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- Calculating Prices Please Wait
Vehicle Min Max 2004 Nissan Murano $10,500 $19,991 2012 Hyundai Veracruz N/A N/A 2012 Toyota 4Runner $33,000 $33,000 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid $46,995 $46,995 Average $30,165 $33,329 
Used Car Price Range$10,500 - $19,991
Vehicle Min Max 2004 Nissan Murano $178 $340 2012 Hyundai Veracruz N/A N/A 2012 Toyota 4Runner $560 $560 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid $798 $798 Average $512 $566 Based On: 10% down, 5% APR, 60 months
Estimated Monthly Payment$178 - $340 per month
MPG city hwy 2004 Nissan Murano 20 25 2012 Hyundai Veracruz 17 22 2012 Toyota 4Runner 17 22 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 28 28 Average 21 24 MPG20 City | 25 Highway
$1,000 Rebate Expires 05/31/2012
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2004 Nissan Murano Review Summary
What reviewers liked most about the 2004 Nissan Murano:
Murano's looks are backed by sporty performance. It's powered by Nissan's beefy 3.5-liter V6 mated to a responsive continuously variable transmission.
- New Car Test DriveAs its looks suggest, the Murano is an aerodynamic machine. A low frontal area and a low roof add cruising efficiency, as well as very low wind noise at high speeds.
- New Car Test DriveInside it's just as distinct, with adjustable pedals, rear seats that fold flat about as easily as any rear seats in the industry and a center console that rivals even the Buick Rendezvous in its grandiosity.
- AutoWeekYou'll enjoy lively takeoffs and spirited maneuvers that complement Murano's adventurous demeanor.
- Cars.comThe efficiency of the CVT also adds to the outstanding fuel economy of the Murano: an EPA-estimated 20/24 mpg city/highway.
- New Car Test Drive
What reviewers liked least about the 2004 Nissan Murano:
Unlike other SUVs, Murano is not a substitute for a minivan. It seats four or five people, not seven.
- New Car Test DriveA big pod juts out from the center dash for audio and climate controls. We weren't crazy about the appearance of the pod, but it does put the controls close to hand.
- New Car Test Drive
2004 Nissan Murano Comparisons:
The Nissan Murano feels as quick as a sport sedan. Indeed, it's quicker than the BMW's 3.0-liter X5.
- New Car Test DrivePositioned to compete against the Honda Pilot (based on the Odyssey) and Toyota Highlander (built on the Camry platform), the Murano is based on the company's rip-roaring Altima.
- Edmunds.comWhere the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot fit three rows of seating, the Murano offers two rows.
- New Car Test DriveWheelbase is measured at 111 inches, allowing a spacious interior. For comparison, the Toyota Highlander measures in at 107 inches.
- FreshAlloy.com
Best one-liners about the 2004 Nissan Murano:
Murano power comes from the ubiquitous 3.5-liter V6 that powers seemingly everything from the Nissan weed whacker to the Infiniti Shuttle Launch Pad Creeper.
- AutoWeekA 'Hello? Why didn't anyone think of this before?' philosophy governed these features, which include such niceties as a dedicated cell phone holder right next to the cupholder...a coin holder, expanding door bins and a nicely sized, dual-tiered center console that's big enough to hold a computer laptop.
- Edmunds.com
2004 Nissan Murano Introduction
The Nissan Murano drives almost as well as a luxury sports sedan, but carries cargo like a Honda Pilot sport-utility. The Murano is a crossover vehicle, designed to haul cargo like a sport-utility, but ride and drive like a car. The Murano is different from most crossovers, however, in that it's biased toward the car part of the equation. It offers more of a car-like ambience and handles better on pavement than competitors like the Pilot and Toyota Highlander. One look is all it takes to know how different the Murano is.
The Murano is designed to seat four or five people in comfort. Nissan resisted the temptation to cram three rows of seats inside like the Highlander and Pilot do. Like a car, the Murano has just two rows. It's not a substitute for a minivan, nor does it look like one. Murano's wild styling promotes better aerodynamics in addition to high fashion, starting with a sleek front end and a roof that curves inward.
The futuristic look is backed by sporty performance. The Murano is powered by Nissan's beefy 245-horsepower 3.5-liter V6, the same engine found in the 350Z sports car. It comes with a continuously variable transmission, a high-tech automatic that's smooth and responsive. Murano's road-tuned suspension offers a smooth and sporty, carlike handling. All-wheel drive is available for better grip and stability in foul weather. The Murano shares much of its underpinnings with the Nissan Altima and Maxima sedans (but it is not related to the Infiniti FX).
