From the ground up, the 2025 Nissan Murano is all-new. But is this new mid-size SUV good enough to help turn things around for the struggling Japanese company?
Performance
Engine – As is the norm in today’s times, the “gas guzzling” V6 is gone in favor of a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. This new engine produces a bit less power but more torque; 241 hp & 260 lb-ft of torque (180 kW & 352 Nm). Despite the lower power, it feels adequate for the 2,013 kg (4438 lbs) Murano. This is because the engine’s peak torque is reached at much lower rpms than the old V6 did. In everyday driving situations, the engine barely needs to rev past 3,000, whether the SUV is being driven up a hill or merging onto a highway.
This is a clever engine too because it has variable compression. At low rpms, the compression ratio is high for better fuel economy. Once you push harder on the throttle pedal, the compression ratio lowers so that more boost from the turbocharger can be added to each cylinder for more power. It is a seamless transition but this does increase complexity so it’ll be interesting to see the reliability of this engine.
Fuel Economy – With the smaller engine, the 2025 Nissan Murano is more efficient in a city environment but about the same as the old V6 on highways. It is rated for 10.6 L/100km (22.2 MPG) in a city and 8.6 L/100km (27.3 MPG) on a highway. I didn’t quite manage to reach the rated numbers as my average for the week was 10.8 L/100km (21.7 MPG). Having said that, I did manage to get as low as 8 L/100km (29.4 MPG) during trips where I drove primarily on highways.
Transmission – Another key change to the powertrain of the 2025 Nissan Murano is the 9-speed automatic that is paired with this engine. Not a CVT. This transmission is great at delivering smooth gear changes. However, it takes its time with these gear changes. Whether the car is in Sport mode or you decide to use the paddle shifters, the transmission is not quick to react. It’s best to leave it in “D” and have a little bit of patience. But at the end of the day, this is not a Nismo SUV so the smoothness of the gear changes is what’s important.
Braking – The brakes are plenty strong to bring the 2 tonne SUV to a stop. The brake pedal is not too sensitive but it doesn’t have a long travel either.
Handling – In Canada, the Nissan Murano is equipped with standard i-4WD while in the United States, it is optional. On city streets, the suspension and steering of the 2025 Murano has been refined to provide a bit less body roll and more driving feel. It doesn’t feel like a lazy, lumbering boat of an SUV like the previous generation. That said, it’s not the first word to come to mind when talking about a spirited driving experience. It is much more at home on city streets than a twisting canyon road.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – The highlight of the 2025 Nissan Murano is its ability to effectively absorb bumps in the road. It doesn’t quite have the same ride quality of an SUV equipped with adaptive air suspension but compared to its closest rivals, it is exceptionally smooth.
Further aiding to the comfort are the seats. You just sink into them but they still provide good support. Additionally, in this top Platinum trim, the front seats have a massage function. It’s essentially only for the lower back area but it does a good job of relieving back pain on long trips.
Interior Space – The new 2025 Nissan Murano is a bit more spacious than the outgoing model but not in every dimension. Firstly, the front occupants have loads of space. This new Murano has more legroom than the older generation with headroom remaining similar.
In the back seats, the new Murano has a little bit less legroom than before. But for my tall 6’4” height behind my driving position, it’s still an adequate amount of legroom. The headroom is tight but my hair doesn’t touch the headliner.
In the trunk, the new Murano has 932 L (32.9 cu-ft) of cargo space behind the rear seats. With the seats folded, cargo capacity increases to 1,798 L (63.5 cu-ft). The Murano does not receive a spare wheel under the trunk floor.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – The cabin of the 2025 Murano is remarkably quiet. Engine noise doesn’t intrude unless the rpm needle is close to the redline. Road noise is prevalent on highways but the noise levels are lower than in some other mid-size SUVs. As for wind noise, there isn’t any to be heard apart from a faint whisper from the passenger side a-pillar. My guess is the windshield wiper that protrudes a bit above the hood is what’s causing that faint wind noise.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – As is the case with all new vehicles today, the new 2025 Nissan Murano is more expensive than before. The SV trim starts at $46,848 CAD ($40,470 USD, FWD) with this Platinum demo trim costing $54,498 CAD ($49,600 USD). The starting price is a bit more than competitors such as the Chevrolet Blazer or Hyundai Santa Fe but the top spec trim price is within the same ballpark.
Gadgets – The standard SV trim is well equipped for the higher price tag. In Canada, it has power and heated front seats, leatherette upholstery, heated steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate controls, a wireless phone charging pad, a power liftgate, and LED headlights.
At the other end, this fully loaded Platinum trim comes equipped with ventilated and massaging front seats, heated rear seats, leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display, and a heated windshield which is very rare to see on a non-luxury vehicle.
The infotainment system is displayed on a 12.3” screen which can be controlled via touch on the screen or a dial pad on the right side of the steering wheel. The former makes it very easy to navigate around while the latter is frustrating to use and I’d argue that it is more distracting while driving. As for the infotainment system itself, it supports wireless CarPlay & Android Auto and has Google Built-in. The home screen is customizable with a few different widgets to choose from.
Interior Design – The cabin of the 2025 Nissan Murano looks and feels upscale. Leather covers a big portion of the cabin with only a few areas being covered in gloss black plastics. Sadly, the biggest portion that will see the most scratches of this material is around the cupholders on the center console. Everywhere else though, the leather looks and feels premium.
The design of the interior is bang up to date with the automotive trends because the 2025 Murano has a dual-screen display. One of the infotainment and one for the driver instrumentation. It works, but it’s become repetitive to look at. The climate controls are taken straight out of the Nissan Ariya and use a capacitive touch panel. I’m not a big fan of capacitive touch controls but this one is just a little bit less distracting to use while driving because the panel has haptic feedback.
Exterior Design – Perhaps the most polarizing aspect of the new Murano is the exterior design. It has a retro-futuristic look that really stands out among other SUVs. Personally, I’m not a fan of the design but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Safety – Whether you opt for the SV, SL, or Platinum trim, the 2025 Nissan Murano comes equipped with nearly every safety & driver aid. The only exceptions are surround view cameras and ProPilot Assist 1.1. These are not available on the base SV trim. Otherwise, the Murano has blind spot sensors, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert, parking sensors, and so on.
Warranty – The 2025 Nissan Murano is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km new vehicle basic warranty and a 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For USA warranty, click here.
Conclusion – In the end, the new Nissan Murano is one of the most comfortable SUVs on sale today. The seats, the ride, and the quiet cabin all contribute to an SUV that will not stress you on your daily commute to and from work. It’s not the most enjoyable to drive nor is it the least expensive but its price is right around the same as the Hyundai Santa Fe and Chevy Blazer and less than the new Honda Passport. So is this new Murano good enough to save Nissan? It’s a good start but hopefully the polarizing styling and the higher cost of this top spec Platinum trim won’t sway buyers away.
Thank you to Nissan Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Nissan.ca
2025 Nissan Murano Gallery
