2019 Nissan Murano Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Nissan last redesigned the Murano, a family-friendly, value-oriented midsize crossover, in 2015. At the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, Nissan...

Nissan last redesigned the Murano, a family-friendly, value-oriented midsize crossover, in 2015. At the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, Nissan announced a number of changes to the 2019 Murano, including refreshed styling and newly available features.

The Murano’s serene exterior styling gets a slightly more aggressive edge this year. The new look comes courtesy of a bolder grille, new head- and taillight designs, newly added fog lamps, and fresh wheel designs. Buyers also get to decide amongst three new colors.

Every Murano comes powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, capable of producing 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive (FWD) come standard, and buyers can upgrade to all-wheel drive (AWD). With either drive type, Murano buyers can expect to see fuel economy returns of 21 city, 28 highway, and 24 combined.

The Murano’s cabin wouldn’t be out of place in a much more expensive vehicle, and this year’s refresh makes it even better. Nissan’s supportive and comfortable seats can come finished in new semi-aniline, diamond-quilted leather with 3 new options for interior trim finish. Trim levels include S, SV, SL, and Platinum. In the base trim, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard, while the SV trim makes a leather-wrapped shift knob, remote start, and a 10-way power driver’s seat. The SL trim adds leather seats, an 11-speaker Bose system, and a 360-degree camera. Available upgrades for the SV and SL trims include a panoramic moonroof and additional safety features.

The 2018 Murano earned Good scores in all crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) testing, the all-wheel-drive (AWD) version of the 2018 Murano earned a 5-star overall rating, but the front-wheel-drive (FWD) model got docked a star. Nissan offers plenty of advanced safety features in the Murano, including a reversing camera, forward-collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. Moving up through the trims means you can add blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, driver-awareness alert, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and high beam assist. This year, Nissan adds rear-door alert, traffic-sign recognition, and intelligent lane intervention.

Nissan makes some smart choices with this refresh, particularly the addition of safety features more commonly offered by luxury brands. It competes with the likes of the Volkswagen Atlas and the Honda Pilot. Fresher styling and more modern features should help the Murano stand out in a crowded segment.