L.A. Auto Show Ultimate Production Winner: 2009 Nissan Murano
Yesterday, Mike Hanley, David Thomas and Joe Wiesenfelder rated all the production and concept cars on display at the L.A. auto show, which runs through Sunday at the Los Angeles Convention Center (and yes, it’s open on Thanksgiving). We named a lot of winners and losers, but in the end there was just one vehicle that really wowed us in every way: the Nissan Murano.
Now before you guys all slam us for not picking the Nissan GT-R, just remember we’re not the enthusiast website. While we appreciate the performance cars, something that sells in limited quantities and can hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds is a natural show car. But at a car show, driving impressions don’t count. What won us over was the perfect execution of Nissan’s Murano in an ultra-competitive segment.
“Excellent job on the interior; it's rich and comfortable,” Wiesenfelder pined.
“The inside of the car can have some nice touches, like a two-tone dashboard and Infiniti-style navigation system,” Hanley added.
“The power flip-down rear seats were practical, and the styling up front was crazy, but in a good way,” Thomas said.
The overall show might’ve been a bit of a letdown in terms of surprises, but with so many new cars rolled out that will actually go into production in 2008, the Murano easily stood out as the best, and that’s quite a prize for Nissan.
Related
2007 L.A. Auto Show Winners and Losers: Production Cars (KickingTires)
2008 L.A. Auto Show: 2009 Nissan Murano With Photo Gallery (Cars.com)
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I personally don't like the new grille at all. Seems over designed and looks like something more appropriate for a Kia. The current, simpler lines are more elegant.
OMG, I love the interior!!! You'd never guess that was the interior of a Murano. I think that SUV looks great, especially since I'm such a big fan of it's younger cousin the Rogue. They look fairly similar too: http://youtube.com/watch?v=o5PgHAHAoRw
yeah, not a fan of the grill either, but the interior looks great.
Yeah, the grill isn't very easy on the eyes. I would imagine a Murano repair grill bill would make a major dent in one's bank account.
I must confess that I'm not an SUV-lover. Personally, I might score the Murano lower than a Pontiac Azzzteeeck in the beauty department.
Boy, it must have been a weak show for the Murano to get the nod. The upgraded interior does look nice but it's design is no different than anything else coming out right now. It's very reminiscent of the new Hyundai SantaFe interior I wonder if this new version on the Altima platform is still as small inside as the current Murano.
I've never like the Murano styling from any angle and this redesign accents everything I didn't like in the first place. To make matters worse, it has spawned an even uglier variant, the Rogue.
I own a 2006 Murano - it's my first crossover vehicle and the best car I've ever owned. When the Murano first came out, I instantly liked the exterior styling, but I couldn't afford it until now.
Overall, my experience has been terrific. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the keyless ignition. I disdained the idea at first (how lazy!) but jumping into the car and just taking off starts to feel pretty good after awhile. Now I wish I had keyless entry for my house! Technology strkes again.
I don't really see a dramatic change to the '09 styling. Of course, the grill on the '06 is a bit more restrained than the '09. My personal preference, but something in-between these two extremes might have worked better. I would think there will be aftermarket grills for people that want to personalize the car.
I have two minor irritations about my '06. The small, fussy controlls on the bottom left of the dash are not so easy to see or use. It doesn't really bother me because they are accessed only rarely (e.g., you don't need to adjust your headlights beam level that often). Also, sometimes when I back out of the driveway quickly while simultaneously turning and braking, the brakes make a small sqeak.
Regardless, you should know that I 'ride it hard and put it away' wet every day. The car drives well, has plenty of power, good traction, and is holding up under my much higher than normal abuse. No problems so far, after many miles.
Hope this is helpful!
Regards,
DD
I like the Murano, but I don't like its Infiniti clone or the Rogue, very plain, both of them. Murano is cooler than Toyota or Honda.