Autoblog Editor-In-Chief Sharon Carty meets up with West Coast Editor Mike Harley to discuss the newly redesigned 2015 Nissan Murano at the 2014 New York International Auto Show
Transcript[NO SPEECH]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
SHARON CARTY: All right, we're here at the Nissan Murano with West Coast editor Mike Harley, and we're going to chat a little bit about this car. Mike, what do you think of the new Nissan Murano?
MIKE HARLEY: I am a-- I've been a big fan of the Murano ever since day one. The car came out in, like, 2003, first generation. And now we're looking at the brand new 2015 third generation model. And it still follows that same exact format, which is front wheel drive or all wheel drive, 3.6 liter V6. You know, it's based on the Maxima, so I've always looked at it like driving, like, a tall Maxima. And I like it. I think they've done a really, really good job.
SHARON CARTY: So it's pretty close to the concept, right? Like, I mean, they're taking something and making a pretty bold design out of this car.
MIKE HARLEY: Exactly. What they've done is, the very first generation Murano came out and it was unlike anything else the market had seen before. It had new exciting styling while everything else was boring and bland. And the second generation was more of an evolution. They worked on the interior but they didn't really do anything on the outside. This time they went back, third generation, said, we're going to make the outside bold and we're going to really bring the, you know, interior upscale. And it's finally-- it's a good looker now once again. And the interior is almost like-- I don't want to say Infiniti-like-- but it's really moved upscale.
SHARON CARTY: So what do you like about the styling? Or do you like the styling in this?
MIKE HARLEY: I like the front of it. I like these reverse boomerang headlights. I like the aggressive nose. It says-- it's got presence. I always say, does a car have presence? When it pulls up, do people turn round and look at it and go, hey, that's something interesting? Or has it just become completely invisible?
SHARON CARTY: Right.
MIKE HARLEY: I like, you know, the hook on the back. The C pillar, I like how they blacked it out. They've got this floating roof. It's not like the GTR with a blackened A pillar, but it works really, really well in the Murano. You know, it carries the design through from front to the back.
SHARON CARTY: So what--
MIKE HARLEY: What I don't like--
SHARON CARTY: Yeah.
MIKE HARLEY: I don't like the wheels. These are the optional larger wheels. I don't like the black painted spokes. I think it's-- it's overdone. And I think it almost cheapens the overall look.
SHARON CARTY: Right. All right. So let's talk a little bit about the interior. It's-- this one that we see on stage is all white.
MIKE HARLEY: I would-- let's consider this a show interior.
SHARON CARTY: OK.
MIKE HARLEY: You know, you and I both have kids. There is no way I'd ever order an interior with cream on cream on cream.
SHARON CARTY: Right.
MIKE HARLEY: Looks good for the cameras.
SHARON CARTY: But it looks cool.
MIKE HARLEY: But after about a day and a half, six milkshakes, and some soccer cleats, it's going to look really lousy. It has gone seriously upscale, though. The materials are nicer, better touch, better buttons. They've got their anti-gravity seats-- whatever they call them-- that feel good on the derriere.
SHARON CARTY: Yeah? Have you test driven any of the anti-gravity seats?
MIKE HARLEY: Yeah, I've tried them on the-- on the Rouge.
SHARON CARTY: Yeah?
MIKE HARLEY: Big improvement.
SHARON CARTY: Yeah?
MIKE HARLEY: Big improvement.
SHARON CARTY: So what does it-- I mean, what does it-- how-- what does it do for you?
MIKE HARLEY: In theory, I guess lighter on the pressure points of the-- of your tail.
SHARON CARTY: Oh, gotcha.
MIKE HARLEY: To put it nicely.
SHARON CARTY: Gothca. OK. So who do you see as the customer for this car?
MIKE HARLEY: Oh, I would say probably an empty nester. It's an interesting car where it fits. It's almost like the Pathfinder family, that the kids have gone away now and they want something upscale, sportier, a little smaller than a Pathfinder. This is a five seater. You know, it's a really upscale Nissan and it's nice.
SHARON CARTY: Are you looking forward to test driving it?
MIKE HARLEY: I'm very much looking forward to test driving it. You know, the-- the nice thing about the Murano is the 3.0 liter V6 has got some spunk. It's got a CVT, which typically I'm not a huge CVT fan, but because the engine's got low end torque, it gets off the line, and Nissan's done a whole bunch of work on this one. I believe the fuel economy's improved by almost double digits, almost 10% fuel economy. So we're talking 4 miles per gallon on the open road. Which means, you get out there, it's got more pickup, more pep, it's lighter now. And, you know, it's a win-win across the board.
SHARON CARTY: So the Ford Edge is a competitor. But Ford has got those issues with the Ford Sync and MyFord Touch and all those things that, you know, it's really hitting their quality story. And, you know, Nissan might have an advantage here in that they don't have all that negative news coming along with them.
MIKE HARLEY: That is totally correct.
SHARON CARTY: Yeah.
