Inspirational, aspirational Murano

MANILA, Philippines - If you didn’t know any better, you’d think the Nissan Murano Z51 had one gear that brought you from standstill to its top speed. That’s actually the Continuously Variable Transmission with Adaptive Shift Control at work. Truth to to tell, it’s a little strange without the traditional shifting feel, but you can easily get used to the surge of constant power.

Actually, there’s a lot of things quite different in the Murano.

As a mid-size crossover sport ute, the Murano (which debuted in 2002) stands apart from others in its niche – if only for its distinctive shape that speaks more sedan than SUV. Consequently, the vehicle on its face possesses none of the workman ethic adapted by more “proper” SUVs. It’s a true crossover that rides like a sedan more than its brethren utes. Nissan likes to call it the only “ZUV” – as the Murano co-opts the powerplant and design cues of the legendary quixotic that is the 350Z.

It shares the 350Z’s 3.5-liter V6 engine – which is good for a robust 260 horses of power and 336 Nm of torque. The first Murano (produced from 2002 until 2007) had the same engine displacement yet about 20 hp less power.

The interiors of the new iteration are classy and muted – a welcome touch to such a fine-looking vehicle quite reasonably priced (at P2.85 million) for its skill set. Universal Motors Corporation (UMC) executive vice president Elizabeth Lee maintains that the Murano trumps the competition in its class via features and technologies.

A global sales figure of more than 500,000 units in 80 countries testifies to the universal allure of the Murano. When the Z51 was unveiled in the country last March, a couple of Nissan designers were flown in to talk about the vehicle’s step up from the previous Z50. The STAR was among the choice few publications who got an invite to the meeting.

Chief product designer Kinichi Saitou underscored that the new Murano was not meant to be a logical evolution or refinement over the previous model, but a “super evolution.” He insisted that the Murano preserves much of its distinctive character while enhancing and improving markedly on other attributes.

Chief product specialist Youichi Iwamoto focused on three qualities of Murano that make it a “curvaceous mobile suite”: “Advanced characteristic exterior styling, top-level roominess, and dynamic performance with sporty taste,” he said.

Named after a region of Venice, Italy famous for its hand-blown glass, the Murano is not a vehicle the casual observer can figure out immediately. Is it a station wagon? An oversized hatch, perhaps? There are two things that jump out, though: it’s sporty, and it looks expensive.

UMC’s Lee hazards an explanation: “It blends one part iconic design, one part sports car, and two parts luxury, all in one amazing vehicle.”

The ride height and driver position definitely give you clues that it’s an SUV, but the amenities (11 Bose speakers, six airbags, dual sunroof, powered eight-way adjustable driver’s seat, automatic flip-up rear seats, rain-sensing wipers, etc.) say luxe sedan.

I particularly love the intelligent key. You don’t have to fish it out of your pocket to open the vehicle and (get this) even start it. You just push the start button once you’ve engaged the brake, and voila!

So what is the Murano, really?

You wouldn’t mind going bananas figuring this one out.