The current-generation Nissan Murano debuted back in 2014, showing its skin as a 2015 model at the New York Auto Show. That’s straight-up prehistoric in the fast-moving SUV world, and now we finally have proof that the Murano hasn’t been forgotten in Nissan’s lineup. Fresh spy photos capture our first look at the next-generation model.
Snapped recently near Nissan corporate offices in Michigan, this camo-wrapped test vehicle succeeds in hiding design details but still reveals plenty about the new Murano. The outline of the V-Motion grille is easy to make out, appearing a bit wider while not dipping quite as deep into the front fascia. The large headlights of the current model will get much smaller, and it appears some lighting elements will be relocated to the grille. Down low, the central vent is smaller, but the overall takeaway is a face similar to Muranos currently sitting on dealership lots.
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For that matter, there’s a striking similarity to the present-day Murano in profile view as well. The kink to the C-pillar is visible beneath the camo wrap, and we’re pretty sure the Murano’s beltline still has the hump behind the side glass. Whether the floating-roof motif carries over is unknown, but the roofline looks much like the current model. At the back is a new lower fascia with a license plate cutout positioned lower, and it looks like the taillights shrink in size like the headlights.
And at the very bottom beneath the rear fascia are two exhaust pipes belting out vapor. That suggests this particular test vehicle is purely combustion-powered without any hybrid assistance. Our spy sources believe Nissan will soldier on with a tweaked version of the enduring 3.5-liter V6. A nine-speed automatic could handle shifting duties.
If there’s an air of familiarity about this, it’s probably because this next-generation model reportedly still uses the current D platform shared by multiple Nissan and Infiniti models. As such, the new Murano will represent an evolutionary step that doesn’t rock the boat too much, though more significant changes are likely for the interior.
Will that help boost Murano sales? Nissan only sold 30,074 units through all of 2022, a significant drop from 46,117 sales in 2021. It will be a while before that question is answered – the 2024 Murano is already available so expect a debut sometime next year as a 2025 model.