Overview & Reviews

The Nissan Murano was one of the first midsize crossovers introduced in the United States and quickly became a popular alternative to more traditional SUVs thanks to its taut, carlike driving character and avant-garde styling. Later Nissan Muranos are notable for their higher-quality interiors, updated technology features and higher fuel economy ratings.

New or used, the Murano is definitely worth a look if you're on the hunt for a midsize crossover with seating for five. In reviews, our editors have generally praised this Nissan's sophisticated appearance, stylish and comfortable interior and strong acceleration. Middling cargo capacity and poor rearward visibility are our main complaints about the Nissan Murano. You'll find competing models that are better on one or both of these counts, but most won't match the Murano's combination of performance and style.

User Reviews:

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  Former Nissan Owner - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Ang - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I have driven every SUV there is. The MDX, RX 300, Mercedes, BMW etc...I just turned in my 2000 pathfinder. I have chosen this for its price and sporty feel. I wanted a car/suv and this fit the picture. I drove the SE and it was alot tighter and bumpier than the SL. The AWD and the 2WD drove the same, not much different in handling. The dash looks a little mini van like and the style sort of resembles a raised Pt Cruiser. But overall the inside is awsomely futuristic and I love the Chrome accents on the outside of the car. The 18" wheels are cool as heck! This car has the most features for the buck. Worth looking into.

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  Fun Ride - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By JJF - October 30 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Murano for my wife at the end of April, and we have been enjoying this vehicle ever since. Fun to drive, alot of power, and the CVT transmission is great. You dont even feel the car shift. Only problem is the windows rattle going over pumps. Only seems to happen when the windows are down 1/4 to 1/2 the way down.

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  WOW - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By This SUV rocks! - October 30 - 10:00 am

  Was looking at an Explorer or a Honda CRV. Found the space and fun to drive in the Murano. Great highway handling with plenty of power and breaks makes my 42-mile drive each way to work is pleasure. Programming my garage door into the rear view mirror is a great feature. Cool gadgets and room for the kids, all in one vehicle. Was expecting better gas mileage (now getting 22 hwy / sticker is 25hwy). Overall very impressed with my first new Nissan. Used Costco membership on line and saved a lot!

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  Nice Nice - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Bryguy - October 30 - 10:00 am

  Great Car...SUV...whatever it is. My wife and I have to Paper/Rock/Scissors to decide who gets to drive it each time! Beautiful ride, great handling, could be better on gas...but its still worth the drive. Im 67 and I love the headroom and legroom. The rear seating actually works for me as well! CVT is a sweet idea. Definitely a headturner!

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  Excellent! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By johnsonjs2 - October 30 - 10:00 am

  I looked at virtually every SUV on the market and this one is the best combination of style and performance I found. It came down to a Honda Pilot (a wonderful SUV) and the Murano and while both offer substance, the Murano had style. It is comfortable, powerful, and in the SE trim eats up corners and handles nimbly around town. The price is also very reasonable considering all of the features and options.

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  Fuel Economy Exactly as Expected - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Barton P - October 29 - 10:00 pm

  We are a family of three and selected the Murano because it; has a reliable powertrain, nice styling, no third row seat (we didnt need one), good safety features and good fuel economy for its size and weight. This vehicle has performed well, no serious mechanical issues. There were a couple of recalls for seat belt issues and the addition of fuel tank safety shields. Some complain that MPGs are too low. I think economy is great for the size of the vehicle. We get 20-21 MPG city and about 23-24 highway. This is exactly what the EPA sticker says we should get. At speeds above about 70 MPH weve found fuel economy degrades rapidly.

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  2016 Nissan Murano Brake Failure after a month - 2016 Nissan Murano
  By Jorge - October 26 - 3:53 am

  Just purchased my 2016 Murano on September 2016. Had the car for about a month and 800 miles. Yesterday morning the brakes failed as my wife was pulling out of our driveway. Nearly backed into a light pole and crashed into our neighbors car. She had to place the car into drive while it was still backing up, then had to place the car into neutral when it started going forward. Brake pedal did not respond and was near the floor. Contacted Nissan consumer affairs about the issue and had the car towed to my dealer. Nissan consumer affair advised me that there wasnt any brake related recalls for my car. A quick internet search proved that to be incorrect. Nissan, not wise to lie to your customers. Luckily this happened near our driveway in a residential neighborhood, with no kids in the car because I dropped the kids off at school in my car this morning. Had this been at a busy intersection, thing could have turned out really bad. Any Nissan executives reading this post, take a moment and think, what if this was your family in your product. Get the issue resolved before it claims innocent lives. Feel free to reach out to me. Find my contact information on the Nissan Consumer Affairs case #24317348. I will be posting my story on every Nissan forum and consumer complaint site I can think of.

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  Pleasant experience - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By David - October 26 - 3:50 am

  I bought this SUV used from the local Nissan dealer. I had replaced a BMW X5 which I had totaled. One of the main reasons for my interest was the CVT transmission. I own a house in the mountains, and get frustrated riding in a vehicle that does not have a manual shifter or CVT. The uphill and downhill rides are like a symphony. Downhill, I simply push the O/D button which gently slows the vehicle. The ride is car-like as opposed to the X5 truck ride. This did take some getting used to. The electronics were a pleasant surprise. Nav system complete with Bluetooth and a back up camera on a 7 inch screen are a real plus. The 9.3 GB music box is awesome.

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  My take so far... - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By A.B - October 25 - 1:26 pm

  With 1 child and a second on the way, it seemed time to step up to an suv. Did so reluctantly, but wanted something stylish, functional and price worthy. Checked out the Rav4, RX 350, Acura RDX. The fully loaded Murano LE was the only way to go. Inside the cabin is nice, with a luxury feel. Lots of bells & whistles. The engine & drive is smooth. Very good acceleration for a heavy vehicle. Havent driven it hard, so hard to describe the handling, but it does feel like it does have some body roll on hard turns & movements. Mileage is avg at best.

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  Awesome CAR - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By stingray - October 24 - 10:00 am

  Very appealing exterior..quiet ride, roomy interior. All around awesome car!