2018 Nissan Murano – A Premium Way to Travel. 2018 Nissan Murano – Drive, Interior and Exterior. Subscribe.
For the 2018 model year, Murano receives a number of significant enhancements:
– Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and Intelligent Forward Collision Warning (I-FCW) standard on all grades
– Blind Spot Warning (BSW) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) added as standard on SV grade
– Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) standard on SL grade and included in SV Premium Package (previously standard on SL and Platinum grades only)
– Revised center console design for improved accessibility and storage
– NissanConnectSM with Navigation – featuring Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™, 8.0-inch color display with multi-touch control, SiriusXM® Traffic™ and SiriusXM® Travel Link™ (SiriusXM® subscription required, sold separately) – standard on all grades
– Motion-Activated Power Liftgate standard on SL & Platinum grades
– Dual Panel Moonroof standard on Platinum grade
– Heated rear seats and heated steering wheel standard on SL grade
– Auto-dimming inside mirror with HomeLink® Universal Transceiver standard on SV grade
– New SL Midnight Edition Package content
– SV Premium Package content now includes Intelligent Around View® Monitor (I-AVM), Intelligent Driver Alertness (I-DA)1, Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), Power Panoramic Moonroof, Bose® premium audio system with 11 speakers, heated front seats, heated outside mirrors and 18-inch Gun Metal aluminum-alloy wheels
– New SL Moonroof Package added
With its highly sculptural, highly emotional design, Murano continues to stand out in a crossover field known more for uniformity and utility-based styling than boldness and light. Working to capture the breathtaking spirit and artistry of the original breakthrough Murano, the designers began by concentrating on the vehicle’s sculptural qualities.
One of the central constructs for both the exterior and interior was to “elevate your experience,” which is counterintuitive to the heaviness and chunkiness of the traditional sport-utility vehicle. This helped inspire the push for leading edge aerodynamics and three key elements of Nissan’s signature design language – the V-Motion front end, signature boomerang lighting and floating roofline.
The designers sought to create a gravity-like power to pull viewers into the design visually, while defying gravity with a lightness of form through the use of glass and flowing lines. The prominent glass areas of the first-generation Murano were retained and expanded with the current design, including the use of its jet-inspired roof and D-pillars that appear disconnected from the roof that help visually lighten the cabin. The result is a unique floating feeling that can be recognized from far away.
Another key element is the boomerang-style headlights and taillights. For use with Murano, distinctive signature lights were added, accentuating the boomerang shapes, and were slimmed and pushed to extremes to look like they flow with the wind.
The signature headlights, with their LED Daytime Running Light accents, are instantly recognizable at night. While becoming a Murano signature, they were an engineering challenge, requiring extensive tuning to refine the shape and light intensity. The design of the standard LED taillights had to be balanced with the required crossover utility, with the final shape seamlessly integrated into the rear glass, conveying a high-tech quality. For 2018, the halogen headlights receive a black finish (previously chrome).
Murano’s sculptural bodysides also created an engineering challenge, especially in the strong curvature of the rear fender stampings. While similar in dimensions to the previous generation Murano, the design is slightly lower, wider and longer, enhancing the aerodynamics while not compromising the desired crossover height and stance. The lower rocker panels offer a balance of aerodynamics and ruggedness.
Other critical details, such as the active grille shutter, fender lip moldings, rear bumper surfacing, rear tire deflectors and integrated rear spoiler help achieve its 0.31 coefficient of drag, on par with many sports cars.
