More for Murano

NISSAN has upgraded the standard specifications of its Murano, just days after announcing the availability of diesel power for its luxury mid-size crossover in Europe for the first time.

The Japanese maker says it is in no hurry to add the oil-burning variant Down Under, and has taken the opportunity to increase Murano prices in tandem with the latest upgrade.

The Murano now opens at $46,490 for the entry-level ST automatic (up $500), which gains a Bluetooth phone system with steering wheel mounted controls, plus the Nissan Intelligent Key push-button starting system formerly exclusive to the top-shelf Ti.



The 2010 Murano Ti, meantime, now scores a novel twin-panel powered glass sunroof as standard. It features two full-width tinted glass panels, but only the front panel slides open, while the rear unit is fixed and acts only as a skylight.

Reflecting the upgrade, the Murano flagship is now priced at $57,890 – up $2000.

Launched here in January 2009, the second-generation Murano enjoyed a massive 261 per cent increase in demand last year, when more than 3000 examples of the sealed-road SUV found homes in Australia.

There are no changes to the Murano’s 191kW/336Nm VQ35DE 3.5-litre petrol V6, standard CVT automatic or All-Mode 4x4 system, and standard specifications continue to include leather upholstery, a climate-control with mild-flow feature technology and six-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels.

“We are delighted the new Nissan Murano has been so successful with buyers of premium SUVs, given the ultra-competitive market,” said Nissan Australia CEO Dan Thompson.