EXTERIOR

The Murano's unique styling isn't for everyone, but it helps it to stand out on the road. From the side, it looks all curvy and aggressive, and the rear is well-done with sharp, angled taillights.

As a parent, the Murano is easy to work with. If you have kids in infant-safety seats, the doors are tall enough that you won't bonk your head when getting your child situated. If your kids are in convertible seats, the smaller ones will need a hand opening the door and getting in, but not as much as with a large SUV. If your kids are yet older but still in boosters, no worries; they'll be able to open and close the doors on their own.

The tailgate was easy to use mostly because my test car came with a power liftgate, which I didn't have in my 2006 Murano. If you think this feature is frivolous, let me challenge you with a grocery store parking lot in a snowstorm. Or a hail storm. Or a 2-year-old tantrum-storm. Trust me, this feature is worth it. Once the liftgate is open, there's plenty of room for strollers (even double ones), bags, groceries and lots of other things.

My test car had a 260-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine. This engine does just fine in the power department, and with an EPA-estimated 18/23 mpg city/highway, you'll be glad it's not a whole lot bigger. Thankfully, the Murano uses regular gasoline.

    See also:

    Compact Disc (CD) player operation
    Place the ignition switch in the ACC or ON position, and insert the CD into the slot with the label side facing up. The CD will be guided automatically into the slot and start playing. After lo ...

    Precautions on cruise control
    ● If the cruise control system malfunctions, it cancels automatically. The SET indicator light in the instrument panel then blinks to warn the driver. ● If the SET indicator light blin ...

    Around viewTM monitor (if equipped)
    The CAMERA button is located on the center console. When you push the CAMERA button or shift the selector lever into the “R” (Reverse) position while the ignition switch is in the ON posi ...