| Week at the Wheel | Nissan Murano |

Inside & Out:

Whether you like the look of the Nissan Murano from the outside depends on whether you like a bit of glitz and glamour in your SUVs. For us, the Murano works and stays just to the right side of over-the-top, even if its toothsome grille looks like it's been inspired by Count Dracula's gnashers. There's also a pleasing tautness to the overall size and appearance of the Murano compared to some of its over-bloated competition.

On the inside, the Nissan comes with every conceivable gadget, and then some. How about electrically operated rear seat folding or a parking reverse camera? The Murano has them, plus all the leather, satnav, CD and electric this, that and everything else to make its price tag look very appealing next to most rivals. The only thing missing from the standard specification is a DVD player, which can be ordered up as an extra. Look past the equipment list and you find the Murano is a comfortable five-seat SUV with decent boot space and superb build quality.

Engine & Transmission:

It should be a recipe for driving pleasure, but the petrol-fuelled 3.5-litre V6 in the Murano is let down in two areas: namely its performance and the gearbox it is saddled with. The first of these issues is down to the engine packing 252bhp and 246lb.ft of oomph but having to haul around nearly two tonnes of SUV. When most rivals have more low-down pull from their turbodiesel engines, the Murano's petrol unit is out of step with the demands of this market. The other problem lies with the gearbox and its CVT (continuously variable transmission) design. As the name suggests, this offers continuously variable gearing to suit the conditions and driver input. Sounds great in principle, but is dreadful in action. The Murano never feels as if it's in the right ratio and the gearbox is too ready to let the engine rev up at the slightest whiff of throttle. There is also the problem of the gearbox not reacting quickly enough when the driver prods the throttle deliberately for more forward motion. All in, the Murano would be much better off with a standard auto 'box.

The engine is refined when the Murano is cruising, so it's not all bad news and it makes a pleasing V6 roar when allowed to rev higher. This is something you will become accustomed to in the Murano as the engine needs to be worked hard to deliver a half decent account of itself in the performance stakes.

Ride & Handling:

In isolation, the Murano does not deal terribly well with typical British roads. Compare it to the key opposition - BMW X5, Mercedes ML and Mazda CX-7 - and it falls even further away from impressing. On ironed smooth roads there is still a discernable fidget from the suspension, while on Britain's more usual crater-surfaced surfaces the Nissan lumps and bumps its way along. This is at serious odds with the Murano's on-road bias and luxury trappings.

You could forgive the Murano its harsh ride if the handling benefitted from a firm suspension set-up, but the reality is the suspension is quite soft and allows too much lean in bends. The four-wheel drive system adds little to the handling mix and nothing to the off-road aptitude of the Nissan, while the steering is also a disappointment due to its lack of sensation.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

Let us make ourselves clear here: the four stars awarded are largely due to the Murano's almost endless standard equipment list. This good score is not down to the car's economy, as 25.9mpg on the combined cycle is just not frugal enough in these cash-strapped times. It may compare reasonably with many of the Murano's petrol-powered rivals, but this is a class where diesel is dominant and 30mpg-plus is the norm. It must also be remembered that the Murano is not likely to hold its value as well as most key competitors, such as the Volvo XC90, so a healthy discount will be necessary on a new Murano to help offset some of the depreciation that will follow.

As for the equipment, the Murano comes with climate and cruise control, leather seats with electric adjustment front and rear, a reverse parking camera, superb CD stereo, electric windows and sunroof, airbags, satnav, alloy wheels... You get the picture.

Overall:

Nissan has modest sales expectations for the Murano and we'd agree that it's very much an acquired taste - not for its bold styling, but for the way this SUV drives and the likely cost of ownership. Economy and emissions from the petrol V6 engine rule it out for most buyers, who will plump for a diesel, while the poor ride and handling would steer us towards the significantly cheaper Mazda CX-7; it's a better bet for those wanting a sporty SUV with lots of equipment. Look past the Murano's glitz and there's just not enough substance to rival the best in this class.