(First Posted November 24, 2013) The merger between Nissan and Renault seemed to spawn more adventurous styling on the part of Nissan, with one of the first results in the US being the Murano. Since the first commercials played on the TV featuring one in kind of a Metallic Orange color, my wife had said she really liked it…
I asked her what she liked about it (the way it looked, and I agreed, it did look fabulous and very distinctive when introduced) and said that maybe we should go drive one. The response to that was along the lines that she did not care what it drove like, she liked the way it looked and presumably it would drive like any other car. I’m sure an army of engineers and technicians had painstakingly developed this new model and weighed various powertrain choices etc., if they only knew.
Anyway, the date of this story is a couple of years after the Murano was introduced and we were thinking of replacing the Land Cruiser at that time, having moved and not really needing such a large truck. My boss happened to have a Dark Blue Murano with Black interior which was precisely the color combination that Allison said she liked the best. I approached my boss as he was known to switch cars even quicker than me and had sold several to others at work.
He was receptive and we struck a deal – I recall paying around $17,000 for the car which had about 22,000 miles on it and less than two years old. The price was significantly less than fair market value at the time and one of the few things that worked out well in that job. I gave it to my wife for Christmas, she had an idea it was coming but nothing definite. She was pleased to say the least.
The Murano was Nissan’s first “Crossover”, introduced in December of 2002 as a 2003 model. They were only available here with Nissan’s ubiquitous 3.5liter V6 producing 245hp and 246lb-ft of torque and a CVT transmission, with either FWD or AWD. The basic platform is the Altima, but you can’t tell.
My boss was not one to deny himself anything on an options list, so ours was fully loaded with AWD, leather, navigation, power everything, even power adjustable foot pedals (the first time I had seen that in a car). I can’t think of any options that we did not have.
The outside of the vehicle is certainly distinctive, with that wide sculpted chrome grille at the front and the upswept rear end with the glass that has a little cutout where the Nissan logo goes on the metal right below it (the Buick Enclave now does something similar). Wheels were 18” and were quite large for the time, giving it a look that was certainly not lacking in the wheel to body ratio.
My wife liked it, I drove it a fair bit but was never really enamored of it. A lot of people say they dislike Continuously Variable Transmissions but I thought that aspect was fine. Nissan did send us a letter telling us that the warranty on that component would be extended to 100,000 miles after some people apparently had issues. That warranty extension goes a long way toward me being confident that CVT’s should work fine.
The engine was powerful enough, the sound was not bad, but it was just not inspiring to drive around town. I felt that the wheels and tires kind of pounded over bumps and the ride was sort of jiggly and not smooth at all. It did not handle very well either, I just seemed to slide around in the seats while the car went around corners not very happily. On a longer distance trip it was better but not anything to look forward to.
Many things can be solved with a new set of tires and the standard Goodyear’s were starting to look fairly ragged after our first year. I was surprised to see that there were exactly two tire options available in the size needed, either the same Goodyear’s again (very pricy) or a Kumho Solus tire at a much lower price point. I gave them a shot and while they were no worse than the Goodyear’s they were not any better either.
While it looks fairly compact on the outside, on the inside it is quite large. The back seat especially felt extremely wide and I recall had a fore/aft adjustment as well which was nice. (Looking at the pictures again I now think maybe I was thinking of the recline function instead, if anyone has one, please enlighten us).
This is the car that we brought our first son Max home from the hospital in, NO problems with the car seat in this one and it was a good car to take passengers in, lots of people space. Cargo space behind the rear seat is not bad either but a bit strangely shaped. Fine for groceries or other stuff, not great for the dog though. We did take to carrying the cargo box on the roof for trips to give more space for our stuff.
The inside has a bit of a different look as well. Ours was black (as mentioned) with metal accents. The metal (brushed aluminum) was actually real as we dinged one of the pieces on the console somehow. The instruments were in a motorcycle-style binnacle that was perched on the dash ahead of the wheel.
The passenger side had a fairly large expanse of plain plastic/vinyl/mystery dashboard material ahead of it. I’ve never been a fan of orange instrument lighting and this was no exception. It just looked sort of cheap to me, even when the lights are off it wasn’t much better as the instruments were still orange.
Overall it was very reliable, the only thing I recall is the battery failed while parked at the local train station which was easy enough to rectify. There had been no sign of battery issues prior to this which seems weird. It started fine that morning, we drove down the hill to the station, took the train into San Francisco and when we came back, the only thing we heard after turning the key was the solenoid clicking. I guess I expect the battery just to seem weaker for a while before failure but then again this is the first battery I’ve had to replace in a long time.
