The 2025 Nissan Murano Is a Big Step Up: Review

If you caught a glimpse of this SUV in a crowded parking lot, would you be able to tell it’s a Nissan Murano? Hell, would you be able to recognize it as a Nissan at all? For a company so otherwise, um, preoccupied with its current corporate situation, Nissan still does one thing very right: Design. The new Murano is no exception.

Even though it uses a version of last year’s platform, the 2025 Nissan Murano still feels brand new. It has a beautifully redesigned exterior, an equally appealing interior with the latest tech, and a new turbocharged engine that makes it all feel a bit more modern—finally.

Granted, not everyone will love the new Murano’s looks; the split headlight treatment alone is sure to split opinions. But much like the smaller Kicks, the Murano turns heads with its unique shape and bold design choices—that aforementioned front end included. And it all looks really beautiful in this shade of Aurora Blue.

The cabin is no less pretty. The Twilight Blue leather on this Platinum tester virtually mimics the paint. Subtle wood accents line the dash with a few pieces of piano black plastic that, thankfully, aren’t all that offensive. Two 12.3-inch screens sit atop the dash projecting Nissan’s latest infotainment interface, which is clean, crisp, and easy to use. I didn’t experience any of the lag Editor Chris Smith noted during his first drive. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are always welcomed.

Unfortunately, like many modern automakers, Nissan was bitten by the touch-capacitive bug. The Murano’s lovely-looking wooden console takes a page from the Ariya; it’s littered with illuminated touch-capacitive controls for the HVAC system. A simple task like changing the temperature or increasing the fan speed requires a steady hand and lots of focus. Not exactly what you want when you should be, you know, focused on driving.

Pros: Looks Great, Lovely Cabin, Nice To Drive

The steering wheel controls are… better, but still not great. Instead of individual buttons, the Murano has a single piece of black plastic covering individual selections on either side of the wheel. It clicks well, at least—it’s not more touch-capacitive nonsense. But it was easy to hit the wrong option by mistake.

The Murano’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder makes 241 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. It actually has less power than the old V-6 (260 horsepower), but more torque (240 pound-feet). The new engine also returns 23 miles per gallon city, 24 highway, and 23 combined, which, again, isn’t much better than the old V-6. The previous Murano achieved 20 mpg city, 28 highway, and 23 combined.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

In practice, though, the Murano’s new powertrain feels much better on the road. Snappy throttle response gives the SUV excellent pep off the line—it feels genuinely quick in Sport mode. The four-cylinder has enough power at speed for seamless highway passes and uneventful onramp merges, and it’s all paired to a smooth-shifting nine-speed automatic.

Dynamically, the Murano gets new dampers that help decrease body roll. There’s still some lateral movement, but it’s mostly kept in check. Electronic power steering replaces the outdated hydraulic setup, and while it is exceptionally light and almost too twitchy, there’s still enough chatter to tell you what the vehicle is doing mid-corner. Front-wheel drive comes standard on the base Murano SV, while the SL and this Platinum tester offer all-wheel drive at no extra cost.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Cons: Annoying Touch-Capacitive Controls, Twitchy Steering, Barely Improved Fuel Economy

The Murano’s updated ride also greatly improves its comfort. Although the 21-inch wheels on this Platinum model still thump hard over certain bumps, the suspension does a good job of smoothing out rough pavement otherwise. It’s also absolutely buttery on the highway.

The cabin is quiet with barely any wind or tire noise making its way into the cabin, even at highway speeds. And the seats on this Platinum model are stellar; they’re perfectly form-fitting and offer heating, ventilation, and a massage function on this trim. Even the second row is nice and roomy thanks, in part, to the Murano’s added width; it’s about 2.6 inches wider than its predecessor.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

With a starting price of $41,860 including destination, the 2025 Murano is priced competitively. The Hyundai Santa Fe starts at $35,675, the Jeep Grand Cherokee starts at $38,290, and the Toyota Highlander costs $40,970. The updated 2026 Honda Passport, when it hits dealerships, will start in the mid-$40,000 range. This top-of-the-line Platinum costs $55,030 as-tested with all-wheel drive and a few fancy dealer add-ons. But even at that price, the Murano feels worth it.

Contrary to my colleague Chris Smith, I don’t find the 2025 Murano disappointing at all. The styling is excellent, the interior—aside from a few quirks—is a lovely place to be, and the updated powertrain and improved suspension make the driving experience much better. There are a lot of options in this segment—a lot of good options—but you could certainly do worse than the 2025 Murano.

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Jeff Perez / Motor1