Sharp looks and a brilliant engine promise much but the ungainly Nissan Murano actually left The Wheel Deal rather disappointed.

For most of 2009 we’ve been suitably impressed with nearly every Nissan product that’s sat in our bomb shelter of an underground parking garage. From the mean-looking 370Z Coupé that turned almost every corner into a tyre-sizzling adventure to the supernatural powers of the Lambo-slaying GT-R, this Yokohama-based firm has proved that it has the mettle – and indeed the metal – to rumble with the best of Europe. So, unsurprisingly, when I collected the key for this Murano and positioned myself behind its steering wheel, I was expecting to be equally roused by what this monster of an SUV had to offer. After all, fitted with the same engine that once lurked beneath the skin of the 350Z and a road-biased suspension set-up, its credentials looked tasty to say the least. Unfortunately, and I was quick to discover, in the real world the sum of all these on-paper promises just didn’t add up and the Murano left me feeling somewhat disappointed.

And the biggest culprit here, the proverbial thorn in this Nissan’s side, has to be the CVT automatic gearbox that’s been mated to the powerplant. Made for fat, lazy Americans who shiver at the thought of lending more than three limbs to the exercise of driving, this droning and characterless transmission seems to strangle most of the performance potential from that sweet 3.5-litre V6. Loath to let the poor engine rev, it makes the Murano feel sluggish off the line and takes what seems like millennia to get into the peaky power band; maximum torque only kicking in at a lofty 4400rpm. Popping the gear lever over into manual mode doesn’t improve matters either, as the ratios are unbearably long with the first two particularly ill suited to quick off-the-line getaways. Of course out on the mundanity of the open road I can see why Nissan plumbed for the CVT option, being smooth and relaxed, but everywhere else it just serves to frustrate; not something an SUV boasting such blatant sporting pretensions should do.

Similarly, I also found that the suspension set-up something of a let down. Clearly geared towards a life of asphalt cruising, the damping is firm and consequently doesn’t do a great job at smoothing out surface impurities. Now I could easily live with this malady if it contributed towards stellar handling – you know, the kind of road manners that make similar BMW and Audi products so unexpectedly sharp to drive – but sadly it doesn’t. Marred by a considerable amount of body roll, the Murano heaves its way through corners and, its hefty mass not helping the issue, never feels very interested or, indeed, overly confidence inspiring. Think overweight Marine rather than nimble Samurai and you kind of get the picture. And with that well-weighted yet numb steering only serving to exasperate the problem, you soon learn to adopt a sort of no-fun attitude when tackling the bends. Pity, because with a bit more R&D I believe that the Murano could, as large SUVs go, actually be a pretty engaging and rewarding drive.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom for this Nissan because, lacklustre dynamics aside, the Murano does offer a lot in the way of space, equipment and exclusivity for the price. The interior is simply massive and even with two lanky frames pushing back both front chairs, there’s plenty in the way of aft legroom. Trimmed in leather, the seats are comfortable – great for long distances – and are complemented with lots of touchy-feely plastic trim that afford the cabin a real premium feel. There are toys galore too, with a thumping Bose sound system, 7-inch colour display, cruise control and two parking cameras all weighting in as standard kit. The latter are, considering this vehicle’s mammoth dimensions, truly indispensable when it comes to doing the sidewalk shuffle on our car-packed Jozi streets. But as much as all these features smack of value, especially considering most of its more expensive rivals only offer them as options, they just don’t do enough to convincingly redeem the Nissan Murano from the way it feels in the driving seat. And that, especially for a street-orientated SUV such as this, is the reason why I’d be inclined to steer my cash elsewhere.

Nissan Murano Fast Facts:

Engine: 3498cc six-cylinder petrol
Power: 191kW at 6000rpm
Torque: 336Nm at 4400rpm
0-100km/h: 8 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 210km/h (claimed)
Fuel Consumption: 10.9l/100km (claimed combined)
Price: From R488 000