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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  What a Drive! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By hrdtop57 - December 15 - 10:00 am

  The design of the vehicle is what caught my eye. Looking at the majority of SUVs, they all look alike. The Murano stands out with its "Star Ship Enterprise" design. The CVT makes it a pleasure to drive.

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  Awesome Car! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Steve J - December 15 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I bought this vehicle about 4 months ago and have been extremely satisfied with it thus far. The look is incredible! Everyone asks about it, it is a real head turner. Excellent power from a roll, but a little sluggish from the start. Overall a fantastic car....I cant believe it is not getting higher ratings!

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  I love my Murano! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By PanamaPeter - December 15 - 10:00 am

  I traded in a leased Lexus GS 400 and purchased a Murano...and have not regretted the decision.

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  Not a Great CUV - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By Car Lover - December 13 - 10:00 am

  This is not one of the greatest CUVs out there. The CVT transmission is boring and apparently beginning to cause problems. Nissan is now extending the warranty to 100k miles. The gas mileage is awful and you must use premium gas to get the vehicle to function close to optimum output. At five years old my front seat sides are tearing even though I am very gentle on this vehicle.

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  Murano cvt - 2005 Nissan Murano
  By cvt - December 10 - 7:23 pm

  All wheel drive perfomance was excellent for the new england winter. Gas mileage on highway a huge plus Roomy with plenty of leg room for rear passengers. Love the hatch door with the lights. handles the curves well. Zippy sleek looking vehicle. I intend to purchase a second one for the spouse.

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  A 350Z for non-Acrobats - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By Gregg D - December 9 - 2:00 am

  Love this Murano. It has style, power, handling, and versatility. Being 64" tall, I can drive this vehicle for hours on end and not feel exhausted (like I did in the Sequoia I traded for it). Easy ingress/egress. Seats are very comfortable. Controls just happen to be where your hands fall. Tunes are superb. The CVT works very well. No downshifts at passing - just the power when you need it. And it comes very fast - no discernable lag. Fairly economical (19 in town, 24-25 on highway).

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  An SUV with Personality! - 2003 Nissan Murano
  By xxxdimension - December 9 - 2:00 am

  Finally an SUV that drives like a performance car! Cornering and overall handling are great. Plenty of power, expecially from a roll. Could be a little better fron a dead stop but its a tradeoff for the CVT transmission which is a great feature. Gas mileage is great for a 245 Hp engine (Im averaging 20.5 MPG) This is the best SUV Ive driven.

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  Not your standard SUV - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By Trudyl - December 9 - 2:00 am

  I bought a black SEL at the end of September. I was turning in a leased Jeep Larado and there is no comparison. I wanted another SUV, I like being highter than most cars and I didnt want a vehicle that looked like a station wagon. I had no need for a third row seat and enjoy the roomy interior of my Murano. I havent notice any issues with the transmission and my son who lives to drive fast cars thought it handles very well. I wanted a navigation system and there wasnt a lot of choices in this price range.

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  My Murano - 2006 Nissan Murano
  By Deborah Newcomb - December 6 - 2:20 am

  I love driving this car. Responsive handling. I find the reverse view for backing very useful.

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  developing problems - 2009 Nissan Murano
  By george keating - December 6 - 2:00 am

  shortly after the warranty 36k expired problems begin to appear. window auto up sw quit,engine knocks on 1st accel, have to restart to stop knocking, xmission slips. all in all a nice car that is developing problems to quickly. probably will not buy another one for this reason