The 2022 Nissan Murano gains the Midnight Edition styling package treatment on the SV trim, as seen elsewhere in the lineup. Otherwise, the Murano is basically the same as it was last year: a stylish mid-sized crossover that is starting to show its age in a highly competitive segment.
With an abundance of interior room and high-quality interior materials, the 2022 Nissan Murano’s strengths are typical for the midsize SUV class. Now in this generation’s eighth year of production, however, the 2022 Murano is past its prime.
Though not a terrible vehicle on its own, the Murano pales in comparison to its direct rivals, which are generally newer and offer features not present in the Murano.
ENGINE AND IMPLEMENTATION
Under the hood of all 2022, Nissan Murano is a 3.5-liter V-6 making 260 horsepower. Front-wheel drive is standard, but all-wheel drive can be added to any trim, and both setups utilize a CVT. The last Murano we tested had a decent performance on our test track and delivered peppy performance around town.
Bury your foot in the throttle—an exercise few Murano buyers will do frequently—and the CVT spikes the engine revs and holds them there, resulting in a loud, droning growl from under the hood.
The Murano is in its element on long-distance highway jaunts, where the powertrain fades into the background and delivers a peaceful journey. With a suspension tuned for comfort, the Murano makes easy work of road trips, and its suspension damps out even the roughest potholes to deliver a smooth ride.
Encounter a twisty road and the 2022 Nissan Murano will safely deliver you to the next intersection, but it won’t entertain you along the way. The steering delivers good highway stability but is dull and uncommunicative on meandering two lanes. The Murano offers a low tow rating of 1500 pounds.
ENERGY AND REAL-WORLD MPG
The EPA estimates the Murano will earn 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. The addition of all-wheel drive also doesn’t diminish either rating.
In our real-world testing, the Murano fell short of its highway fuel-economy estimate—27 mpg—but still managed to post one of the best results of the rivals we sampled. For more information about the 2022 Nissan Murano‘s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
INTERIOR, CONVENIENCE, AND BOOTH
The Murano’s cabin is among the nicest, most well-equipped interiors in this comparison and is more luxe than most of the other Nissan products. Our Platinum test vehicle wore soft leather on the seats, door panels, and armrests, with a sweeping dashboard design divided by a band of dark teak-wood trim.
Both front-seat occupants should easily find a pleasant seating position in the heavily cushioned chairs. Rear-seat passengers are treated to a comfortable, reclining bench seat with plentiful padding.
Since the 2022 Nissan Murano’s cargo bay is below average in size for this class, it comes as no surprise that behind its rear seat we managed to fit only nine of our carry-on suitcases while its rivals held more.
However, with its rear seat stowed, the Murano out-hauled the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and we fit 26 cases inside the cabin. Most of the interior-storage cubby bins are adequately sized except for the Murano’s glovebox, which is huge.
IN-VEHICLE INFOTAINMENT AND INTERCONNECTIONS
All Murano models feature an 8.0-inch color touchscreen display running Nissan’s NissanConnect infotainment system; navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM with Travel Link weather and traffic updates also are now standard across the range.
The 2022 Nissan Murano has both USB-A and USB-C ports, including a pair on the back of the center console so those in the rear seat can juice their smartphones.
PROTECTION AND DRIVER ASSISTANCE ASPECTS
Nissan offers a slew of standard driver-assistance technology on all models. For more information about the 2022 Nissan Murano’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.
PHOTOS
FULL SPECIFICATIONS
2019 NISSAN MURANO
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front- or all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
BASE PRICES:
S, $32,315;
SV, $35,485;
SL, $40,275;
Platinum, $44,575
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
DISPLACEMENT: 213 cu in, 3498 cc
POWER: 260 hp @ 6000 rpm
TORQUE: 240 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
TRANSMISSION: continuously variable automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 111.2 in
Length: 192.8 in
Width: 75.4 in
Height: 67.8 in
Passenger volume: 103–109 cu ft
Cargo volume: 31–32 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 3850–4050 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
Zero to 60 mph: 7.3–7.5 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 18.8–19.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.7–16.0 sec
Top speed: 120 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 23/20/28 mpg
