Unfortunately both were moving the opposite direction as I was so I really did not get much of a look, sorry about that (one that I saw was actually in my neighborhood so I am hoping to see it again.) My impression, based on my limited view was that its about the same size as a Highlander, Looking at it from the rear to me it looks more like a supersized PT cruiser than a wagon.
From the pics that I've seen I expected it to be more the size of a PT instead of the Highlander. Next time either stop in traffic and take a serious look or offer a free back yard BBQ for all Nissan employees that live in your neighborhood.
Damn it man get serious, I'm counting on you.
Porknbeans
Grand High Poobah The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Talked to a rep at Nissan today to get my lease extended on my current nissan until the murano comes out. She said it has been pushed back to the first week of December instead of a mid-December release and will now extend leases until January. Hopefully she's wrong.
If Murano uses the Altima platform and Highlander uses the a Camry platform, why would you expect the Murano to be significantly smaller than the Highlander? As a matter of fact, I have a Nissan guy living down the street however he is not the one who I saw driving it, I will ask him about it, if I can track him down, just for you Pork.
All I have to base my understanding of the size is the pictures that I've seen. And I can't remember seeing one with a person next to it to get an idea of scale. The proportions, to me, look more like those of the PT (probably because of its' more rounded form). If we go by the specs of the Altima, the Murano will be more than 1/2 foot longer than the Highlander. I have to admit that for me the Murano is interesting, but not one that I will consider because of the seating arrangement.
Porknbeans
Grand High Poobah The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Size wise, Murano is larger than Highlander, and very close to Sienna minivan, except it's 6" shorter. Cargo room sucks though, only in the RAV4/CR-V range.
The Murano numbers are from freshalloy.com, a Nissan fan site. The toyotas are from our host, edmunds.
I agree with you that Murano will be cross-shopped with ALL the mid-size AWD wagons out there, but mainly the near luxury ones. When I first saw the picture, I see a taller tall wagon, not a SUV. However, Nissan's aim is clearly the highlander, and maybe the upcoming pacifica. It beats the highlander in every category, except compromising cargo room for styling.
BTW, Murano will be made in Japan, at least for the first year or two. This is because their TN plant is near full capacity and is adding on the '04 Maxima next year. (This is also from freshalloy.com)
My only experiences with Nissan are with my wife's '92 300ZX and my '97 Maxima, both of which were built in Japan. I would have to say that the build quality of both vehicles is fantastic and far above any vehicles that I have previously owned. I'm looking at the Murano as a possible replacement for the Max.
So my question to those of you with American built Nissans - can I expect a similar level of quality with a domestically assembled product? Does it really matter whether the line is in Tokyo or Tennessee? (for quality - not for balance of payments!) Thanks.
I'm 6'5". I'm shopping for a sports/lux sedan with plenty of headroom and performance for a reasonable price. It also should be luxurious and spacious enough for me to transport clients.
I love the G35, however, the wheel doesn't telescope. With the mandatory sunroof there is more headroom than most sedans but not as much as I'd like.
It seems that the Murano may fit the bill, especially with the adjustable pedals. Has anyone seen any headroom numbers? What else would you suggest I consider? It appears I would be compromising on the power/weight ratio, however I love the CVT. If Infiniti had put the skyline CVT on the G with a little bit more headroom I'd be sold!
...early Saturday morning, around 7:00am. The 18 is a 4-land hwy in the mountains here in So Cal, so I guess they are doing some handling tests on them.
Can't tell much other than the styling and colors, because they are coming down while I was going up. One is in champagne color, and the other is in that blue-ish grey color --- the "Bluedtone Metallic" of the Highlander. They looked pretty sharp.
Hello everyone and I hope that you are having an incredible day.
For many years the one thing that Japan was missing was creating unique attractive body styles. Japan simply copied successful European or US styling. The new Lexus LS430 looks like the last Mercedes, etc.
The only exception to this rule was the last generation Nissan 300ZX and the Lexus SC300/400.
IMO the new Murano is a smashing success with very original, and dramatic styling. Lets hear it for Nissan for being willing to take some risk which is bearing fruit with the new Altima, G35, Murano, etc.
We know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and many of you out there prefer non descript transportation. You want to blend in and not be noticed. Honda and Toyota seem to dominate this market although they are becoming much more aggressive with their styling, Celica, Honda Element, New Scion Division, etc.
And many new body styles seem to be more appreciated with time. When the last 300ZX was introduced in 1990 many of my friends told me it looked like a squashed bug. And now it is widely heralded as a major styling success.
