2021 Nissan Murano Reviews, Pricing & Specs

A few years ago, the Murano had a cutting-edge design that was almost too far ahead of the curve. Today, its L-shaped LED headlights and heavily contoured front end are just par for the course in car design. The interior and dash design has always been a bit more conservative, and that’s just fine. This isn’t some sports car or game-changing electric car. It’s a comfort-optimized SUV for commutes and road trips. On the plus side, that restrained cabin styling means all the controls are right where they should be, minimizing any learning curve.

Trims for the 2021 Murano are S, SV, SL, and Platinum. Standard features on the base S include 18-inch alloy wheels, manual front seats, dual-zone climate control, four USB ports, push-button start, remote keyless entry, satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Moving up to the Murano SV trim adds power-adjustable front seats, adaptive cruise control, remote start, fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, black roof rails, heated side mirrors, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

The Murano SL trim adds more features, such as 20-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, heated front seats, heated rear seats, ambient cabin lighting, a Bose premium stereo system, and the addition of navigation to the infotainment system.

The range-topping Platinum trim adds a dual-panel panoramic moonroof, and semi-aniline premium leather with Prima-Tex protection, dark wood interior accents, and ventilated front seats.

There is only one engine offered in the 2021 Nissan Murano, and that’s a 3.5-liter V6 engine. It makes 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or available all-wheel drive (AWD).

This V6 makes stout power and delivers terrific low-speed acceleration. It’s great off the line and around town, but the CVT numbs out some of its power at higher speeds. If you’re not in a hurry, this is fine, but you’ll be waiting a half-second if you’re trying to overtake someone on the highway.

The Murano has a comfort-first ride, but that doesn’t mean it’s as numbed-out as the CVT at higher speeds. It has refined driving characteristics that allow it to take a corner evenly but also soaks up bumps in the road. These attributes are why we say the Murano is an ideal commuter or road trip vehicle.

The Murano has a 1,500-pound towing capacity (when properly equipped). That’s among the lowest max towing figure of any midsize SUV. There are even a number of compact SUVs that provide better towing capabilities.

The Nissan Murano has up to 67 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. With the rear seats in use, the Murano provides 32.1 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Other two-row SUVs offer more than that. The Hyundai Santa Fe provides up to 72.1 cubic feet of cargo space. The Honda Passport blows both of them away with up to 100.7 cubic feet of cargo space. The SL and Platinum trims make up for it with a hands-free power liftgate.

What the Murano lacks in cargo space, it delivers in ease-of-use. From the traditional shifter design to the center console loaded with trays and cubbies, this crossover is designed to accommodate your life and all the little items that come with it.

Where the Murano truly shines is its focus on two rows of seating. Rather than stuff passengers into three small rows, the Murano has tons of headroom and legroom, whether you are in the front seats or the second row. The second-row seats even have partial reclining functionality.

The Murano comes standard with an easy-to-use 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It has a sensible menu layout that’s backed up by hard buttons and dials flanking the screen on either side. It also comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and those buttons and toggles make it easier to jump in and out of those connected smartphone apps.

Available tech features include an 11-speaker Bose premium stereo system and the addition of navigation to the touchscreen infotainment system.

The Murano comes with a host of standard driver assistance features as part of Nissan Safety Shield 360. It is highlighted by reverse automatic emergency braking, which is newly standard for 2021. Other new standard safety features include blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams.

These features join previously standard driver assistance features such as forward automatic emergency braking (with pedestrian detection), forward collision warning, and driver drowsiness monitoring. You’ll still have to shell out for features such as a surround-view parking monitor, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and front-and-rear parking sensors.

Both the AWD and FWD versions of the Murano return 20 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. The Murano is backed by a five-year/60,000-mile warranty.

Base MSRP for the 2021 Nissan Murano is $32,810 for the base FWD S trim. The SV trim starts at $35,940 and the SL trim starts at $40,310. The Platinum trim starts at $44,360, and the range-topping AWD Platinum starts at $45,910.

Rivals like the Honda Passport start at $32,790 and can top out at around $44,000. The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe starts at $27,200 and its most expensive trim starts at around $42,000. This puts the Murano in good company from a price standpoint.

The Murano is one of the older designs, not only in the midsize SUV segment but in the Nissan SUV lineup. The Rogue and Pathfinder have been completely redesigned in the past year. But The Murano has soldiered on with incremental changes because Nissan doesn’t want to mess with a winning formula. The standard V6 engine, cozy interior and comfortable ride, all make for an SUV that ain’t broke and doesn’t need fixin’ (at least for a couple of years).