My mother visited to watch the kids for a week while Allison and I went on a trip somewhere, when we got back it turned out that our famous downhill spiraling driveway had claimed another victim. Somehow Mom had backed down it and swung wide while turning and instead of stopping and trying again, apparently said “Damn the Torpedoes…” or something similar and kept going while the front bumper took out some juniper plants and ripped the bumper itself apart and off its mounting brackets.
Then, a couple of weeks later, I was getting gas and when I pulled out from the pump decided to make a hard right turn to go behind the gas station building. I did not notice the large concrete bollard and nailed it with the passenger side rear door, continuing until I had crushed the rear wheel well also. Not good. Somehow I convinced the insurance company to handle it all as one claim and it spent about a week in the body shop before coming back in pristine condition again.
When we sold it my wife was sort of sad to see it go, I myself was very ambivalent about it but very happy that I sold it for quite a bit more than we paid for it. I can’t say it was a bad car at all (it was not), it was competent but just not a standout in any way (except for the styling). It looked great and ten-year-old examples still look fresh when I see them around but there was just not that much character beneath the surface. Sometimes beauty IS only skin deep, I guess.
I remember how distinctively different looking these cars were when they came out. They still stand out today. The 2nd-gen redesign made them look even more premium, especially with the added chrome and upscale wheel designs. I don’t know if these observations makes sense to anyone else, but the new ones look more “solid” than your average Nissan, as in luxury car solid.
Anyway, I did look a cpo ones when I was looking for a new car last year, however I was disappointed with the interior. Although they have improved, I’ve never been impressed with Nissan’s interiors. They just look too plain, and quite frankly a little cheap to me.
Interesting car though Jim! Thanks for sharing.
I’ve had Kumho Soluses on a couple cars now for just the same reason: there was the expensive tire, and then there was the Solus at a much more attractive price, and those were the two choices I had. It’s like Kumho cranks out a Solus for the value-minded on every tire size where they see little competition.
The Soluses are minimally competent. That’s the best I can say about them. I replaced a set of Soluses on one of my cars this year with Pirelli Cinturato tires, which hadn’t been available when I previously bought tires for that car. ThePirellis give that car leagues upon leagues better handling.
That’s an interesting observation and frankly not a bad idea for a tire maker. HIt ’em where they ain’t! If you think about it, us people on here are probably more concerned about their tires and parts that the average commuter. For a car that just goes to the shops and sits in traffic there probably is not much reason to spend more on tires that absolutely necessary, especially as the OEM choice was not any good either. Now if you’re blasting down the Autobahn or going offroad or something, then sure, any added piece of mind is welcome.
The Murano only looks small from the outside – I think the large wheels/tires help pull this off. But every time I pull up next to one, I realize just how humongous they really are. They are *not* small!
I had Kumho Solus tires on my 2010 Accent. Absolutely the worst tires I’ve ever had on a new car. Two internal separations and very prone to flats, they were wearing thin at 15,000 miles. Guys on the Accent blogs say it’s a miracle if all four of them make it past 20,000. You get what you pay for.
Hyundai was well aware of that, too, they insisted on rotations more frequently than normal, “every 7,500 miles or more frequently if irregular wear patterns develop”. Hyundai’s inability to adjust camber (toe in adjustment only) without replacing suspension parts adds to the problem as well. The rear axle is also a replacement item if alignment is a problem.
Haha, the last line “Beauty is only skin deep” is so fitting of a female at work who had one of these. She lost a hundred or so pounds and traded in her minivan for one of these. She thought she was the Queen in it (a Nissan, mind you). She couldn’t afford the eventual repairs and traded it in for a Chevy. She hates the less-than-premium look of the Chevy, which takes away from her fake-bake tan, diet pills, and starvation methods so earnestly applied to give the illusion of beauty. Like you said, it’s only skin deep. An ugly, ugly person.
Thank you for your latest COAL article Jim. Nice choice. I’ve never looked closely at the Murano’s interior. But based upon these pics, I’d say it walked a fine line between being understated and downright taxi stark. And not much room. I think if Nissan added a bit more variety in color and textures, it would have done the striking exterior more justice. I know they charged a premium for these when new, but they should have done a better interior IMO. Brushed aluminum was a popular interior accent at the time. My Jeep Liberty Renegade featured quite a bit of it as well.
Wow, look at the space lost by the steep windshield rake occupied by those dash top trays. This could have been used for passenger room, with the dash more forward. Reminds me a bit of the GM Dustbuster van… swoppy exterior styling impacting usable interior space. Though, not as severe here, as the GMs of course.
Looks like form won out over function with these.
Given their thirst and limited interior room, I won’t return to a CUV/SUV anytime soon.
They did offer a burnt orange-y interior color as well, not sure how well it aged but at least it was different than the tan/gray/black norm…It was fairly minimalistic looking in there, more of the less is more aesthetic and no extra broughammyness (if that’s a word!).