Lets hear it for the individualists and early adoptors who will love this new Murano.
10:30 pm: They zipped past us and looked like they were handling great on the curving sections of Highway 1. No surfboards on top though. Navigation system was glowing from inside. It's the sportiest SUV I've seen -- more than the BMW. Nice dual exhaust. They had Michigan manufacturers plates.
As a used car bigot, I've never paid attention to new-car introductions by Nissan or anyone else. My wife and I are very interested in the Murano, though, and this is what I'm wondering:
Do you think Nissan will make a big deal about this - TV ads, test drive days (before customer delivery?) at every dealership, any special promotions (discounts or otherwise, perhaps for pre-ordering), etc.? Or are they likely to keep it quiet - send a couple of cars to every dealership at roughly the same time, and let people check it out for themselves?
What's the best way to ensure seeing one as soon as possible?
I first read about the Murano yesterday afternoon and sure enough I saw one as I was waiting for a light to change at McDowell and 7th St. It was real nice, kind of bold and futuristic looking. It was gold with big wheels. The Nissan nameplates were taped over. The chromed grilled did not seem as pronounced as in the pictures.
I saw the Murano at the Houston Auto show in early April - nice, dramatic looking vehicle. I just can't get myself to like the odd swooped up rear quarter panel / window. That styling feature breaks up the balanced look. Reminds me of the 1987 & 1988 Cougar. However, the Murano does have an overall presence that distinguishes it from the competition. If pricing can be kept well under 30k then Nissan surely has another winner!
What is Nissan's reputation for build quality on first-year designs? How much of a gamble do you think it would be to buy a first-off-the-line Murano?
We need to move up from our '95 Maxima within the next 6 months (2 kids + puppy = more room needed) and in theory the Murano looks good. But it's a stretch for us financially, so if it turns out to be a loser (quality-wise) we're in trouble.
It's being built in Japan so I don't think there will be any big quality issues with it.
The G35, Q45, I35 and Maxima (all currently built in Japan) haven't had any big issues. Some G35 owners are complaining about A/C noise issues, I haven't heard anything about the Q45 since it's release and my family hasn't had any problems with our 2000 Maxima.
I have to concur with pbhatti. Nissans built in Japan are generally trouble-free. A couple of things to watch out for will be the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) that the Murano will have. Also, I think it will showcase a new AWD system (if contemplating on AWD). I'm not sure if both technologies have been tested or released in the Japanese market. But, Nissans from Japan are normally "bulletproof".
175 posts since March 3. The Pilot had that many posts in 3 weeks when it was announced. And considering that a good many of the posts on this vehicle is about an SUV that NOA doesn't offer in America and Canada and not the Murano doesn't bode well for the Morono.
You may be right, but it does have beautiful lines. I'm not sure why Nissan hasn't kicked Honda's butt. They certainly have more to offer as far as choice and performance.
better "chreck" your facts, ps.....Pilots's AWD works at any speed......only the 4WD-Lock mode cuts out above 18 mph. The "stylish" Morono is fine for SUV poseurs going boutique shopping but lacks the space, 3rd seat and overall competence of the Pilot.
The Murano seems to present a number of technological gizmos up its veritable sleeve, but yes, I think one will find more utility in the Pilot due to 3rd row seating flexibility, which would equate to more cargo room if not utilizing the 3rd row seats.
I'm not really sure if families with children were aimed to be the target market for the Murano. If it isn't, then it's hard to understand which market if truly fits into. If this vehicle was aimed for "SUV poseurs going boutique shopping", then sales would be probably dismal since sedans are logical alternatives.
I think the reason why the Murano hasn't generated much hype is that the public has no idea what to expect. People KNOWS what to expect from the Pilot because it's based on the popular MDX and Odyssey.
I am in the market for a mid-size SUV, and I would like to wait and see what the Murano has to offer before paying MSRP + dealer installed crap for a Pilot. I am also skeptical about build quality of Honda cars manufactured in North America; I have a 2001 Acura CL-S, and it's got more rattles and fit-and-finish problems than my 150,000 miles 96 Maxima, which was built in Japan.
Artdecho: just because you don't like Nissan Murano does not mean you can come to this forum and offend people by calling it Morono. I happen to like Nissan and dislike Honda cars, that does not mean I will come to Honda forum and post offending messages there.
I'm not really sure if families with children were aimed to be the target market for the Murano. If it isn't, then it's hard to understand which market if truly fits into.
