Some keen observers say that it was the first true crossover but the Nissan Murano was missing one important ingredient. Something that could enhance its pace, economy and efficiency? Yes of course - diesel power. And now comes the news that this is exactly what has been added. The new Murano dCi benefits from a diesel engine specifically engineered for Europe, and should be available here this autumn.
Nissan says that the 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine has been totally revised with extensive changes designed to provide the perfect balance of performance and efficiency for the Murano. This is combined with a revised six speed automatic transmission providing Adaptive Shift Control for the optimum gear and helping to reduce CO2 emissions by 5.0g/km through lower transmission friction and Clear Neutral Control. It is now fully compliant with tough Euro5 emissions standards, and develops 11 per cent more power and torque than before. The headline figures are 190bhp and 450Nm at just 2,000rpm.
An all-important benefit of the new diesel unit is efficiency, and with Nissan quoting 35.3mpg economy in the combined cycle and 210g/km CO2 emissions the Murano is more appealing than ever. This is helped by improved aerodynamics and a first ever on Murano, an electric power regeneration system.
The importance of refinement hasn’t been forgotten either, with the very latest engineering techniques employed to ensure the Murano’s premium cabin environment remains uninterrupted. Among the improvements are a change from chain to belt drive for the power steering pump to reduce noise while a fifth engine mounting point has been added to make the Murano as quiet as possible. At the same time, extra sound absorbing material has been added to the engine bay to reduce noise intrusion into the cabin even further.
Now firmly established as the pioneer and leader of the crossover market, Nissan’s improved Murano shares many of the cross-segment abilities that have made the Qashqai and the seven-seat Qashqai+2 so successful in the family hatchback sector. What’s more, Nissan’s crossover dominance is set to be further underlined by the arrival, later this year, of the Juke, Nissan’s new compact crossover.
