in here no problem at all. The view from the back is compromised only slightly by a high waistline, and there’s plenty of stowage compartments to keep things tidy.
But it’s up front where the most obvious changes have been wrought. The old Murano’s cabin was definitely not its strong point, but Nissan has improved it a lot with better materials and a fresher, more upmarket design. The overall layout is much brighter, and there are nice detail touches everywhere. It still doesn’t have the same feeling of quality you’d get from one of the premium German brands, but it’s also not soulless the way they can be. And with a list of standard equipment as long as your arm, no-one’s going to buy one and be disappointed with this element of it.

Next - Handling and ride       Jump:       Prev