Nissan has impressed us with its cabin tech in the past, but at the S trim level, the Murano gets no options. Missing are Bluetooth, navigation, and a decent audio system, all available at the LE trim level.
Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
With the launch of the Murano, Nissan was the first car company to really acknowledge that most SUVs never left the asphalt. The Murano is built for urban practicality, with a comfortable ride and spacious interior.
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With its slanted front end and smooth sides, the Murano looks nothing like a truck-based SUV. Nissan made minor updates to the look for the 2009 model year, and changed the platform.
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The 3.5-liter V-6, an engine Nissan has used in many of its models, makes 265 horsepower--plenty to get the Murano moving.
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The Murano's plush seats easily seat five, with plenty of leg and head room.
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Nissan fits the Murano with stabilizer bars, which prevent wallowing, but the car really isn't meant for hard cornering.
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Ample rear cargo space and fold down rear seats gives the Murano plenty of flexibility.
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The interior is nicely appointed, but in this S trim model there are no tech options available. And given the dashboard design, the car does not look very aftermarket friendly.
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Tech is so minimal in the S trim that there are no audio controls on the steering wheel.
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Nissan's tiered, three-gauge design looks good on the instrument cluster.
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A continuously variable transmission comes standard in the Murano. This one offers no manual shifting option, but it does have some low ranges.
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In the S trimmed Murano, an MP3-compatible six-CD changer sits in the dash, with an auxiliary input nearby. Climate controls sit just below the orange screen.
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With an MP3 CD in the changer, the screen shows artist, song, or album information in big letters.
