2025 Nissan Murano debuts in North America – fourth-gen SUV with 241 hp 2.0L VC Turbo, 9AT, FWD/AWD
After 10 years, the Nissan Murano has finally been given a complete redesign to enter its fourth generation. Making its debut recently, the all-new Z53 replaces the Z52 that has been around since 2014 and will be sold exclusively in North America, namely the United States and Canada.
Set to go on sale in early 2025, the Murano will only be offered with a sole engine option, the inline-four KR20DDET. The variable compression mill has a displacement of 2.0 litres and is turbocharged to deliver 241 hp at 5,600 rpm and 260 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm.
The VC Turbo engine is also shared with the Altima and Infiniti QX50, but where those models get a CVT, the Murano is the first Nissan model to pair this engine with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Depending on the trim level, the SUV is either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Compared to its predecessor, the latest Murano has grown in size to measure 4,900 mm (+13 mm) long, 1,981 mm wide (+66 mm) and 1,724 mm tall (+35 mm), although the wheelbase remains unchanged at 2,824 mm.
The design bears a strong resemblance to the Ariya, with highlight cues being the V-motion face that is partly represented by the LED daytime running lights. Higher up are the ‘Crystal Cube’ LED headlamps at either side of a gloss black trim strip, while the rear gets full-width taillights with a distinctive graphic.
Elsewhere, the side mirrors have been relocated from the A-pillar to the doors, and the body has simpler surfacing than before, with a standout line intersecting with the flared rear haunches. The Murano’s signature D-pillar kink is still here, albeit accompanied by chrome trim to create a “coupe-like” roofline.
Inside, we find more nods to the Ariya with air vents visually spanning the width of the dashboard. Above this divider are a pair of 12.3-inch displays, with the one in the middle being a touchscreen infotainment system with support for wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Google integration also means owners have access to Google Maps, the Google Assistant and the Play Store.
As for the area beneath the air vents, we find a capacitive-touch panel for the climate controls, while the centre console has push buttons for the gear selector to free up space for storage, cup holders and a standard wireless phone charging pad.
For customers who want that little bit extra, Nissan offers a unique dashboard finisher called ‘Murano Glass’ that incorporates color-shift graphics and textures that play with light. “Inspired by and named for the famed Venetian glassworks that gave the crossover its name, this multi-levelled feature exemplifies the vehicle’s attention to craftsmanship and high-quality details,” the company says.
Available features for the interior include a panoramic moonroof, a heated steering wheel, 64-colour ambient lighting, a 10-speaker Bose sound system as well as seats with heating, cooling and massaging functions. The interior is offered in three themes too, all with a newly designed steering wheel that has a flatter bottom to make ingress and egress easier.
All trim levels come standard with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which includes autonomous emergency braking, blind spot warning and intervention, lane departure warning and lane keep assist. Assisted driving via ProPILOT is also available, with higher trims getting version 1.1 instead of the base 1.0.
In Malaysia, the we got both the pre-facelift and facelifted versions of the second-generation Murano. The third-generation model was not marketed in Japan, Australia and New Zealand as it wasn’t produced in right-hand drive, which meant it was never going to come to Malaysia, and it’ll likely be the same case for this latest one.
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