2005 Nissan Murano: A Great Deal on a Great SUV?

I did it! Yep, I finally traded in my work car. The 1996 Mazda Millenia had over 150,000 miles on it and I swore I would rive it into the ground and more or less did. But it was time to get something new. I was beginning to be embarrassed to have clients see me in the car and that can be a bad thing for business.

So, why the Murano? Well, a number of reasons. First of all, I think it is a truly good looking SUV and there are not many of those that I find attractive. Secondly, it sort of breaks us in to the SUV mold as it is not one the larger ones out there. Thirdly, the gas mileage is not too bad for a SUV. Finally, I would guess that in another 12 months or so we will have a little one running- ok, crawling- around and need a car that provides better options than our Acura.

So, off we went. We ended up getting an almost loaded SUV for around $32,000. We essentially have a loaded SUV, but decided to forgo the GPS system since we just rarely travel somewhere where we cannot print out directions or where we are truly lost. We added a package that added a sunroof, leather seats, heated seats, and a few other extras.

THE SPECIFICS:

* 245hp, 3.5 liter, 24 valve, V6
* Four wheel independent suspension
* Four wheel anti-lock brakes
* 18" alloy wheels
* Dual exhaust
* Fold down back seats
* Eight setting seat memory
* Adjustable pedals
* Power seats and windows
* Remote keyless entry
* Five passenger seating
* Dual heating/cooling controls
* Xenon headlights
* Dual airbags and side curtains
* 36 month/ 36,000 mile warranty

WHAT I LIKE:

1. I like the different look that the Murano exhibits. It is not as edgy as the Infiniti, but more aggressive than the boxy styling so frequently exhibited by most SUV's. The car definitely sticks out in a crowd, but the interior is also attractive. You have plenty of room and chrome accents to go along with the typical styling. The leather is a nice quality and the chrome provides a nice accent against the dark leather.

2. The fact that I do not feel like I am truly in an SUV. What I mean is that to me the Murano is more of a mix between a wagon and an SUV. It is not as tall or as long as many SUV's and, therefore, provides the feeling of easing into an SUV. You also do not need to learn how to drive it like I feel I would if I bought a full sized SUV. All you need to learn is that you need to be a little more careful around sharp bends.

3. Which brings me to the handling. In this price range, the Murano seemed to handle better than any other SUV. It handles similarly to a car, but you still have to be aware that it is not a car. The Murano does have a number of stabilizing features that help it to handle a little better and a little less of of a top weighting that also helps handling.

4. Like I mentioned, the Murano handles well and feels like a car to some extent. It also has a pretty good kick to it. Will it beat my Acura TL to 60 MPH? No, not going to happen. But it does get going fairly quickly and that is important to me. Driving in Atlanta means a bunch of different driving conditions and the ability to brake quickly and speed up quickly are very important. I feel that both are similar to a car in regards to the performance they exhibit.

5. The technology is pretty good. The car has a keyless feature that will allow you to start the car from a distance. You can open the doors with the key. You can lower the windows with the key. The rear view mirror can darken automatically. The steering wheel contains numerous controls for the stereo. You can adjust the pedals with the flip of a button. You have a toggle that will allow you to flip between screens on the monitor. You have the ability to set up BlueTooth functions. In other words, there is a lot of technology that you would expect to find on a car in this price range.

6. The safety features. The Murano pays attention to safety. The car has dual stage front airbags and side curtains. I hope to never be able to report on how well they work, but they are now a must in any car or SUV we purchase. There is a stability control feature along with anti-lock brakes. The xenon headlights and fog lights provide a ton of lighting when driving in dark areas at night. Additionally, the remote key allows you to enter and get the car started from a distance- a positive if you are ever in a dark and quiet place. You have the security system that will also provide peace of mind.

7. There is a lot of space in the Murano. There are three areas on the console in which you can store things. You have a small area for coins, a midsized area that can hold a cell phone, and a large area under the arm rest where you can probably fit a laptop. In addition, there is an area under the console that is not covered, but can hold more items. Throw in the two door slots and you can fit a lot of stuff in the car. Oh yeah, there is also a glove box. The rear portion of the car will hold more groceries than you could possibly purchase and the seats will fold down with just one motion.

8. The Murano is easy to get to know and understand. All of the controls make sense and are where you would expect them to be. Additionally, they are usually simple one touch controls. The user's guide also makes sense and speaks to you in a language that you can understand and follow.

9. The sound system is pretty good. I am not looking for a kick butt sound system as I am in my mid 30's now, but I do want a system that will be pleasing to my ears. The Murano fits the bill. If you truly want a kick butt system there is an available Bose upgrade. The Murano also features a six disc CD player and tape deck.


WHAT I DO NOT LIKE:

1. The lack of a pre-installed satellite radio system. I admit it freely- I am addicted. Thankfully I have a portable system that I can utilize, but I would still like to have it pre-installed. The Murano does have the option of having it installed, but not as factory equipment.

2. The need for high octane gas. Ok, I know that you can get by with the mid-grade stuff, but it is still always going to be more expensive than the regular.

3. I was not a fan of the packages. I actually like the packages, but am not a fan of not being able to pick and choose between things you would like on the vehicle. What I mean is that we wanted leather seats, heated seats, and a sunroof. In order to get these options, we had to purchase a package that also gave us options that we do not need. For instance, do I really need adjustable pedals? An annoying way of pricing the car and gaining a few dollars in profit.

4. Ok, now a disclaimer. This one comes from my wife. She thinks that the Murano is not a good looking car. The way I would put it is that you are going to get a lot of different opinions on the Murano. Some will love it and others will look at it and wonder why anyone would want it. As I remind my wife, who really cares. I do not. I get the last laugh as the resale value is quite good and that can only mean that more people than not think the Murano is a good looking vehicle.


THE BOTTOM LINE:

I am a big fan of the Nissan Murano. I like the look, the interior is attractively appointed, and the car performs quite well. I also found the price to be to my liking. Do you really get that much more car if you spend $20,000 more for a BMW or Mercedes SUV? Maybe, but I am not willing to spend that kind of money for a car. I want something that meets my needs and that I like to drive.

I find that the Murano more than meets my needs and it is fun to drive. The car is also pretty much loaded when it comes to safety options and that is a must. The negatives with the Murano are limited and they are all things that I think can easily be overcome. Hence, I highly recommend the 2005 Nissan Murano.