2019 Nissan Murano wears a new face at the LA Auto Show
It's a little sharper, a little sleeker and a little techier.
Nissan's third-generation Murano crossover is due for a face lift, with the 2019 model debuting at the Los Angeles Auto Show with a new look, an updated inside and lots more safety technology on the options list.
Up front, the Murano's face receives a new grille with a deeper "V-Motion" shape, as well as new designs for the LED headlights and new LED foglights. The 18- and 20-inch wheels have updated designs, too, the taillights are restyled and there are three new paint colors available. Unless you're a Murano fan you might have to look at a photo of the 2018 model to spot the differences initially, but the new model does look noticeably nip-tucked compared to before.
Nissan has also tweaked the inside of the Murano, with new diamond-quilted leather inserts on the top-level Platinum, as well as three new trim pieces including dark wood for the Platinum, as well as a lighter wood and a metallic option for other trim levels.
The big story with the 2019 Nissan Murano, though, is safety. For starters, all models add second-row side airbags and front-passenger knee airbags as standard. All Muranos also add Nissan's Rear Door Alert feature and Intelligent Driver Alertness, which warns a driver if he or she is too drowsy.
The crossover also adds Nissan Safety Shield 360, a package of active-safety tech comprising pre-collision braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams and reverse automatic braking. However, the package will only be standard on the fully loaded Platinum and the SL Technology package.
Otherwise, the Maxima is unchanged mechanically, with a 260-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 the only engine choice. A continuously variable transmission is standard and can be paired to either front- or all-wheel drive.
The 2019 Nissan Murano will be on sale in December in S, SV, SL and Platinum trims, with pricing to be announced at a later date.