2009 Murano First Drive / Review (MDX as well)

[Timmbo]

This past Saturday I was able to test drive the all new 2009 Murano, I also test drove the 2008 Acura MDX. Both of these are vehicles my wife was considering purchasing when the lease is up on her '05 G35x.

Here are my findings, I drove the MDX first, then the Murano.

2008 Acura MDX

I first sat in the vehicle, and I though the front seats were very comfortable, very supportive in every way (I am 6'1", 185lb). The cockpit felt comfortable and I thought controls and buttons were laid out nicely. The model I drove was fully loaded with Tech and DVD packages. The overall dash materials didn't seem to be as high of quality as I would have expected from Acura. It was all hard plastic, no soft material on the dash. The "wood" was clearly not wood and it looked and felt very much like plastic. The back seats were also heated, which is nice. I did like the aluminum door sills, they added a nice touch. I really was turned off by the large Nav control know that stuck out, and was plastic and cheap looking and feeling. Dual exhaust looked sweet on the rear. There was not a lot of room in the second row of seats, and the third row is clearly for small children only.

The engine had good power, but it didn't have "knock your socks off" power. It was smooth, and it got the job done, there just wasn't much of a fun factor to me. Shifting seemed smooth and effortless. I was able to hit some snow covered and ice covered back roads to test out the handling capabilities. Seemed well, the front end did seem to "plow" a lot, and it really didn't seem like the dynamic control was stopping or helping the situation.

The Nav and Stereo really seemed to disappoint me. It had a good amount of information on the screen, it just really didn't look that "cool" or exciting to me. The Nav itself was really second class. No Bird-Eye view (3-D), only 2-dimensional plane view map. Also, NO TOUCH SCREEN! That seems crazy in an luxury line. The stereo sounded fine, but there was no music hard drive, and not compact flash slot. You could play MP3's off of a cd. NO KEYLESS IGNITION!!!!

I was shocked by a shortage of some tech features. No power in the third row of seats, no rear or front sonar sensors, no capabilities of having the DVD player play on the front Nav screen (even in park with the e-brake on).

2009 Nissan Murano

Very nice looking exterior, especially with the 20" rims, WOW, that really looks nice! There was a ton of room in the front seats, it seemed like there was just as much room as my '08 Armada. Excellent comfort, lots of seat adjustments, lots of leg room (I LOVE!). Nice looking wood grain (not real I believe), great interior materials, nice soft touches, great looking steering wheel, and the dual sunroof's looks sweet! Kids (or backseat riders) would really love the sky view! No heated back seat, but there was so much room back there! Plenty of room to stretch out and be comfortable, reclining rear seats are very nice! Dual exhaust out the rear looks tough.

The engine of course was very smooth shifting with the CVT. I have to admit, it sure felt like this powertrain was more powerful than the Acura, crazy considering the Murano now has 265hp, and the Acura has 300, but the Murano was quicker, and smoother, and more fun to drive. Nissan's VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) worked awesome as usual. It is really amazing to see the VDC at work, I have it on my Armada, and on my wife's G35x, I also used to own an '03 Murano that had it as well, and it is such an awesome safety feature. I can see how it would take anyone a little time to get used to the smooth shifting CVT of the Murano, but it is really sweet.

The Nav and Stereo are really nice in the '08/'09 Nissans. Probably one of the best, if not the best Nav set-ups. All touch screen, tons of options and features. Compact Flash Card slot, 9.3 gig music hard drive, I-Pod Interface, and multiple views on the Nav screen are just a few of the cool tech features. Not only is keyless ignition available, but a push button start can be paired with it, now that is sweet! The function of the stereo, and the ability to be able to "spin" through cd tracks, and songs on the hard drive or Flash Card is really cool.

So after driving both vehicles, my wife and I agree that the '09 Murano is a much better vehicle all around. Hands down, not much thinking, and on top of that, the Murano is about $4000-$5000 less than the MDX. How do you like them apples? To us it is clearly a no-brainer, next (and last) on the test drive list is the EX35. We will see how that goes on Friday.

[metzms]

I agree with you on the Murano. For the price there is nothing else that can touch it. I looked at the Acura MDX too and after I drove the Murano I crossed the MDX off my list.

[Eikon]

Great reviews Timm!

I just saw my first new Murano on the road the other day. Wow is it sharp!!!

[Timmbo]

I am still shocked at what a value the Murano is at that price point!

[Timmbo]

I did get a chance to test drive the EX35. The EX35 has a lot of the same features that the Murano has (unless you are looking for the all-around camera pkg). The EX35 does feel a bit sportier, and tighter in cornering and handling. The biggest drawback to the EX35 when comparing to the Murano, is size. There is a lot more room in the Murano. I also prefer the look of the Murano better, I love the 20's on the Murano over the 18's on the EX35. No tinted windows on the EX35 either. I think the Murano looks much sportier and more aggressive, while the EX35 looks more luxurious. Don't be fooled by the somewhat plain looks of the EX35, it does indeed handle likes a sports car, and of course it has one powerful engine that is anxious to let loose! We have pretty much decided on the Murano, it is less money than the EX35, and more space, with pretty much the same features, but larger!

[meatish]

I saw one of these rolling around San diego.. wonder if the JWT turbo kit will bolt up to it! The FMIC was soooo perfect on the old ones.

[northhoustonser]

I will have to agree... i actually test drove a 2009 muran sl without the tech package (ipod interface, card slot, nav. etc) and i was blown away by what an awsome vehicle this is. i was considering pulling the trigger on an acura rdx with the turbo engine but after comparing it to the murano the rdx has alot of homework to do to be able to compete. less tech features, less driving excitement, and less performance, and space. now my only question is... how satisfied have previous murano owners been with their muranos??

[Timmbo]

I will have to agree... i actually test drove a 2009 muran sl without the tech package (ipod interface, card slot, nav. etc) and i was blown away by what an awsome vehicle this is. i was considering pulling the trigger on an acura rdx with the turbo engine but after comparing it to the murano the rdx has alot of homework to do to be able to compete. less tech features, less driving excitement, and less performance, and space. now my only question is... how satisfied have previous murano owners been with their muranos??

Excellent question my fellow Nissan enthusiast! It just so happens that I owned a 2003 Murano right when they first came out. I absolutely loved it! My wife loved it! I had it for two years when along came a deal on a brand new Infiniti QX56 that I couldn't pass up! The Murano had awesome features then, and the CVT functioned flawlessly. My wife and I are so impressed with the '09 and the new tech features they have added. The look of the '09 is sweet, and the 20's are amazing. I am a taller guy, and I will tell you, there are no mid size SUV's that can come close to the interior space in the Murano. It is great! My wife's G35x lease us up in August, and in a few months we will once again have a Murano in the driveway. I was able to get one dealer to offer me about $2500 off the sticker on a fully loaded LE. Hopefully Nissan will offer some better finance rates once all the '07 models are off dealer lots.

[Timmbo]

I have had a dealer now quote me invoice on a special order.