I’m not thinking too much more luxury or flashiness, but more different textures and tones. Even if in the plastic surfaces. Soft plastic next to hard plastic, etc. That’s how they often make lower priced cars seem more cheerful inside.
But manufacturer’s have come a long way in this area. : )
The space occupied by the deep dash is actually ‘stolen’ from the engine bay, which it overhangs.
This is one of those vehicles where the first generation was definitely better looking than the subsequent ones. It annoys me how they went from those wonderfully integrated tail lamps to the ones they have today. And that spider face front the new ones have is also terrible.
I agree about the second gen face, “stands out” does not always equal “looks good”
I have not driven one of these, but did drive a Nissan minivan with (I assume) the same 3.5. I found it lacking in torque, and in a conventional automatic, the car would downshift and race up to 3000 rpm or more in order to climb even the most moderate hills at 70 mph on the interstate. The 3.5 in my Kia Sedona has no such issue. The CVT may suit this engine very well.
I am also not a fan of the orange instrument lighting, one of my least favorite feature of said Nissan rental minivan. I loved your wife’s observation that all cars drive the same. Just like I would say that pretty much all haircuts are the same. I guess it is just what you pay attention to.
Jim, I think this is the first car you have written up that does not, at some level, appeal to me. Your piece sets my mind at ease, now that I know that I have not been somehow missing something. 🙂
Haha, good thing it was more my wife’s car then! I’m amazed we got to the 31st car before one did not appeal to you!
And yes, the van would have had the same basic engine. As did the Maxima, Altima, 350Z etc, various Infiniti’s etc…
I always liked the overall look of the 1st gen, especially in that metallic orange. Why they didn’t base this off of the Pathfinder’s mechanicals, Ill never know. I like the idea of a futuristic body yet with rugged, 2 range 4×4 capability. The only Pathfinder that has ever appealed to me was the original in 2-door form. If that had a removeable roof, then it would’ve been a fun rig.
The early Muranos had many problems with the CVT, as it was at the largest, most powerful and heaviest CVT every produced at the time. An acquaintance working at Nissan said all the first year cars failed. Much to Nissan’s credit, the extended the warranty and did everything the could to fix the problem. Chrysler could have done the same, but noooooooo…..
I have never liked the Murano’s interior, which I think is cheap for a car of this money.
Yep, ours was a second year and we got the warranty extension to 100k miles. Definitely the right thing to do and all other things aside I would not hesitate to get another Nissan CVT – as relates to the company taking care of issues, irrespective of whether or not one likes a CVT in general.
Interesting choice. These were pretty stunning when they came out. That huge dash top would drive me nuts. My Nissan truck had the orange dash lighting and I hated that one feature on an otherwise pretty awesome truck.
Not sure what all the negativity towards CVTs in the motoring press public is about…my new car has one and once you get used to not expecting the slightly discernible shifts of an automatic, it’s been just fine.
Glad to learn more about what these rather attractive CUVs are really like. Seems to me the Murano ushered in the trend for Cute Utes. The formerly boxy and practical Honda CRV seemed to change into something sportier in order to compete with this vehicle. More recently, with the introduction of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, it has changed from angular and boxy into a cute ute which can be combined with 4wd practicality.
You reckon the Nissan-Renault merger led to more adventurous Nissan styling? 😉 Nissan’s always been capable of really out-there stuff (eg virtually their entire range in the 70s lol!), which has been repressed these past few years. Maybe Renault is just helping Nissan to be who they really are instead of who society wants them to be! Of course appealing to society = sales…
I do like the looks of these gen 1 Muranos a lot – especially in that awesome orange like my Uncle’s neighbour has! The interior looks interesting too, but I get the feeling I’d be disappointed by the quality of plastic. The last CVT Nissan I drove was a 3.5L Maxima (our Maxima isn’t the same as the North American one, ours is a rebadged JDM Teana), and I hated the vaccuum cleaner noise whenever I accelerated, so I’m not sure I could tolerate a Murano as a daily driver. Regardless, the Murano was still a fresh and original design from Nissan.
I meant more adventurous compared to what was here in the 90’s. Yes, the 70’s had some great designs!
I remember seeing a couple of cars with manufacturer plates driving around the Bay Area in the mid 2000’s and having no idea what they were. I thought they looked sort of like a mix between Altima and Maxima and then it took several more months before i figured out they had been Teana’s. Good looking car, or maybe just interesting as it was slightly different.
The inside was not terrible at all, and the real metal was a nice touch. The instrument pod was a bit plasticky but the orange lighting/gauges is what I really did not like. It was lightyears ahead of what GM for instance was offering around the same time as far as plastics go….