The Nissan Murano is an excellent choice for someone who wants the smooth ride and responsive handling of a car with the cargo space of an SUV or wagon. And it works well for dogs.
The Murano was launched as a brand-new nameplate for 2003, and now comes pre-wired for a satellite radio receiver.
2004 Nissan Murano Walkaround
The Murano is named after the glass sculpted in the islands near Venice, known for both its high-tech production methods and its beauty. In the Nissan Murano, this duality is most obvious in the styling. The Murano is designed to blend the look of a car and a truck. The top half of the body is sleek like a car, while the bottom half is bulky like a truck. Overall, the look is much sleeker than tall wagon-shaped SUVs, yet still rugged.
Contributing to Murano's muscular styling are the huge 18-inch wheels, which come standard. Sculpted, vertical-stack headlights define the front corners. The exotic rear hatchback is made of reinforced plastic because steel won't bend easily in such a complex shape. The windshield and front side windows are tinted green to deflect UV radiation; the rear side and rear windows are near black for privacy.
As its looks suggest, the Murano is an aerodynamic machine. Details in the design help it slip quietly through the air. Airflow-improving devices include an underbody engine cover, front and rear tire deflectors, a rear spoiler, and aerodynamic mirrors. Combined with the low frontal area and roof, these enhancements increase fuel efficiency and limit wind noise at high speeds.
To finish the high-fashion look, Nissan offers eight color combinations for the exterior two-tone scheme, with three interior hues to mix and match. The colors were chosen carefully to promote a luxury look.
2004 Nissan Murano Interior Features
Climbing into the Nissan Murano is easier than climbing into a Honda Pilot. Slide into the driver's seat and you'll notice that outward visibility is excellent in all directions. It's a mild surprise that the view rearward isn't compromised by the stylishly thick D-pillars, but the Murano is full of surprises. The seating position and steering wheel orientation make it feel more like a car than the typical SUV.
The front seats are comfortable and supportive, even for people six-feet, four inches tall. Petite drivers are also able to get comfortable, and power-adjustable pedals help ensure a good seating position, particularly for shorter women. The overall interior fit and finish are good, though Nissan interiors are generally not quite as good as Toyota and Honda interiors. Murano's instrument cluster is garnished with genuine brushed aluminum trim that gives it a younger, sportier look.
A prominent pod juts from the center of the Murano's dash, presenting both audio and climate controls. We aren't crazy about the pod's appearance, but it puts the switches close at hand. Murano's standard dual-zone, fully automatic climate control is a step above in this class, and features rear air-conditioning vents located on the B-pillars, good for passengers and dogs.
Buttons on the stereo are on the small side, but easy to use once you get the hang of them. The preset buttons, for example, can be programmed to select both AM and FM stations at the same time, without have to press the separate mode button first. Controls on the steering wheel allow easy volume adjustments. The navigation display has the latest three-dimensional birds-eye view. We sometimes find this easier to follow, and certainly more fun, than the typical flat map.
Useful features make the Murano a satisfying car for day-to-day use. A large center console separates the front seats, so no one is likely to feel like their sitting in a minivan. The center console features a two-tiered lockable storage box with enough room for a laptop computer or a purse, cell phone, sunglasses, coins, cups and bottles. The door pockets flip out for easy access, and there's a hidden storage tray and two bins under the cargo floor. There are also three power outlets: front-passenger footwell, center console and rear.
Because the Murano's body curves inward toward its occupants, the expectation might be that it feels cramped inside. It does not. Instead, the cabin feels airy. The Murano is a five-seater that's roughly the same size as seven-seat SUVs, such as the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. As a result, the Murano's back seat is like a limousine's. A six-foot, four-inch driver found he could cross his legs in the rear seat. The rear seatback rake adjusts easily by pulling a strap, which makes Murano's rear accommodations more comfortable than the second-row seat in many SUVs where passengers must sit uncomfortably upright.
The rear seats flop forward in one easy step, either by pulling on a strap from either of the side doors or by moving clever manual levers accessed from the rear hatch. Flopping both seatbacks down presents a big cargo area with a nice flat floor. And we mean big. The load floor measures about the same length as the seven-seat Honda Pilot's. Indeed, with maximum cargo capacity of 81.6 cubic feat, Murano dwarves nearly all of its five-seat competitors and some of the seven-seaters as well. Even with five passengers aboard, there's still a substantial 32.6 cubic feet of storage space. Moreover, the rear seats split 70/30 when they fold, so the Murano can carry one or two passengers in back with long items like skis laid flat across the other side.
