- crossover 132,700
- 9,995 overpriced
- Greer, SC
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- autoshopper.com
- crossover 132,700 gasoline blue automatic
2003 nissan murano review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. The sport sedan of crossover suvs. introductionthe all-new 2003 nissan murano drives like a sport sedan, but carries cargo like a honda pilot. Murano is a crossover suv, designed to carry people and cargo like a sport-utility vehicle, but drive and ride smoothly like a car. Unlike other suvs, murano is not a substitute for a minivan. Nor does it feature the boxy, minivan styling of most suvs. Murano's wild body work promotes better aerodynamics and high fashion with its sleek front end and a roof that curves inward. murano's looks are backed by sporty performance. It's powered by nissan's beefy 3. 5-liter v6 mated to a responsive continuously variable transmission. Murano's sporty handling and grippy all-wheel-drive system put all that power to good use. It's built on nissan's sporty altima chassis. Unlike most suvs, it doesn't lean in corners, dive under braking, or squat under acceleration. It drives more like a car than an suv. lineupnissan murano comes in sl 28,199) and se 28,999) models. All models are powered by nissan's 245-horsepower 3. 5-liter v6 mated to the xtronic cvt. options include the sl premium package 1,499), which adds roof rails, adjustable pedals, a more powerful stereo with auto volume control, and cargo cover and net. The se popular package 3,499) includes leather memory seats and a sunroof. A chrome wheel package is available for sl models 1,199). walkaroundthe shape of the nissan murano is designed to blend the look of a car and a truck. The top half of the body is sleek like a car, the bottom half bulky like a truck. The overall look is much sleeker than tall wagon-shaped suvs, yet still rugged. Murano is name after an island near venice known for glass sculpture. contributing to murano's husky styling are huge 18-inch wheels and tires that come standard. The shapely rear hatchback adds to it. The rear hatch is made out of reinforced plastic because steel won't bend easily to the shape. as its looks suggest, the murano is an aerodynamic machine. A low frontal area and a low roof add cruising efficiency, as well as very low wind noise at high speeds. to finish off the high-fashion look, no less than eight colors are available for the exterior two-tone scheme, with three interior hues to mix and match. The colors were chosen carefully for their luxury look. Among them: sunlit copper paint and cabernet upholstery. interiorclimbing into the nissan murano is easy, a little easier than climbing into a honda pilot. A big pod juts out from the center dash for audio and climate controls. We weren't crazy about the appearance of the pod, but it does put the controls close to hand. Buttons on the stereo are on the small side, but easy to use. Buttons on the steering wheel make it easy to change volume levels. The navigation display has a new-generation three-dimensional map view, which we find easier to follow. But because murano is a five-seater that's the same size as a seven-seater, the backseat is like a limousine's. I could still cross my legs in the rear seat even though my hip-to-knee dimension is off-the-chart on some automakers' anthropomorphic scales. The rear seatback rake can be adjusted by pulling on a strap. That makes it more comfortable than the second row of the honda pilot, where passengers must sit uncomfortably bolt upright. the rear seats flip forward in one step and hide flush to the floor with clever manual levers, turning the murano into a two-seat wagon with a big cargo area. It measures about the same length as the honda pilot's with all of its seats down. Murano's load height is now lower than the pilot's, however. The bulky cargo cover flaps around and takes up room. We'd be inclined to toss it in the garage. driving impressionthe nissan murano feels as quick as a sport sedan. Indeed, it's quicker than the bmw's 3. 0-liter x5. Pulling almost 4000 pounds of murano, the 245-horsepower engine still feels quick. The cvt is responsive and hitting a big bump at the apex of a corner doesn't upset the handling. A complex steel belt is squeezed between the pulleys and transfers engine torque to the driveshafts. The cvt 'shifts' ratios smoother than a normal automatic transmission, and allows the engine to rev at a speed that's most efficient for acceleration. The efficiency of the cvt also adds to the outstanding fuel economy of the murano: an epa-estimated 20/24 mpg city/highway. the cvt is not a new device. Subarus, hondas, and nissans have used cvts for more than a decade. Called the xtronic, nissan's new unit is similar to audi's cvt in its ability to handle a lot of torque. The audi unit, however, is tuned to shift like a conventional automatic, with six separate gear-like ranges. The cvt in the murano, however, comes with just three ranges: d for normal driving, s for sportier acceleration, and l for the highest ratio, or lowest 'gear' range. Shifting from d to s raises engine revs 2500 rpm. Dropping from s to l increases engine speed by another 1000 rpm. Rev the engine near its 6600 redline and the ratio automatically reduces, thereby lowering the engine revs as the murano's speed increases. We were particularly impressed with the silence of the drivetrain. Nissan. summarythe nissan murano is a tall and roomy wagon that drives like a sport sedan. It feels more like a second-channel luxury car, and a fully loaded murano approaches the price of an entry level lexus rx 300. Murano's price compares well with the toyota highlander's, however, especially when compared feature by feature. the best part about the murano is its capability on the road: it handles with precision, speed, and more grace than most other suvs. model lineupsl 2wd 28,199), sl awd 29,799), se 2wd 28,999), se awd 30,599). assembled i. Tachometer✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Navigation System
9,995 Greer, SCGreer, SC at autoshopper.com