And then a big boss came and declared: "That's it, guys, enough. Stop. But I won't trust you with the interior — you'll fill it with ashtrays, and people need to drive." As a result, the interior of the new Murano was handled by a team from a gerontology center located in the Nissan veterans' sanatorium. They worked under three mottos: "A new thought is a soap bubble," "Creativity is fun for the youth," and "Boredom is the best of muses." It's a real pity about the old dashboard, especially the instrument panel with aluminum trim. That was a beautiful thing. And if you also remember its predecessor, which was attached to the steering wheel and stayed in front of your eyes in any position, I'll just start crying.
THE BOSSES GOT SCARED
The name Murano has always been synonymous with uniqueness. Now, alas, no one can guarantee that, say, in the next generation this word will suit the big Japanese crossover just as well. True, the creators can make up for it with unconventional solutions. For instance, the body of the new Murano is covered with a special highly elastic polymer Scratch Shield, which restores the paintwork after minor scratches: in the sun, the body heats up, and small damages heal on their own.
DIDN'T EVEN SMOKE
The restyling didn't touch much. The old Murano at its debut stood out with a sporty appearance, minivan manners, and a strong engine. All that hasn't gone anywhere. The engine is the same — V6 3.5 L, producing 249 hp and 336 Nm of torque. Electronics limit the top speed to 210 km/h, and acceleration to 100 km/h takes 8 seconds. The gearbox is a new-generation Xtronic CVT. By the way, Nissan is still the only one that puts a CVT on cars heavier than two tons. Others use a CVT only on lighter vehicles. This CVT with an eternal belt, by the way, I liked. The response to the pedal is light even during kick-down, revs build up quickly, and, most importantly, after our games in the snow, it didn't smoke, although it smelled like a chicken used to stub out cigarettes.
…I remember perfectly how the previous Murano leaned over in corners and barely held a straight line. All that has been carefully preserved. There are few cars in the world where you can sincerely laugh at how they drive while behind the wheel. Let me list them. PT Cruiser in convertible body — what could be funnier than riding in a disassembled refrigerator? Or the four-liter Dodge Nitro — that stoned combine cab. And, of course, the G55 AMG — a high-speed tombstone with the voice of a mad monkey. But to shake in convulsions like I did on the Murano — that has never happened before.
ON THE REAR WHEELS
While I tried to carefully navigate the series of turns, everything went smoothly: the Murano willingly loaded the front axle, leaning its entire mass on the soft suspension, and obediently responded to the steering wheel. But as soon as I relaxed and drove for fun over broken asphalt, manholes, and tram tracks, the delight went off the charts. During acceleration, the Murano started to lift its rear wheels. "Now that's power," I thought, but then I realized the engine had nothing to do with it: it's just that due to the suspension characteristics, the connection with the front wheels disappeared somewhere. At the same time, the front end was thrown from side to side like a kite under a fighter jet's nozzle. It's an incredible adventure, especially when overtaking on a narrow rutted road. If they had put me on a green children's ball that let out air with a whistle and bounced off walls and ceiling, I swear, it would have been less thrilling. After all, the ball costs five rubles, and a two-ton car, you know how much.
No one will ever be bored behind the wheel of the Murano. Nissan tried to make it comfortable like a soft wide corner sofa, forgetting that such furniture generally doesn't get along well with wheels.
However, there are things that are admirable. For example, the spare wheel. Manufacturers, those who haven't switched to a space-saver, stuff a full-size spare under the floor, and it's easier to drive on three wheels than to get it out. But in the Murano, it lies right in the trunk, taking up a good part of it, already inflated, on a nineteen-inch rim!
SPECS: NISSAN MURANO
YOU'LL REGRET IT ANYWAY LATER
Do we want to burn rubber in a tank with an acid face, a boring instrument panel, and a water mattress instead of elastic elements? Yes! And to not be unfounded, I drove straight into a snowy field. The ground clearance is small — 180 mm, the breakover angle is only 14 degrees. But manual mode of the CVT to first gear, ESP — OFF, center lock — ON. And white clumps flew in different directions. The Murano never asked for help, although the transmission stank up the entire cabin with burnt naphthalene. Despite the solid weight and the not-fully-disconnectable stability system, getting stuck in this crossover is not easy. The powerful engine and quick CVT make the wheels dig out of dense, wet snow even beyond the clearance. Only the uneven underbody is not ideal. There are many boldly protruding parts — the front subframe, the muffler, and, especially regrettably, the plastic fuel tank. There's no protection underneath at all. So, I wouldn't take the Murano anywhere except snow and sand. Nevertheless, for a crossover, the off-road capability is excellent. You just need to be calmer and more careful. Both off-road and on asphalt. And for the young, Nissan came up with the X-Trail and Qashqai.
