A Strong Midsize SUV: The 2018 Nissan Murano

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A Strong Midsize SUV: The 2018 Nissan MuranoDarren Brode / Shutterstock

Offering everything from compact sedans and hatches to three-row kiddy caravans, Nissan targets a wide range of audiences with a slew of capable cars fitted with respectable features. Scroll below to learn about the 2018 Nissan Murano and its defining features:

Infiniti is to Nissan what Lexus is to Toyota, and though Nissan isn’t quite the luxury brand you might be looking for, but that’s not to say that you won’t find amenable accessories lacking in their lineup. If it’s the 2018 Murano you’re considering, you should know that the Nissan Juke and Rogue are the smaller siblings, while the Pathfinder and Armada comprise the make’s three-row offerings. No matter the size of your tribe, Nissan’s got you covered.

Performance Specifications

The only engine option available for the 2018 Nissan Murano is a 3.5L V6, paired with a continuously-variable transmission, or a CVT. The V6 makes about 260 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque. Kelley Blue Book experts note the 2018 Murano ranks 12th in horsepower, with the Chevrolet Traverse, Jeep Cherokee, and Dodge Durango leading the pack. The Murano also has a low towing capacity of 1500 pounds.

The 2018 Nissan Murano is offered in the following colors:

Fuel Efficiency

Without a hybrid option, the Nissan Murano doesn’t fair as well as others in terms of fuel efficiency. However, the only engine offered for the Murano, the 3.5L V6 does post a respectable 21 city and 28 highway EPA-estimated mpg.

According to Kelley Blue Book, the Murano ranks 14th in its class for fuel efficiency. Chevrolet’s Equinox, the GMC Terrain, and the Honda CR-V make up the Murano’s top three competitors.

Entertainment and Safety Features

Scoring well across the board in terms of safety, the 2018 Nissan Murano is “a solid choice for an upscale, comfortable five-passenger crossover that delivers a bit more style than the norm.” The IIHS ranked the Murano “Good” in all tests, and the NHTSA gave it four stars overall; the only category the Murano didn’t perform best in was the frontal crash test. J.D. Power and Associates also gave the 2018 Murano high marks, ranking it anywhere between three and five in their tests. Though it performed about average in body and interior quality, it did well in powertrain quality.

The 2018 Nissan Murano offers a 360-degree Around View Monitor, which “uses cameras mounted around the vehicle to give you a bird’s-eye view of the SUV and its surroundings.”  This is an incredibly useful tool if you’re trying to back out of a spot, parallel park, or even navigate into your garage. Once you’ve driven with the Around View Monitor, it’s hard to think of reasons why you wouldn’t want this amazing feature.

The 2018 Murano is offered in five models of varying features, each available in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. You can also get a ton of different accessories for your new Murano, such as mud flaps, carpet mats, bumper covers, and more.

The 2018 Murano S starts at $30,800 for the front-wheel drive version and rides on 18-inch wheels. With Hill Start Assist, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), and the Nissan Navigation System, this base model offers a fair number of features for a reasonable price. This model also includes LED daytime running lights and taillights, auto on/off headlights, and chrome door handles. The eight-inch multi-touch control supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as Bluetooth and SiriusXM. You’ll enjoy your six-speaker sound system in cloth seats.

SV models step it up with a leather steering wheel and gear shift knob, remote start, and black roof rails. Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are the extra safety features available on this model.

With the SL model, customers will have access to silver roof rails, a motion-activated power liftgate, heated front and rear leather seats, and a heated steering wheel. Safety features include Intelligent Driver Alertness, Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Around View Monitor, and Intelligent Cruise Control. You’ll also enjoy the 11-speaker Bose sound system.

Midnight Edition models sport the same feature as the SL model, but with a touch of black. Riding on 20-inch black alloy wheels, this model also has black roof rails, black heated outside mirrors, black splash guards, a black V-Motion grille, and black exterior accents and custom badging.

The $43,000 Platinum model also rides on 20-inch wheels but has silver roof rails instead. With LED headlights to light your way, the Platinum model also offers a hands-free text messaging assistant, steering wheel position memory, remote front windows down feature, and a power panoramic moonroof. Heated and cooled front seats and heated rear seats complete the features list.

Though Edmunds experts find the best balance of options and cost to be the SV model, Consumer Reports recommends the SL trim level. The difference is how much you want in terms of safety and luxury features, but either option is a wise choice.

How the 2018 Murano Stacks Up Against the Competition

U.S. News chose the 2018 Nissan Murano as a finalist for its 2018 Best 2-Row SUV for the Money and its 2018 Best 2-Row SUV for Families awards. Reviewers noted the 2018 Murano had a high-end cabin, but that the handling was not very sporty. The Ford Edge is sportier, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a model in Ford’s SUV lineup that offers as many features for the price.

Edmunds ranked the 2018 Nissan Murano as one of its Best Midsize SUVs for 2018, noting the smooth power of the V6 and CVT pairing, as well as the spacious rear and comfortable seats. Some might be put off by the rather bold styling of the 2018 Murano, but it does provide the model with the design features often associated with luxury SUVs.

The SUV segment is vast, so models are usually ranked — among other aspects — by size. The 2018 Murano finds itself in the midsize segment, and it is best to consider the other classes to include compact SUVs (like the Juke and Rogue) and full-size SUVs (such as the Pathfinder and Armada). While most people consider the compact SUV segment — and corresponding crossover models — for their AWD capabilities and rugged, durable design, the midsize segment enters into towing capacity and added luxury components. With full-size SUVs, luxury is one of the biggest differentiating factors.

Competitors in the SUV segment include models like the Toyota Highlander and Sequoia, Audi’s Q3, Q5, and Q7 triplets, the GMC Acadia and Terrain, Chevrolet’s Equinox, the Buick Enclave and Encore, Honda’s HR-V, CR-V, and Pilot, the Cadillac Escalade, Volvo’s XC90, Mazda’s CX-9, the Subaru Crosstrek, Outback, and Tribeca, Jaguar’s F-Pace, and Porsche’s Macan and Cayenne. There are quite a few other models as well, but suffice it to say that no matter what you’re looking for, there’s a model out there for you.

Pros

Cons

Check out the 2018 Nissan Murano the next time you’re in the market for a midsize SUV!

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