2009 Nissan Murano Driving Impressions

We test drove a Nissan Murano SL, the middle model. Ours was equipped with all-wheel drive ($29,480) and loaded with the Technology, DVD, Navigation, Moonroof and Convenience packages, which added $7,070 to the bottom line (total $36,550), but made for a very nice, fully equipped vehicle for family travel.

Nissan's previous V6 earned awards, and its new V6 produces 25 horsepower more than the old engine, up from 240 to 265 hp at 6000 rpm, a 10-percent hike you can feel every time you accelerate at full throttle. Torque is 248 foot-pounds at 4000 rpm. The engine uses continuous valve timing control and variable induction for maximum flexibility under varying loads, meaning it responds quickly anytime you hit the gas.

All 2009 Murano models will come with an Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission instead of a conventional automatic, and this CVT has been thoroughly tuned to the engine's improved power and torque curves for the new model. The CVT has fewer moving parts, lighter parts for lower mass and decreased operating friction, and software that makes it act more like a conventional transmission, shifting 30-percent quicker, which means the engine doesn't drone on at high rpm during full-throttle acceleration away from a stop. Nissan says it's also adaptive to each driver's style and habits. Based on our test drive, we'd have to say it's one of the best CVTs out there now, controlled by a new inline floor shifter that replaces the previous notched-gate shifter for much less wasted motion.

We won't go as far as to say there's a night-and-day difference in the leap from 2007 to 2009 in the Murano, but almost. It's much quieter in terms of mechanical, wind and road noise. The engine is much more willing, and this CVT transmission shifts properly, kicks down quickly, and lets the engine operate just above idle at freeway speeds, which is another way that it saves on fuel costs for the owner in addition to the reduced internal friction.

The new Murano's front and rear suspension is now made entirely of cast aluminum pieces, lighter and faster to reach to inputs, very well isolated from the cabin, and features a set of premium shock absorbers with built-in rebound springs to handle the big impacts. The TOPS speed-sensitive steering is relatively quick and has some feel to it, so it's not completely isolated from the cockpit and not completely numb or dead at the steering wheel. The new premium shocks with bumpers on them help the suspension keep the body flat and straight in the long sweepers and they absorb bumps and potholes very well.

All-wheel-drive versions of the Murano have a new system onboard called yaw-rate moment control, which is an enhanced version of Nissan's electronic stability control and traction control system. The optional $1200 system is set for 50/50 front-rear torque distribution, but can switch up or down to 0/100 or 100/0 depending on driving conditions. That puts the traction down to the tires with the best grip, improving traction and handling stability in slippery, inconsistent conditions, such as rain, snow and ice.

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2009 Nissan Murano Driving Impressions

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