MIKE HARLEY: And, you know, I think between the Edge and the Murano, I would probably say the Murano's a little more upscale, a little more mature, more of an empty nester. And the Edge is probably a little family friendlier. Now remember, Nissan also has the Pathfinder, they've got the Rogue, they've got a lot of family oriented vehicles which allows them to take the Murano and move it upscale.
SHARON CARTY: Right, right. So is there anything you are anticipating that you might not like when you drive it?
MIKE HARLEY: As I've said before, I've never been a huge fan of a continuously variable transmission. They're all over the place. You know, they've got this unlimited ratios. And sometimes they work, sometimes they don't work. In the past, I've liked them with the Murano. But then again, they've recalibrated the transmission for fuel economy. And that to me says, it's going to have slower RPM on the highway which could be a little more sluggish.
We'll see. And the other thing is, the styling sometimes affects outward visibility. You know, the designers work so hard to make these things look cool, they forget the fact that you got to put someone behind the driving wheel that's got to look over their shoulder and can't see out the C pillars.
SHARON CARTY: Right.
MIKE HARLEY: We've seen cars like that in the past, so we've got to get behind the wheel, see how the changes-- you know, improves fuel economy. Does it affect driveability?
SHARON CARTY: Right.
MIKE HARLEY: You know, improved styling, does it affect visibility? And it's a hit or miss? And it-- you know, very few automakers are able to nail the complete package.
SHARON CARTY: How important is it to them?
MIKE HARLEY: It's a high volume car for them. It's very important for them. And it's a very visible car for them as well. And the car is now, for the first time, being built in the United States. Every other generation has been built in Japan. This is the first time the Murano's going to be built in the United States and exported around the world.
SHARON CARTY: Americans like American-built cars.
MIKE HARLEY: So this is now an American car.
SHARON CARTY: There you go. All right. Well thanks for joining us.
MIKE HARLEY: Thanks for having me.
[NO SPEECH]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander adds another three-row SUV to its line-up that fits between the smaller Highlander and the larger truck-based Sequoia. It features styling closely related to the RAV4, with a wide stance and crisp lines. Three powertrains are available including a non-hybrid turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder, a hybrid …
The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 is a big, lovable luxury beast. Under the hood, it’s packing a biturbocharged 4.0-liter V8 making 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, propelling this three-row SUV from 0-60 miles per hour in a swift 4.1 seconds. But it’s not all about speed. With an …
The winner of Autoblog’s 2023 Technology of the Year competition is Mercedes-Benz’s Dolby Atmos audio system. It defeated a number of impressive other new technologies like BMW’s Theater Screen, Ford’s Remote Rev and more. Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio has been present in theaters and home theater setups for quite some …
The 2023 Lotus Emira is finally here! Arriving now in limited quantities after multiple supply-chain delays, this V6-powered First Edition gets 400 horsepower out of its supercharged Toyota engine, which is mated to an old-fashioned, six-speed manual transmission. The engine's mounted in the middle -- right where you want it …
The 2024 Honda Ridgeline is getting the TrailSport treatment along with a number of key interior updates for the entire lineup. The big news is obviously the new Ridgeline Trailsport, which adapts many of the same elements of the all-new Pilot TrailSport and the recently revealed updated Passport TrailSport. That …
The Maserati MC20 represents a rebirth of the Maserati brand. It’s the Italian marque’s supercar and represents a true flagship product that will get folks excited about every other new Maserati on its way. Everything about the two-door coupe, from how it looks, to how it drives, passes the supercar …
For 2024, the Honda Passport picks up some improvements for the off-road focused TrailSport trim, as well as a style-focused Black Edition. The TrailSport's upgrades include all-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels as well as retuned shocks, springs and anti-roll bars for better off-pavement performance. The Black Edition is the new …
The 2024 Honda Prologue will be Honda's first widely-available electric car available in the U.S. While it is based on the Chevy Blazer EV, it has a number of unique qualities, starting with its unique exterior and interior styling that are much cleaner and more reserved than the Chevy. Honda …
The 2024 Acura Integra Type S is the Acura branded variant of the Honda Civic Type R. It gets the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and six-speed manual transmission with 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. It does have a number of differences, though. The design is different with a …
The F150 is a significant refresh for 2024 and features a new tailgate, bed dividers and an updated design. The tailgate can now swing out -- Ford joins the tailgate wars with Ram and GM -- and the headlights give the F150 a fresh look. The Tremor and Raptor are …
Ford brought three trims of its refreshed 2024 F-150 to the Detroit Auto Show, including the Tremor, Raptor R and Platinum. The Tremor shows off Ford’s fancy, new Pro Access Tailgate and a new modular bumper with a Ford Performance winch kit on it. Meanwhile, the Raptor R showcases Ford’s …
The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is the most extreme Mustang and also one of the most extreme road cars ever made. Its body is largely made out of carbon fiber, and it's rocking a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 under its hood that is promised to make over 800 horsepower. Ford created …
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4Matic SUV is a very pleasant luxury EV to pop around in, and while it isn’t particularly sporty to drive, it sure is a relaxing space to spend time in. The EQE SUV is a similar size and class as the gas-powered GLE, though its …
