2015 Nissan Murano Officially Confirmed for Debut at New York Auto Show
It was just a little bit more than a year ago when we were first introduced to the next generation of Nissan’s Murano crossover. It came in the form of the Nissan Resonance Concept, which we saw at the 2013 Detroit Motor Show.
Now, thanks to a report on Edmunds, we know that the next-gen Nissan Murano will officially make its debut at the 2014 New York Auto Show. And, what’s more, the production model will make its way into dealerships later this year.
As you can see from the image above, the 2015 Nissan Murano looks to be a much different vehicle from today’s model. Even though we are sure that the production model won’t be nearly as flashy as the conceptual show car, it’s evident that Nissan wants to take the Murano in a new direction. As you can see, the production-spec crossover is certainly more modest, but it still looks good.
Fred Diaz, VP of Marketing for Nissan US, made the rounds with many US dealerships prior to the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, giving them a little taste of the new Murano. “[The exterior] is beautifully styled. The dealers were just foaming at the mouth when I showed them pictures.” And as for the interior, it‘s apparently just as sleek as the exterior. The dealership owners “almost fell out of their seats they were so excited. So, I am excited by it, encouraged by it. They can’t wait to get it,” Diaz boasted. While we’re sure that’s true, perhaps he added a little embellishment to his retelling.
Interestingly, Nissan also has confirmed t the 2015 Nissan Murano will only be available with five seats in two rows of seating. Nissan’s Dan Bedore explained that, “[we have] three rows in the Rogue as an option and three rows in the Pathfinder for everything. We don’t need another three-row crossover.”
As for what we still don’t know, Nissan has said nothing about the 2015 Nissan Murano’s powertrain. All we have to go on is the hybrid powertrain that was featured in the Nissan Resonance Concept – a 2.5L four-cylinder paired up with an efficient electric motor (likely taken/inspired from the Leaf) and a CVT, along with a durable lithium-ion battery to top things off. The Resonance also came equipped with all-wheel drive.
Unfortunately, that’s where our speculation about the 2015 Nissan Murano must end. We have no other clues or tidbits to give you about the next-gen crossover. However, the 2014 New York Auto Show is only about a month and a half away in April, so you’ll only have to wait a short while to learn more.
Until then, thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more Japanese car news!
