Used 2020 Nissan Murano

#13 in Best Midsize SUVs for 2020

The 2020 Nissan Murano is a refined, comfortable and substantial 5-passenger crossover SUV. In Nissan’s lineup, it slots between the compact Rogue and 3-row Pathfinder. For many years the Murano was among just a handful of midsize 2-row crossover SUVs, counting the Ford Edge and Subaru Outback as rivals. Now, it faces new and tempting competitors that range from the revived Honda Passport and Chevrolet Blazer to the new Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

Each has its niche, and the Murano’s is providing a plush, premium-leaning ride. Not everyone will be a fan of its continuously variable transmission (CVT), but it does pack a V6 standard. The Murano will also appeal to buyers seeking a sleeker, less ruggedly styled SUV that still has plenty of room for passengers and shopping bags. Last year’s refresh helps keep things fresh, and for 2020 Nissan has expanded the availability of its Safety Shield 360 system.

The new Murano has pleasing, comfortable manners. In fact, we think it is among the most plush-riding crossover SUVs in its class. Its suspension easily quells road imperfections. As a miles-eating highway commuter or around-town errand runner, it is refined and capable.

The Murano’s standard V6 has plenty of power, and better yet, it is delivered well through Nissan’s continuously variable transmission (CVT). This automatic is among Nissan’s best application of a CVT. It replicates traditional shifts well, and while there are no steering-wheel paddles, you can mimic shifts by throwing the transmission lever into manual mode.

The flip side of the Murano’s above-average comfort is that, outside a straight line, it isn’t all that fun to drive if your idea of fun is athletic handling. Another trait to be aware of are large rear blind spots due to the Murano’s swoopy styling.

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One of the best things about Nissan’s Murano is that it is roomy, and made in 5-passenger form only. Nissan hasn’t tried to stuff a third row in the Murano, leaving that to the family-size Pathfinder. Thus, the Murano grants good space for rear passengers. And if you happen to like reclining rear seats, those in the Murano tilt to a near-comical angle. When folded the other way to nearly flat, the Murano’s cargo room roughly doubles, up to 67 cubic feet. That’s less than what you’ll get in a Ford Edge, Honda Passport and Subaru Outback, but still plenty for most buyers’ needs.

Up front, we like the Murano’s driver and passenger seats, especially if you spring for the leather that comes in the two higher trims. Some controls are oddly placed, though, such as the volume buttons on the lower left of the steering wheel. Base models are stuck with cloth seats and manual-adjust driver’s seat. Climbing trims easily improves both traits.

Styling has set the Murano apart ever since it was introduced nearly two decades ago. The Murano was among the first crossover SUVs to buck the chunky and blocky style of traditional utility vehicles in favor of round lines, swept angles and smooth lines.

This latest generation is even more stylish with its “floating roof” and Nissan’s “V-Motion” front end, which was tweaked last year to keep it fresh. Its other recent updates included redesigned LED headlights and taillights, and new fog lights. Murano wheel sizes are 18 inches for lower trims and 20 inches for higher ones. For added utility, roof rails are standard on all but base models.

COMFORT AND REFINEMENT
Some crossover SUVs focus on being tough and rugged despite being built on a sedan platform. While the Murano offers all-wheel drive for better traction in inclement weather, the focus of this Nissan crossover SUV is comfort and refinement — and it nails both.

STANDARD V6 POWER
The Nissan Murano’s 3.5-liter V6 is about as tried-and-true as it gets. There’s a reason this engine has such a good reputation, and that’s because of its power and smoothness. It’s not as cutting-edge as modern turbocharged 4-cylinder powerplants, but we still like the delivery of this V6.

The 2020 Murano comes in four trims: S, SV, SL and the top-line Platinum. The least expensive Murano S has dual-zone climate control, push-button start, automatic emergency braking system, and an 8-inch touch display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity in addition to a 6-speaker AM/FM/CD/Bluetooth audio system with USB and auxiliary inputs.

As we mentioned, though, you’ll have to contend with a cloth interior and manual-adjust front seats. We recommend skipping the S trim and stepping up to at least an SV, which adds power front seats, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, roof rails, auto-dimming rearview mirror and universal garage remote.

Even more significant, for 2020, Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 technology now comes standard on all but base S Muranos. It adds safety and driver-assist features including lane-departure warning/lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, and pedestrian detection.

Moving up to the Murano SL adds leather upholstery, power tailgate with motion activation, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, 20-inch wheels, front parking sensors plus Nissan’s nifty Around View bird’s-eye camera system. The SL also includes navigation and an ear-pleasing 11-speaker Bose audio system with HD digital radio and SiriusXM.

The most expensive Nissan Murano is the Platinum trim, and it could pass for a luxury SUV thanks to features like semi-aniline leather seats with diamond-quilted inserts, panoramic moonroof, power-adjust steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats, and NissanConnect Services, which allows you to control functions such as locking the vehicle remotely from your phone.

As we noted in Favorite Features, the Murano uses a 3.5-liter V6. Nissan’s tried-and-true V6 makes 260 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque, which is still quite competitive and easily moves this big crossover SUV. One other perk of this engine is that it runs just fine on regular unleaded gasoline. Another aspect some owners might like is that it does not have an idle start/stop system.

Rather than use a 6-, 8- or 9-speed transmission like competitors, the Murano has a continuously variable automatic, which Nissan calls Xtronic. CVTs are efficient but tend to drone, especially under hard acceleration. Thankfully Nissan continues to improve its CVTs, and this one feels nearly akin to a traditional automatic.

Muranos come standard with front-wheel drive (FWD), and all trims can be optioned with all-wheel drive (AWD). The Murano’s tow rating is just 1,500 pounds, low for this segment. For comparison, a Jeep Grand Cherokee with a V6 can pull 6,200 pounds, while a Honda Passport can do 5,000.

3.5-liter V6
260 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
240 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/28 mpg