2015 Nissan Murano Is A Classy Family Limousine

On a crisp Monday morning, a black crossover with limousine-tinted windows offset by chrome accents rolled onto my block and into my driveway. This would be my ride for the week. The bling factor was high with this one. Me likey. The vehicle was the all-new 2015 Nissan Murano crossover. The Murano’s shape is sleek and refined with a decided Euro appeal about it. That slippery exterior comes from a design that manages an impressive 0.31 coefficient of drag.

Inside, the 2015 Murano keeps up the high status with a beautiful and functional interior aimed towards family living. The cues inside come from the standards-setting Rogue, with an ergonomic flow keeping everyone happy. Seating is excellent all around, though notably, the Murano does not offer a third row. For that, buyers have to look to Nissan’s Pathfinder or Rogue.

Out on the road, the 2015 Nissan Murano is stately and well-mannered. Steering is responsive, though a bit cushy, and the ride is nicely balanced between “big SUV cush” and “sport sedan stiff,” as all good crossovers should be, though few really are. Controls in the Murano are well-placed and the available AroundView 360-degree camera system makes backing and parking a breeze. The Murano has several class-exclusive safety features as well, available in upper-trim packages, including predictive forward collision warning and moving object detection.

On the freeway, driver and passengers will learn the benefits of low drag quickly. Namely a quieter ride and great fuel economy. The 3.5-liter V6 is a responsive, smooth operator and its mated continuously variable transmission is a quiet breeze. All of this results in 24 mpg combined (21/28 city/hwy).

It’s hard to argue with a vehicle that looks this good and totes a best-in-class cargo volume and best-in-class interior volume. Pricing starts at about $30k and goes up from there, with our fully-loaded test model ringing in at $39.5k delivered. That might seem steep, but most of the competition is either not going to offer the kind of luxury-style amenities the high-end Murano does or are priced about the same. For a family looking to move out of the ho-hum square box world of smaller sport utilities, the 2015 Murano is a stratospheric leap ahead. You definitely will not find a premium-level or luxury crossover in this segment that matches the top-trim Murano’s fittings for the price.

The 2015 Murano has it all: Great looks, a strong presence, good fuel economy, and a family-ready interior with first class design and materials. This is what a first rate midsize crossover looks like. It’s a limousine, but without the luxurious price tag. And if the black limousine thing isn’t your look, well, the Murano does have other colors, I’m told. Me? I’ll stick with the bling machine in formal wear.