FIRSTDRIVE NISSAN MURANO: Odd V6-engined SUV arrives in Ireland soon: Kyle Fortune asks if there's a market here for it
NISSAN'S MURANO is a curious machine. Clearly designed for America, Nissan builds a few in right-hand-drive for the handful of Irish and British buyers after something a bit different. And "different" is what the Murano has always been about, not least in the looks department.
This second generation car is a little more restrained than its flashy predecessor, but there's still a big chrome grille behind which nestles much the same 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine that powers Nissan's 350Z sports car. Only here it's mated to a CVT automatic transmission. That should offer some benefits to economy and emissions over a conventional automatic, but CO2 emissions of 261g/km place it firmly in the most uncomfortable tax bracket. Road tax of €2,000 per year is a lot to pay for any car, and more so for a Nissan.
That's always been a problem with the Murano: it operates in a sphere where it is priced within range of some serious competition - of the sort that wears a premium badge. And if you're paying top-whack tax, then you want people to know about it rather than having to tell them.
After that hefty tax it's unlikely you'll be too concerned about the cost of fuelling it, but 10.9l/100km is going to get tiresome after a while. Which is a shame, as the Murano is not without appeal. On the road it's not quite so clever, the new Murano having the same busy engine and gearbox combo as its predecessor.
Nissan claims it's improved the transmission's performance, but it never quite seems to gel, pushing the accelerator resulting in a lot of noise but not much else. The ride is compromised too, the Murano never feeling entirely settled - or as sporting as Nissan claims.
A curiosity that's likely to sell here in tiny numbers.
It's difficult to recommend it unless you absolutely have to be a bit different from everyone else - and are prepared to pay for the privilege.
NISSAN MURANO FACTFILE
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 petrol
Peak power: 252bhp at 6,000rpm
Peak torque: 334Nm at 4,400rpm
Transmission: Continuously Variable Automatic
Performance: 0-100km/h: 8.1 seconds
Top speed: 210km/h
Emissions: 261 CO2 g/km
Combined cycle fuel economy: 10.9litres/100km
Price: €70,000 (estimated)