2013 Nissan Murano Review and Prices

Styling: The 2013 Nissan Murano wagon and CrossCabriolet should carry over cosmetically intact, aside from possible additions of exterior color choices and perhaps new wheel designs. The Murano wagon will remain an artsy compilation of curves and plains. Highlights include a randy kink in the rear roof pillar and buffed-biceps body sides. Nissan will again equip the wagon with unusually large 18- and 20-inch-diameter wheels that emphasize its ready-to-run look.

The 2013 Murano CrossCabriolet’s styling will continue as a funky mix of crossover SUV and droptop convertible. The CrossCabriolet shares the Murano wagon’s tapered nose but from the windshield rearward goes its own way with a pillarless two-door body. No other automaker offers a direct competitor for the CrossCabriolet. The 2013 version will continue as a two-door convertible rendition of the four-door Murano wagon. It will have four seats versus the wagon’s five. Its power folding soft top will include a skylight that augments the glass rear window to brighten the rear of the cabin.

Passengers shouldn’t notice major changes to the 2013 Nissan Murano’s interior. Expect a high-end atmosphere with quality materials and an ergonomic and eye-pleasing center stack of controls. Ambient cabin lighting will again brighten to welcome occupants aboard. As before, cloth seats will come standard with double-stitched leather available.

The 2013 Murano wagon should return multiple trim levels, each bringing added features at progressively higher base prices. The 2013 Murano lineup will likely continue with the base S, the SV, the SL, and the luxury-oriented LE and LE Platinum Ediction models. As for visual differentiators, the 2013 Murano S, SV, and SL will likely retain 18-inch wheels and tires, the LEs, should continue with exclusive use of 20-inch wheels and a roof rack finished in silver instead of black.

Expect the 2013 Murano CrossCabriolet to continue with just a single trim level roughly equivalent to that of the LE wagon with its own specific 20-inch wheel design.

Wagon or convertible, the 2013 Murano is a crossover SUV because its high-riding body and car-type chassis are a single unit. Old-school SUVs, such as the Toyota 4Runner and Jeep Wrangler, bolt their body to a separate truck-type frame. A crossover’s “unibody” design lacks the brawn for heavy-duty hauling and towing and isn’t as well-suited for severe off-road excursions. But the lighter weight of unibody construction benefits ride, handling, and fuel economy.

In essence a novelty, the 2013 CrossCabriolet has a different mission than the Murano wagon. And though it remains a couple of inches longer overall, there is considerably less rear leg room, and cargo volume is just 12.3 cubic feet with the power folding fabric top up and 7.6 with it stowed. By comparison, the Murano wagon continues with generous passenger space front and rear, and while it has 31.6 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seat and 64 cubic feet with the rear seatbacks, cargo volume isn’t expansive for a midsize crossover SUV.

Mechanical: The 2013 Nissan Murano almost certainly will reprise the powertrain combination of a 3.5-liter V-6 engine hooked to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Every 2013 Murano wagon model will again offer a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (AWD). And unless Nissan perceives that a lower base price would boost the CrossCabriolet’s narrow sales appeal, it should continue only with AWD.

In the Murano wagon, the V-6 is likely to repeat at 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. In the CrossCabriolet it should again be turned to produce 265 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque.

This power output should keep the 2013 Murano competitive for performance and part of the credit will again be due the engine’s happy relationship with the CVT. Nissan is a leader in use of CVTs and will continue to match its Xtronic CVT to the 2013 Murano’s strong V-6, creating an impressive combination.

A CVT plays the role of an automatic transmission, but instead of a half dozen or so preset gear ratios it uses a belt-and-pulley arrangement to create near-infinite ratios. The power delivery is rheostat-like and the advantage is a more precise matching of engine speed with the demand for acceleration. The drawback is that during rapid acceleration a CVT tends to sustain high engine rpm until vehicle speed catches up. The consequence is an audible mismatch between how fast the engine is revving and how quickly you’re accelerating.

Fortunately, the 2013 Murano’s V-6 will again have enough torque that it will rarely require extremely high rpm to satisfy the CVT, and it will be smooth enough to be relatively unobtrusive when it does. In all, expect responsive acceleration but also  occasional torque steer – a tendency of the steering to tug to the side during heavy-footed throttle application – even with AWD.

Opting for a 2013 Murano with all-wheel-drive will again suppress the worst of this torque steer and improve slippery-surface traction. Typical of AWD systems in most crossover SUVs, Murano’s will again send torque as needed to the rear wheels to help counteract tire slippage at the front. While it works well on rainy or snowy roads, Murano’s AWD system is not intended for off-road use.

Expect the 2013 Murano to continue with handling that’s a cut above the midsize-crossover norm yet with a nicely tuned suspension that absorbs bumps with admirable compliance and control.

Features: The 2013 Nissan Murano probably won’t see many added features, though some content could shift among trim levels or option packages.

Standard safety features should again include torso-protecting front side airbags and head-protecting side curtain airbags for all outboard positions. The 2013 Murano will continue to come standard with stability control (required in all vehicles by federal safety regulations); Nissan calls its system Vehicle Dynamic Control, and it helps prevent the vehicle from skidding out of control during extreme or emergency handling maneuvers. Traction control is also certain to be included to help the vehicle get moving on wet or snowy surfaces, and four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are engineered to reduce chances of skids in emergency stops.

Wagon or CrossCabriolet, the 2013 Nissan Murano will continue to offer an impressive list of standard and optional features. The wagon’s content will quickly broaden as you scale the price ladder. The 2013 CrossCabriolet single trim level essentially mirrors the Murano LE wagon.

Standard equipment on every 2013 Murano, including the base S wagon, should again include automatic dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and pushbutton ignition, a tilt/telescoping steering column, and power windows, locks, and mirrors.

Expect the 2013 Murano SV wagon to have standard a cabin-brightening dual-pane glass roof with opening panel over the front seats, power front seats, and a 7-inch dashboard screen with rearview monitor.

Moving up the wagon line, the 2013 Murano SL models should continue with such upscale amenities as leather upholstery, and heated front seats, steering wheel, and outside mirrors. Also, the SL should repeat a standard power liftgate and a power feature that returns the folded 60/40 split rear seatbacks to their upright position.

The 2013 Murano LE wagon will continue to offer all these features and should again come additionally with standard heated rear seats and a power-adjustable tilt/telescoping steering column. And barring any move to reduce its base price by paring away standard equipment, expect the 2013 Murano CrossCabriolet to basically duplicate the LE wagon’s level of features.

The LE Platinum Edition was a model-year 2012 addition to the Murnao wagon lineup and if it returns for model-year 2013 expect it to again feature its own 20-inch wheel design and to come standard with the navigation system and perhaps some exclusive exterior paint choices.

Key infotainment hardware and software should mirror the 2012 lineup. Even the 2013 SV model should come standard with a USB iPod interface and Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity with steering wheel phone and audio controls. The available navigation system should again use the 7-inch dashboard screen and include at least 9.3 gigabytes of music storage and real-time XM traffic capability. Continuing among 2013 Murano wagon options will be a rear DVD entertainment system with dual integrated headrest screens and a navigation system.

To keep pace with competitors, for the 2013 model-year Nissan might consider adding high-tech option features such as lane departure warning, blind-spot warning, or forward collision warning systems.