Nissan have finally given the Murano the card that was missing from its deck a diesel. I’ve long been fond of the blingy, extroverted SUV, but could never bring myself to fully recommend it given the 3.5 litre V6 only returned around 23mpg.
Now Nissan have put a 2.5 litre, 190bhp four cylinder diesel under the bonnet. It’s unclear why they haven’t used the new V6 diesel from the Pathfinder and Navara, but at least the four pot unit has been thoroughly retuned.
Mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox, the Murano manages a much more respectable 35.3mpg. Meanwhile CO2 emissions drop to 210g/km.
While they were making changes anyway, Nissan redesigned the front end of the Murano to improve aerodynamics. They’ve also added extra insulation around the bonnet to prevent any nasty diesel sounds from reaching the driver’s ears.
It costs £37,795, but one of the Murano’s great appeals has always been that you don’t have to pay for any options. It’s lavishly equipped, with full leather seats, sunroof, dual zone air con, electric front seats, heated seats front and rear, rear view and kerb view cameras, hard disc stereo system, power tailgate and a whole lot more.
