Murano is luxury without the price

With mid-size and large crossover utility vehicles becoming all the rage, the Nissan Murano’s prospects should improve.

Introduced as a 2004 model, the mid-size CUV tightened its grip and expanded its reach to a tidy but significant, as well as mostly loyal, group of customers.

Without fanfare, Murano sales increased every year until it stumbled in 2007, when sales dropped to 76,358 from 81,362 in 2006. Some of that may have happened because of the introduction of the new, smaller Nissan Rogue crossover, which had 17,808 sales and may have co-opted some of its sibling’s faithful.

Whatever, Nissan decided to skip the 2008 model to give it a head start against the competition for the 2009 model year.

A note about nomenclature: generally speaking, in the current terminology, crossover utility vehicles are defined as tall station wagons with unit-body construction and front-wheel or all-wheel drive.

They are usually powered by four-cylinder or V6 engines, and are not designed as off-road vehicles, though they have capability for nasty conditions like mud, snow and sand.

CUVs also deliver better fuel economy than traditional SUVs, which are truck-based with body-on-frame construction and V6 or V8 power. The SUVs usually come with rear-wheel or four-wheel drive and have substantially better off-road and towing capabilities, but lower mileage ratings.

SUVs are not going away, but are falling out of favor with consumers who realize they don’t need SUV capabilities and can enjoy many of the benefits with a CUV like the Nissan Murano.

The 2009 Murano has been extensively redesigned, though not radically so. Because of its mostly steady popularity, our challenge was not to mess it up, said Mike Drongowski, Nissan’s regional product manager.

Based on the same platform as the 2007 Nissan Altima sedan, the new Murano has fresh sculpturing, with a new grille and headlights, as well as a more generic rear end with large LED taillights and dual exhausts.

Whereas the previous Murano was easily identified by its distinctive rear view, the 2009 model blends in with other CUVs and SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe.

The Murano is a mid-sized CUV, with the passenger space of a large car and 32 cubic-feet of cargo volume. Unlike some of its competitors, Nissan decided against adding a third row of seats.

It’s about the same size as its predecessor, and it remains as a five-passenger vehicle, although the center-rear passenger is short-changed on comfort. The big difference with the new Murano is its tighter and stronger all-around feel. A number of factors contribute to the experience: a stiffer body structure, better sound insulation, an improved feel from the speed-sensitive steering, and modifications to the suspension system.

The result is confident handling, with a decent ride in a package that exhibits the interior isolation of a luxury car. Wind, road and mechanical noise are effectively hushed up. A nicely designed interior, with contrasting colors and textures, contributes to the ambiance.

With 265 horsepower from its 3.5-liter V6 engine, the Murano can hold its own in any highway situation. Power gets to the wheels though an improved continuously-variable transmission (CVT), which uses belts and pulleys to provide a seamless, shiftless transfer of power with better fuel economy than a conventional automatic. The Murano delivers 18/23 miles per gallon on the EPA’s city/highway cycle.

Some CVTs are rightly criticized for seemingly slipping, with accompanying engine roar, during hard acceleration. But Nissan is one of the most experienced CVT manufacturers, and the Murano’s transmission has no annoying characteristics.

The previous Murano’s Sport’s CVT offered a computer-generated manual-shift mode. But the Sport model has been dropped because of poor sales, and the previous slotted shifter has been eliminated as well in favor of a more conventional graduated shifter.

There are five Murano models: S and SL in front-drive or all-wheel drive, and LE in all-wheel drive only.

Despite its more luxurious orientation, the Murano does not carry luxury prices. The two-wheel drive S model, with a cloth interior and a decent level of equipment, starts at $$27,079. It features a full complement of safety equipment, including stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes with brake assist and brake-force distribution, tire-pressure monitoring, side airbags and side-curtain airbags, and active front-seat head restraints.

The standard equipment also includes automatic climate control, remote locking, pushbutton starting, an audio system with a jack for iPods and other MP3 players, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The tested all-wheel drive LE model has a starting price of $36,659. The test car had leather upholstery, 20-inch alloy wheels, a dual moon roof, power tailgate, power folding second-row seat, XM satellite radio, premium Bose audio with integrated iPod capability, a navigation system, DVD entertainment system, power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, power driver’s seat with memory, heated front and rear seats, garage-door opener and a rear-view monitor. With all that, it had a suggested sticker price of $41,615.

One notable item is a panel that folds up from the cargo floor. It contains net dividers to prevent grocery bags and other items from rolling around.