2012 Nissan Murano in Bradenton

The 2012 Nissan Murano ranks right up there with the best  crossover SUVs available on the American market, and considering how many vehicles compete in this class, that is impressive. The Murano is good looking, easy to use, reasonably powerful, and won't use up all your money on gasoline. The Murano comes in four trims: S, SV, SL and LE. New for the 2012 model, the S trim level has a 7-inch monochrome display and the LE is eligible for a new optional Platinum Package, which adds 20-inch alloy wheels and a navigation system.

Powering the 2012 Murano

Nissan's familiar 3.5-liter V-6 powers the Murano, producing 260 horsepower and 240 pounds-feet of torque. The transmission is a continuously variable one, called Xtronic, which is one of the most time-tested CVTs on the market.  All Murano models come with an Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission instead of a conventional automatic, and this CVT has been thoroughly tuned to the engine's power and torque curves. The CVT is lighter and has fewer moving parts than a traditional automatic, but also has software that makes it act more like a conventional transmission, shifting 30-percent quicker than its predecessor, which means the engine doesn't drone on at high rpm during full-throttle acceleration away from a stop. Nissan says it's also adaptive to each driver's style and habits.

2012 Nissan Murano Design

Compared to the previous generation, the Murano now has a bolder grille and a more aggressive front end design than that of the successful original. The grille is more in-your-face, and the air intakes under the bumper have been simplified. Very complex aero headlamps hang off the front corners of the body and gracefully lead into the fenders. Bumper to bumper, this Murano has much more sculpted sheetmetal than the original, with swoops and sweeps and dips from end to end. Nissan calls it curvaceous modern art. One feature that affects both the exterior and interior is the optional dual-panel moonroof that lets huge amounts of light into the cabin, but looks from the outside like a single pane of glass covering two thirds of the roof area. Inside the Murano, everything on the instrument panel is well marked, and easy to use. The instruments are large, graphically clean and clear, and bathed in red-orange lighting day or night. The multi-function steering wheel is beefier, with better function buttons. The multi-controller knob at the top center of the dash has been redesigned for ease of use. The base AM/FM/CD sound system has been modernized, with a total of six speakers and the inclusion of an AUX plug on lower models and full iPod integration on the LE version, with full control and track information displayed on the central screen. The same deeply hooded screen is used for navigation, backup camera, telephone, HVAC, and radio displays. Pushbutton ignition is standard on all models. For maximum cargo space, the back seats flip down quickly and easily, and there are two different cargo storage systems available, depending on model.

Conclusions 

Standard safety features for 2012 include dual-stage frontal air bags, seat-mounted side-impact air bags (for torso protection), roof-mounted curtain air bags (for head protection), active head restraints in the front row (for whiplash protection), antilock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA), traction control, and electronic stability control. For more on this model, visit the official Nissan Murano website!