All along, I think Murano is aimed at Highlander's market, family with no kid or 1 kid. If Nissan can offer a right car at the right price at the right time, who's to say they won't succeed. The Murano, if its quality and reliability are on par with Maxima/Pathfinder (better than the Altima), it is the right car, IMHO. Timing is still very good, though could have been better (debuting along side the new Altima, thus ahead of the Pilot, would have been perfect), at least it is before the (will be) mass produced Pacifica and Crosstrainer. The price, if Nissan stands by their word, is right, IMHO.
Crikey, I do agree with you about sedans as alternative, however I would like to word it differently. If people who don't want to be caught dead in a minivan go buy a Pilot, people who don't want to be caught driving a midsize sedan will go buy a Murano. Think about the possibilities...
A number of the posters here have used the "M" word on occasion and if any offence was intended, it was directed at Nissan.....I mean, naming an SUV after sculpted glassware? C'mon. It just seems that Nissan's first crossover SUV is just something to be seen in, when you're shopping for fancy glassware or whatever. There probably is a place in the market for it, but I guess a number of us feel that there would be an even bigger place for the more economical, affordable, efficient and eminently useful X-Trail which Nissan sells everywhere in the world except the US & Canada.
Doesn't your handle have something to do with art? C'mon.
The Pilot's AWD is reactive, so it doesn't deliver any power to the rear wheels above 18mph until there is slippage. It's kind of like Auto 4WD without the low range benefits. Talk about SUV poseurs.
Actually, the artdecho handle was my wife's idea when she was shopping for a Toyota Echo a few years back......doesn't seem so appropriate now but I guess we're stuck with it. Pilot/MDX's AWD is a little more sophisticated than most reactive systems in that it also transfers some power on acceleration, not just when the fronts start to slip......very similar to the sytem on Nissan's X-Trail (here I go again!) Not sure about the Murano's (note correct spelling!) system, described in Fresh Alloy as"Available all-wheel drive with all-new AWD system for enhanced all-weather performance". Anyway, I guess we'll know soon enough.
Nissan does not offer a car based (S)UV. Murano does that; it is not meant for off-roading or taking the extended family to a ski-trip. It is meant for urban driving; for people who want a car-like feel and handling, but the visibility and the differentiation which an (S)UV offers. Murano should fill that gap well. When the Lexus Rx300 came out, there was nothing like that available. However it has been a fairly successful model which has been copied by a bunch of other manufacturers.
I do not know why people are comparing it to the Pilot. Perhaps Nissan will offer a bigger SUV for the 7 seaters (I call it PathfinderPLUS) but that does not obviate the need for the Rx300 clone.
With the Murano, XTerra and PathfinderPLUS Nissan will have a complete range. XTerra for the low-price off-roaders, Murano for the urban SUV (currently a category covered by the PF which is a lot more than that) and a real full-sized SUV for the extended family up the Rubicon crowd.
The only issue is that at the entry-level pricing (under $25K) which is filled by RAV4/Forrestor/CRV, Nissan does not have a car-like offering.
And for the people comparing the activity on the Pilot boards vs the Murano, please consider the following: 1. Honda has a much bigger installed base of customers, who have loved their Civics and Accords.
2. There was no true HONDA SUV which the Honda dealer could offer to this large base of customers; the pent-up demand for an SUV with the Honda badge (reliability and a higher fun to drive quotient at a reasonable price) was huge. For years, these folks had NOTHING to look up to. Imagine if Porsche sold 500,000+ cars an year and announced an SUV; sure it will lead to a lot of activity.
3. These hordes had been tormented by the Acura MDX (which not many of them could afford).
Honda may have lost a lot of sales in the past decade since they did not have an offering; however they also knew that the pent up demand will lap up what ever they would offer. Perhaps that is there way of keeping their dealers in business. Let them sell Accord/Civics at no-profit and base the allocation for low-availability items on those sales, knowing that these vehicles will command a premium because of the supply-demand mismatch.
Most of us would rather pay $20k-$26k for a more useful, less asthetically pleasing SUV than $28k and up for the Murano. After speaking with, e-mailing, and snail mailing Nissan of America and speaking with the boneheads there I have plenty of reasons to dislike Nissan's new offering.
....the "X-Tincta" is just that, a two-ton gas guzzling sled........the X-Trail is car-based, a ton-and-a-half and way more efficient.....keep the X-tincta for the rock hounds if you like, but please bring us the X-Trail. After all, if the over-priced Murano can't even take the family on a ski trip(see vsaxena's post), what good is that?!
