Stylish And Comfortable
by David Finlay (24 Oct 05)

"It's like riding in a large, comfortable armchair," said one of my passengers during an epic journey which saw three of us cover well over 1000 miles in just a few days. This was just the kind of trip that would point up any kind of occupant discomfort, especially during the section which involved leaving St Albans at 9pm and arriving in Sunderland five hours later; it was a testament to Nissan's latest 4x4 that, though pleasantly fatigued after our travels, we had no complaints about aches or pains.

Since I was paying for the fuel, I could have wished (a) that there were a diesel version of the Murano and (b) that I had been given one to test. Sadly, (b) was impossible, because (a) is not the case. The range of options on this model is, as Nissan likes to point out, limited pretty much to the colour scheme, and when it comes to engines the only choice is the 3.5-litre V6 petrol unit also found in the 350Z sports car and - somewhat enlarged - in the Pathfinder.

It's a powerful device, and the Murano is a large and heavy car, so if you want impressive fuel economy you have to look elsewhere. But if the fiscal aspect isn't a major consideration, there's a lot to be said for the V6, not least that it's a very smooth operator. This further enhanced the Murano's air of luxury, and so too does the excellent ride quality. Undulations in the tarmac are dealt with just as well as they are in the rather more expensive Range Rover Sport, though the Sport gains extra points for suppressing smaller bumps with equal grace, whereas the Murano can't help reporting their existence to its passengers.

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