2015 NISSAN MURANO
Model tested:
- 2015 Nissan Murano SL
- 3.5L V6 engine
- Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission)
- All-wheel drive (optional)
- Seating Capacity: 5
- Road Test Terrain: 60% city, 40% highway
- Tested MSRP: $41,418 CAD
Nissan released its third generation Murano for 2015. This newest release includes a brand-new design (both inside and out) as well as an updated infotainment system.
Exterior Design
The 2015 Nissan Murano has all the characteristics of the newer Nissan styling including a “V-motion” front grille, a “floating roof” design which makes it appear less bulky than a traditional SUV, sharper body curves, and boomerang-shaped exterior lenses.
We have to admit, we love the overall rear lens styling but it did take a bit of getting used to that the lens protrudes quite a bit from the rear panel.
Optional touches include a power panoramic moonroof, 20” aluminum-alloy rims, and dual chrome exhaust finishers if you wanted to dress up the Murano.
Interior Design
Overall the interior design of the 2015 Nissan Murano is spacious and functional. There are many storage compartments, the rear bench has reclining seatbacks, and the centre armrest folds down to expose two cupholders and an additional small storage compartment.
The driver’s door has the usual power window, door lock, and mirror switches, as well as the memory seat buttons. The driver’s seat also has 8-way power adjustments so the ride was quite comfortable.
Our pictures really didn’t do the Murano justice – the interior dash is well laid out and not cluttered, with a 7” monitor for its infotainment centre.
We were pleased with the trunk space available in this mid-size crossover! Although a bit of space is taken up by the rear suspension, there’s still more than enough room to fit our usual family gear.
Under The Hood
At first glance, the components located under the hood seem crowded. However, all the fluid reservoirs are well laid out, placed up top and it’s easy to read the fluid levels. The battery is also easily accessible if you need to jump-start the vehicle.
Child Car Seat
In terms of installing a rear-facing child car seat, the 2015 Nissan Murano may have enough room so that you won’t need to move the front passenger seat too far forward to accommodate the car seat’s recline angle (depending on the size of the child car seat, of course). The rear seat bench has a slight angle so you may need to use pool noodles during a rear-facing child car seat installation in order to get the correct recline angle for the child car seat.
When it comes to installing a forward-facing child car seat, the headrest of the rear seat is angled forward slightly so when you install that car seat, you’ll likely want to remove the headrest so that the back of the child car seat will sit flush with the car’s seatback. Lastly, the tether anchors are located behind the seatback in the middle of the seat (you can see them in the trunk picture in this post) so it’s straightforward to hook the child car seat’s tether.
Nice Touches
Here are a few minor touches that are worthy of mentioning. We found it super easy to fold the rear seatback down with a lever located in the trunk.
The trunk’s lining that covers the spare tire has a plastic hook/string attached to it so that you can hook it to the trunk trim while accessing the spare tire. It’s nice to not have to hold the cover up as you’re trying to take the spare tire out in the case of an emergency!
The 12V outlet cover is plastic with chrome detail to match the push-button ignition and climate control buttons. Small touch, but maintains consistency with the design.
So here’s something interesting… the 2015 Nissan Murano has optional Bose audio system with 9 speakers and dual subwoofers. The subwoofers are located in the spare tire though! It’s a pretty creative use of space, just remember to be careful when you move it while accessing the spare tire. Not sure about its effectiveness since the subwoofers are placed under the trunk floor cover… we’d have to ask some die-hard music fans!
We loved our time with the Murano! The mid-size crossover was comfortable and functional, didn’t feel overbearing during our drive, and had enough storage to lug our usual family gear. Starting price for the 2015 Nissan Murano is $29,998 CAD.