On the down side, at 30.4 inches, the rear load height is a bit higher than the class average. And the Murano's bulky cargo cover seems to flap around and take up room. We'd be inclined to store it in the garage.
2004 Nissan Murano Driving Impressions
We liked the Nissan Murano the first time we drove one, and the more we drive the different models the more we like them. Its smooth ride and powerful engine make for a truly enjoyable vehicle.
Nissan's robust 245-horsepower V6 feels mighty healthy in spite of the Murano's considerable heft at 4,000 pounds. The Murano feels as quick as a sports sedan. Indeed, it's quicker than BMW's X5 3.0, a benchmark for performance among SUVs.
The CVT automatic is responsive, and the Murano handles impressively. Hitting a big bump at the apex of a corner doesn't upset its handling. While its ground clearance exceeds the Volvo Cross Country's, the Murano rides and handles better than the Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot and other SUVs.
We have to judge the Murano's zoom by how quickly it passes road markers and pavement stripes, because inside the sensations suggest that the engine isn't revving very quickly. When you stomp the accelerator in the Murano, it feels like it stays in one gear all the way to terminal velocity. That feeling comes directly from the CVT, which is an automatic transmission without gears. Engineers call these transmissions "stepless." When you accelerate, instead of the conventional upshifting from lower to higher gears, the CVT has variable-diameter pulleys that act like variable gears without teeth, and changes ratios continuously. A complex steel belt is squeezed between the pulleys and transfers engine torque to the driveshafts. The CVT changes ratios more smoothly than a normal automatic transmission, and allows the engine to rev at a speed that's most efficient for acceleration. Moreover, this efficiency also improves fuel economy. Murano delivers an impressive 20/24 mpg city highway, according to EPA estimates.
The CVT in the Murano comes with just three ranges: D for normal driving, S for sportier acceleration and L for the highest ratio, or lowest "gear" range. Shifting from D to S raises engine revs 2500 rpm at a given road speed. Dropping from S to L increases engine speed by another 1000 rpm. Rev the engine near its 6600 redline and the ratio automatically reduces, thereby lowering the engine revs as the Murano's speed increases. Engine braking is programmed into the electronics that control the CVT, so when you're coasting down a steep hill, accelerometers sense this condition and increase the effective gear ratio, which is akin to downshifting a conventional transmission. Fortunately, you don't need to understand any of this, or even be aware of it, to drive the Murano. The Murano's transmission works smoothly and silently. We are particularly impressed with the silence. From a start or for passing, acceleration is quicker than with a conventional automatic. And the CVT's operation is impressively smooth. Indeed, it may feel too smooth, at first. It's surprising how deeply we're conditioned by the operation of an engine and conventional automatic transmission. The Murano's sensation of acceleration without an increase in the engine's pitch or speed takes some getting used to. The CVT works great, but we strongly recommend a test drive to experience it for yourself.
Murano's road manners are as impressive as its smooth drivetrain. The steering feels quick during turn-in, and the big 18-inch tires refrain from squealing until they are truly at the edge of cornering adhesion, increasing the driver's confidence that Murano will respond like a well-sorted sedan. It does just that up to about 8/10ths of its performance envelope, at which point it begins to understeer more than Nissan's Altima sedan.
The Murano is not a small car and its front fenders and hood slope dramatically downward and out of view so the driver needs to take care when parking or maneuvering in tight quarters.
The available all-wheel-drive system drives the front wheels until wheelspin is detected. At that point, the center differential
2004 Nissan Murano Final Word
The Nissan Murano is a tall, roomy wagon that drives like a sport sedan. Its on-road performance is first rate, delivering as much fun to the driver as a BMW X5 and other considerably more expensive SUVs. It certainly rides better than the BMW. The Murano handles with precision, speed, and more grace than most other SUVs. It is not well suited for off-road use, but does just fine on gravel roads and two-tracks.
Murano's styling is one of kind. Some love it, some don't. Your neighbors certainly won't mistake it for an Explorer. The Murano comes well equipped and its luxurious ambience gives it the feel a luxury SUV. While a fully loaded Murano approaches the base price of a Lexus RX 330, feature for feature it compares favorably with the Toyota Highlander and other vehicles in its price range.
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