Here is the all new next generation Nissan Murano which boasts of curvier and more sensual body lines. It’s good-looking. In the flesh, the front end looks more understated, the sharp X from the outline of the grille carrying through the bumper to the fog lights remains dramatic, but not necessarily the focus of the front. The floating Nissan logo remains big and solid. Not only that, the crossover now boasts of an interior that is more elegant and more spacious seating, featuring fewer control buttons, heated ergonomic rear seats and a panoramic moonroof.
With the new Murano, Nissan hopes to appeal to upscale empty nesters and near-luxury buyers. Nissan has already shifted Murano output from Japan to its now-expanded Canton site in Mississippi, which is now tasked to handle the crossover’s global exports, including sales in Japan.
The 2015 Murano is now 120 lbs lighter than the outgoing version, thanks mostly to the use of lighter ultra-high-strength steel on some parts and to improved aerodynamics. In fact, the design of the new Murano achieved a 0.31 coefficient of drag, compared to 0.37 on the outgoing model. These changes have allowed Nissan to make the new Murano 20% more fuel efficient. This 2015 Nissan Murano rides on the same 111.2-inch wheelbase of its predecessor, but is longer by 2.5 inches, wider by 1.3 inches, and shorter height-wise by half an inch.
The crossover inherits many of Nissan’s current styling traits and bears a strong resemblance to last year’s Resonance concept with its “V-motion” front grille, boomerang-style headlights, and “floating roofline” thanks to an invisible D-pillar. LED daytime running lights illuminate the front end, while the rear is highlighted by boomerang-shaped LED taillights. The next generation Nissan X-Trail will carry some of these design features and interior look and feel.