I like the new Altima and I think the X-Terra does have its merits. I am also considering a long box crew cab Frontier. I think the Murano is not what North America needed. It is what Nissan of North America thinks will bring the most profit. I think it is a very nice vehicle that is not nearly as utilitarian as the X-Trail. Considering the prices that have been bantied about, I think Nissan totally blew it. They will be beat up by the Pilot on usefulness and both the Pacifica and CrossTrainer on price point. Not to mention the fact that all of these will seat more than the Murano will.
It's not a matter of us hating Nissan. If it was we sure wouldn't be wasting our time contacting Nissan of North America. It's a matter of Nissan turning it's back on the North American market, only offering what they believe will make them the most profit. That, IMHO, sucks.
I drive an Altima. I'm not totally down on the Murano.....it IS distinctive (and despite the Pilot's overall goodnes, it sure could use a chunk of Nissan's style), it has great power, and despite what vsaxena says, I'm sure it could get you to the ski hill & back. I just don't like when a company as good as Nissan, who makes a vehicle as good as the X-Trail, offers it vitually everywhere in the world but here. The Murano will probably sell.......just about anything with an SUV badge will these days......but Nissan is still ignoring a big chunk of the market by not offering the X-Trail.
Comments
Damn it man get serious, I'm counting on you.
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Has anybody heard about what Nissan is looking for WRT sales numbers?
BTW, hairong where did you come up with the numbers?
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
I agree with you that Murano will be cross-shopped with ALL the mid-size AWD wagons out there, but mainly the near luxury ones. When I first saw the picture, I see a taller tall wagon, not a SUV. However, Nissan's aim is clearly the highlander, and maybe the upcoming pacifica. It beats the highlander in every category, except compromising cargo room for styling.
BTW, Murano will be made in Japan, at least for the first year or two. This is because their TN plant is near full capacity and is adding on the '04 Maxima next year. (This is also from freshalloy.com)
So my question to those of you with American built Nissans - can I expect a similar level of quality with a domestically assembled product? Does it really matter whether the line is in Tokyo or Tennessee? (for quality - not for balance of payments!) Thanks.
http://www.mag-x.com/scoop/murano0206/index.html
I love the G35, however, the wheel doesn't telescope. With the mandatory sunroof there is more headroom than most sedans but not as much as I'd like.
It seems that the Murano may fit the bill, especially with the adjustable pedals. Has anyone seen any headroom numbers? What else would you suggest I consider? It appears I would be compromising on the power/weight ratio, however I love the CVT. If Infiniti had put the skyline CVT on the G with a little bit more headroom I'd be sold!
Thanks for your help.
Can't tell much other than the styling and colors, because they are coming down while I was going up. One is in champagne color, and the other is in that blue-ish grey color --- the "Bluedtone Metallic" of the Highlander. They looked pretty sharp.
For many years the one thing that Japan was missing was creating unique attractive body styles. Japan simply copied successful European or US styling. The new Lexus LS430 looks like the last Mercedes, etc.
The only exception to this rule was the last generation Nissan 300ZX and the Lexus SC300/400.
IMO the new Murano is a smashing success with very original, and dramatic styling. Lets hear it for Nissan for being willing to take some risk which is bearing fruit with the new Altima, G35, Murano, etc.
We know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and many of you out there prefer non descript transportation. You want to blend in and not be noticed. Honda and Toyota seem to dominate this market although they are becoming much more aggressive with their styling, Celica, Honda Element, New Scion Division, etc.
And many new body styles seem to be more appreciated with time. When the last 300ZX was introduced in 1990 many of my friends told me it looked like a squashed bug. And now it is widely heralded as a major styling success.
Lets hear it for the individualists and early adoptors who will love this new Murano.
Keep up the great work Nissan
Do you think Nissan will make a big deal about this - TV ads, test drive days (before customer delivery?) at every dealership, any special promotions (discounts or otherwise, perhaps for pre-ordering), etc.? Or are they likely to keep it quiet - send a couple of cars to every dealership at roughly the same time, and let people check it out for themselves?
What's the best way to ensure seeing one as soon as possible?
Thanks.
http://www.freshalloy.com/site/cars/nissan/2003/murano/spy/home.shtml
I just can't get myself to like the odd swooped up rear quarter panel / window. That styling feature breaks up the balanced look. Reminds me of the 1987 & 1988 Cougar. However, the Murano does have an overall presence that distinguishes it from the competition. If pricing can be kept well under 30k then Nissan surely has another winner!
