Test Drives to Top Fives: 2015 Nissan Murano

We have a new segment called Test Drives to Top Fives where we film Khaled and Jay test driving new cars while driving them to Top 5 restaurants in Mississauga. Check out Jay Kana’s in-depth car review and check out the video below.

Test Drive: 2015 Nissan Murano
Top 5: Wingporium (#1 Chicken Wings in Mississauga)

Well, well, well, Nissan. Look at what you’ve done with the 2015 Murano. You’ve accomplished what many of us set out to do consistently in life, which is get smarter and stronger. It’s impressive you’ve done so well since you knocked on our Great White North’s door in 2003 (12 years ago) as a bulky addition to an SUV segment that was expanding like wildfire.

In the past 12 years, I’ve gone through quite a bit with the majority of it being forward motion. Yes, even I have a reverse gear that sometimes gets utilized unintentionally. But just like backing out of a parking spot, sometimes you have to go in reverse in order to eventually move forward. The flip side is to back into a parking spot, or do the smart (if available) pull through.

I’ve gone through a few life changes, I’ve seen friends and family experience the same. Truth be told, change happens every day to everyone. And 12 years later, I’m still here, albeit with a spattering of grey hairs and a few hundred thousand kilometers racked up on my lifetime odometer.

With a plethora of choices for the ever picky Canadian consumer, laying claim to be “The Fastest Growing Automotive Brand in Canada” are some serious fighting words.  The new Murano is going to strengthen that claim.
From a distance, the Murano has beautiful design lines that are sleek and graceful. You’ll have to wear a monocle to find a 90 degree angle in the new design but there are a few of them.

Videos

LEARN MORE

LEARN MORE

LEARN MORE

LEARN MORE

LEARN MORE

LEARN MORE

The closer I got, the better it looked. The real transformation for the third generation Murano is illustrated through the astounding interior. The design team that sculpted the interior deserves to be taken out to dinner anywhere in the world; it’s that good!

From the beautiful, oversized information screen as the jewel of the centre console, the theme of fluid lines continues throughout the interior.  If you’re piloting the new Murano, you’ll notice that everything is laid out easily within reach. After a couple of days behind the wheel, I knew exactly where everything was and how to appreciatively interact with the vehicle safely and smartly.   

There’s a wealth of available safety features including Predictive Forward Collision Warning, Forward Emergency Braking, the popular Blind Spot Warning (although I still think that your eyes are sense of awareness is the best safety feature but still, this is a great augmentation), Intelligent Cruise Control and the “10 out of 10 on the cool factor” 360 degree Around View Monitor.

The seven-inch color monitor is bookended by two large gauges and offers the driver plenty of info to keep the Murano rolling safely and full of information.

Motion wise, the 2015 Murano gets its gusto courtesy of a 3.5-litre V6 motor giving you 260 horsepower beneath your right foot. Even with the ‘love it or hate it” CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) the “get up and go” factor is quick and responsive for a vehicle of this size. The steering, handling and overall ride quality for Nissan’s gorgeous SUV is impressive to say the least. Mind you, there’s no reason to take the Murano to the track and throttle it beyond belief but in city and rural atmosphere’s, the Murano performs exceptionally well. Oh, and the 18” wheels don’t hurt the cause either.

The SL model, which is what I rode around in for a week, came with a dual panel moonroof (only the front half tilts and retracts) and it’s a great way to let tons of natural light engulf the beautiful cabin. 

Feel like channelling your inner “I’m an amazing steering wheel drummer!”? The available nine-speaker Bose audio system with dual subwoofers will make give you the “I’m a rock star drummer!” feeling immediately. May as well start creating a new playlist on your favourite mp3 player for any time you spend driving the Murano. Even passengers can be “glove box drummers”!

While I could easily double my word count on this, I should probably wrap this up. Besides, Nissan’s website can fill in any gaps I may have missed.

One quick and important item: The Murano received a “Top Safety Pick Plus” rating from the good folks at the IIHS. Good looking and chock full of safety. Well done!

Here’s to the new and exciting 2015 Nissan Murano. Here’s to making the competition step up its game. Here’s to the next 12 years of being ever-evolving and forward thinking. Even if it means having to spend a bit of time in neutral or reverse, keep those wheels moving forward.

And there’s your pick me up for the day. No charge for freight or delivery on this one.