
The Nissan Murano crossover, first released in 2003, was a big hit for Nissan. Practical looks, a great powertrain, and a high level of utility made it a winner that competes with the Ford Edge, Toyota Highlander, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Chevy Traverse. In 2007 as sales started to decline, Nissan pulled the Murano off the lots for 2008 and began working on an updated model for 2009 without straying too far from the winning Murano formula.
Much of the design was kept the same, but they modernized it up a bit. More curves for a muscular appearance, bigger wheels, taillights flipped on their side, and the front grille and fascia have been redesigned. As long as you’re looking at it from the rear, it’s still attractive, but turn it around and the weird grill-over-headlight awkward design makes me gag. If you like that design, great, but it’s a deal-breaker for me. Despite the strange appearance in the front, the 2009 Murano is greatly improved over the last generation. Continue Reading…