We need to move up from our '95 Maxima within the next 6 months (2 kids + puppy = more room needed) and in theory the Murano looks good. But it's a stretch for us financially, so if it turns out to be a loser (quality-wise) we're in trouble.
Thanks for the educated guesses...
The G35, Q45, I35 and Maxima (all currently built in Japan) haven't had any big issues. Some G35 owners are complaining about A/C noise issues, I haven't heard anything about the Q45 since it's release and my family hasn't had any problems with our 2000 Maxima.
I'm not really sure if families with children were aimed to be the target market for the Murano. If it isn't, then it's hard to understand which market if truly fits into. If this vehicle was aimed for "SUV poseurs going boutique shopping", then sales would be probably dismal since sedans are logical alternatives.
I am in the market for a mid-size SUV, and I would like to wait and see what the Murano has to offer before paying MSRP + dealer installed crap for a Pilot. I am also skeptical about build quality of Honda cars manufactured in North America; I have a 2001 Acura CL-S, and it's got more rattles and fit-and-finish problems than my 150,000 miles 96 Maxima, which was built in Japan.
Note:
Once - it's called a typo.
Twice - it's called rude.
More - it's called disruption.
tidester
Host
SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories
All along, I think Murano is aimed at Highlander's market, family with no kid or 1 kid. If Nissan can offer a right car at the right price at the right time, who's to say they won't succeed. The Murano, if its quality and reliability are on par with Maxima/Pathfinder (better than the Altima), it is the right car, IMHO. Timing is still very good, though could have been better (debuting along side the new Altima, thus ahead of the Pilot, would have been perfect), at least it is before the (will be) mass produced Pacifica and Crosstrainer. The price, if Nissan stands by their word, is right, IMHO.
Crikey, I do agree with you about sedans as alternative, however I would like to word it differently. If people who don't want to be caught dead in a minivan go buy a Pilot, people who don't want to be caught driving a midsize sedan will go buy a Murano. Think about the possibilities...
The Pilot's AWD is reactive, so it doesn't deliver any power to the rear wheels above 18mph until there is slippage. It's kind of like Auto 4WD without the low range benefits. Talk about SUV poseurs.
"Poseur", isn't that French?
I do not know why people are comparing it to the Pilot. Perhaps Nissan will offer a bigger SUV for the 7 seaters (I call it PathfinderPLUS) but that does not obviate the need for the Rx300 clone.
With the Murano, XTerra and PathfinderPLUS Nissan will have a complete range. XTerra for the low-price off-roaders, Murano for the urban SUV (currently a category covered by the PF which is a lot more than that) and a real full-sized SUV for the extended family up the Rubicon crowd.
The only issue is that at the entry-level pricing (under $25K) which is filled by RAV4/Forrestor/CRV, Nissan does not have a car-like offering.
1. Honda has a much bigger installed base of customers, who have loved their Civics and Accords.
2. There was no true HONDA SUV which the Honda dealer could offer to this large base of customers; the pent-up demand for an SUV with the Honda badge (reliability and a higher fun to drive quotient at a reasonable price) was huge. For years, these folks had NOTHING to look up to. Imagine if Porsche sold 500,000+ cars an year and announced an SUV; sure it will lead to a lot of activity.
3. These hordes had been tormented by the Acura MDX (which not many of them could afford).
Honda may have lost a lot of sales in the past decade since they did not have an offering; however they also knew that the pent up demand will lap up what ever they would offer. Perhaps that is there way of keeping their dealers in business. Let them sell Accord/Civics at no-profit and base the allocation for low-availability items on those sales, knowing that these vehicles will command a premium because of the supply-demand mismatch.
http://www.newxtrail.com/
And here is the X-Trail-We want it thread:
artdecho "Nissan X-Trail (we want it!)" Nov 6, 2001 10:57am
Most of us would rather pay $20k-$26k for a more useful, less asthetically pleasing SUV than $28k and up for the Murano. After speaking with, e-mailing, and snail mailing Nissan of America and speaking with the boneheads there I have plenty of reasons to dislike Nissan's new offering.
whotheman
It's not a matter of us hating Nissan. If it was we sure wouldn't be wasting our time contacting Nissan of North America. It's a matter of Nissan turning it's back on the North American market, only offering what they believe will make them the most profit. That, IMHO, sucks.