I’ve never really understood Nissan; never understood what they really stand for, where they fit into the overall scheme of things, automotively speaking. It seems like every ten-fifteen years or so their family sedans seem to alternate from thoroughly competent to utterly forgettable. Even the Z has gone though occasional patches of dullness. A bipolar car company?
Supposedly, scent is the sense most linked to memory and what I remember most about the Murano is that their insides smelled like a mix of orange creamsicles and vanilla. It smelled good! Better than most new car smells, even, and much more distinct. Not even other Nissans shared the same odor. When they were new, I was working at this company that fixed up cars on pre-owned lots and the Nissan/Hyundai dealership we did business with was the biggest of them all. So I spent lots of time in and around these vehicles, but I can’t remember ever driving one aside from moving it around a parking lot.
Like Jim mentioned, this styling has hardly aged – which makes it easy to forget that it was really very radical when it debuted. I can recall first seeing one of these on the road and having no clue what to think about it. I wasn’t reading up on the auto industry at all at the time and hadn’t seen any photos online or in magazines. It was one of the few times where I had to stop and think “Oh shit, so this is what cars look like now? Where have I been?” I didn’t fully appreciate what a good look this was until a few lesser (and less attractive) CUVs hit the market shortly after.
And once I got up close and personal with the Murano, I developed a strange and unique attraction to it. I’m surprised that a few of the comments have criticized the interior, because (aside from the pleasant smell) that’s what really sold me on it. Nissan has never done super high-quality interior materials, but they’ve never been half-bad either and this is the best of what they offered at the time outside of an Infiniti. I loved the big center console and the semi-detached instrument panel; and while the steep rake on the windshield surely ate up lots of usable interior space, it also served to get a lot of light into the cabin. Probably a pain in the ass when driving into sunlight, but it made it feel much more airy than similar vehicles while sitting on a dealer lot. The dashboard looks huge and I guess it is, but I don’t remember it being so intrusive from behind the steering wheel.
The vibe was not that of a traditionally “cool” car, it was more like a futuristic urban escape pod, which can also be cool in my book. I’d NEVER want to own one – but I can remember being bored at work wishing I had a girlfriend who owned one, so that I could either steal it occasionally when I wanted to relax or get driven around in it (what can I say? A Nissan-Hyundai Certified Pre-Owned car lot is a boring place to be… the mind wanders). Plus, this is SO a girl’s car whether it was intended to be or not. I was 20 when it came out and I remember girls my age saying “ooooh a Murano!” the way they’d talk about a $5,000 pair of shoes or some fanciful, dainty kind of chocolate.
Jim – I wish I could comment on all of your COAL articles but somehow I always let the day slip away from me. Just wanted to mention that the last few were really great and I especially loved the Buick and 400E in back-to-back weeks. This one was the most surprising so far!
Thank you Sean! The Murano inside was not bad, the dash did reflect on the windshield a lot unless you let it get really dusty (which was easy to do due to the size!) Interesting about the opinions of girls your age – I was 34 and married when it came out and had minimal access to 20-year-old-girls…
Inside I guess it was kind of “Infiniti-Lite” – It came out around the same time as the FX35/45 and there are definite similarities both inside and out.
Thinking about it, my biggest problem with the Murano was that it came out about the same time as the Infiniti FX45. I really liked the aggressive look of the Infiniti, but the Murano seemed like the same concept done on the cheap in comparison.
I no longer have access to 20 year old girls either, unfortunately, and I wish I had accessed them more thoroughly back when I did!
JPC – I loved the FX45 when it came out, but looking back I don’t think it’s aged nearly as well as the Murano. The FX, even more than the Nissan, was a really striking design for it’s time but it inspired so many imitators that it hardly stands out anymore. I kinda like the current Infiniti CUV as well (the name escapes me) which I also feel a little silly liking.
Cool!
When my daughter saw the first Murano, she said “they should paint a Nike swoosh down the side of it. Looks just like a sneaker.”
The first Murano was a high point in Nissan design. I also love the Pulsar NX and the Xterra but the Murano managed to look very high-end without being remotely tacky, gimmicky or cliche. It’s not my type of vehicle but when I see them, I admire them.
Thank you on the post of what I think is a great car, as I owned a maroon 2006 sl as my first family car right after I got married and after I got to my first base. We had it for about 5 years and it never gave us any trouble besides a dead battery, even though I heard not so favorable stories about the CVT. But we took that car all over most of Texas, and it brought home both of our children. My father liked the car so much that he got a similarly optioned Rouge. Finally we traded it on a minivan to have something bigger, and with less mileage, as this one was reach 140,000 and needed some pricey suspension work, but the wife and I always look back on that car fondly, and remember that as the car that got our family started.