Birchwood Nissan Blog

Good looks, power, fuel economy add up to attractive package

 

It was an odd day to be sure, with the morning spent changing the oil, topping off the gas tank and firing my snow blower to life for the first time. It’s now ready to rock when the inevitable happens. The afternoon was a very different affair. After holding a button for 20 seconds, it was off to enjoy the last vestiges of summer. Time to do the topless thing Nissan style.

The 370Z Roadster is a stunner by any measure. The good news is that, as it should be with all good sports cars, the Z has the motivational wherewithal to back up its stylistic flair — Nissan’s tried-and-true 3.7-litre V-6.

Using VVEL (the variable valve event and lift system blends cam phasing with variable valve lift), it puts forth an effortless 332 horsepower and 270 foot-pounds of torque. The fact the stallions begin to run early and stay at full gallop right to redline makes the Z one quick puppy, despite its 1,582-kilogram curb weight. It takes all of 5.5 seconds to eclipse 100 kilometres an hour, and it blasts past a loafer (80 to 120 km/h) in less than five seconds.

The seven-speed manumatic transmission is, likewise, a dandy. Drive the Z sedately and the box works its way up through the gears in short order, which maximizes fuel economy — the test average of 9.8 litres per 100 km was a pleasant surprise. On the flip side, a full stab at the gas sees the transmission drop a couple of cogs as the engine stretches for redline.

It also has column-mounted paddle shifters — I won’t carp about them needing to be on the steering wheel. Anyway, pulling back on the down paddle sees the engine rev-match as the box drops a gear — or two — and delivers the engine braking the driver seeks.

The part of the powertrain I did not care for was the sport side of the transmission. Unfortunately, whenever I switched the shifter into the manual mode, the box abruptly dropped down into fifth gear. In many cases, this was the wrong gear. Get the computerized aspect out of this one function — the driver knows better than any algorithm what he or she intends to do with the gears.

As for the handling, the 370Z is as sharp as a good knife. It starts with the right sort of balance. Not only is the mass split almost evenly front to rear (54 per cent over the front wheels, the rest over the rear), the suspension walks a fine line. It banishes body roll, yet it does not beat the riders up when the pavement takes a turn for the worse. More impressive is the fact that the body stiffness all but eliminates cowl shake. I only encountered the slightest hint when running over railway tracks at a fair clip. The steering is just as poised, nice and light at low speeds and firm to the feel at speed. Throw in a good electronic nanny and strong anti-lock-controlled brakes and the Z is dynamically delightful. That’s why I liked the ride.

My wife enjoyed the 370Z just as much, although for very different reasons. The first thumbs up went to the blend of materials — the leather, suede and metallic inserts are much better than many of Nissan’s earlier offerings.

The front seats are comfortable and they are heated and cooled. The advantage is that the warmth (or cooling) runs up to the shoulder area. The audio equipment then fills the cabin with sweet sounds, which keeps the soul warm. The combination was enough to take the edge off a cool afternoon cruise. Of course, the fact my wife had the heater blasting to the point I was beginning to sweat is beside the point.

With the top up, the 370’s rearward sightlines mirror those of many other convertibles. The heated rear window is narrow, which means the view through the rear-view mirror is letterbox-like. The swaths of canvas through the B-pillar introduce blind spots that make a lane change something to be done carefully and the fact there is no backup camera, even as an option on the navigation-equipped models, is an oversight that needs to be addressed. This stated, it really matters not a whit — this car is all about the pleasures of top-down motoring. What does matter is the unsightly radio antenna. On a car with such seductive lines, the bony finger-like black plastic whip, and the single- digit salute it flips to the rest of the world, spoil the rear end. It is, according to my wife, akin to finding a wart on the end of Heidi Klum’s nose — it’s just not right.

There are a lot of compelling reasons to add the 370Z to one’s list of must-have cars. It has equal measures of power and panache. However, it was the pricing that floored me — $53,498 for the fully optioned model is a deal-and-a-half. There are lesser rides that command significantly more money.

– Canwest News Service

THE SPECS

Type of vehicle: Rear-wheel-drive roadster

Engine: 3.7L DOHC V-6

Power: 332 hp 7,000 rpm; 270 ft-lbs of torque 5,200 rpm

Transmission: Seven-speed manumatic

Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS

Tires: P245/40R19 front, P275/35R19 rear

Price: base/as tested: $46,998/$53,498

Destination charge: $1,500

Transport Canada fuel economy L/100 km: 11.6 city, 8.0 highway

Standard features: Automatic climate control with filtration, power locks, windows and heated mirrors, cruise control, eight-way-adjustable driver’s seat, heated/cooled front seats, tilt steering wheel, Smart key with push-button start, Bose audio system with AM/FM/in-dash six-CD changer

Joe Duarte

Published: 05 05 2010

If anyone ever doubted the way a company gets out of a death spiral is through interesting product, he or she need only look at Nissan.

Around the turn of the millennium, the company found itself in dire straits with a net loss of over $6 billion and only three profitable models of its 48-model stable (worldwide). Through a connection with Renault and one Carlos Ghosn, the company turned a profit of nearly $3 billion after one year and ended up with one of the more interesting vehicle line-ups in the business.

One of those interesting products was the 2003 Murano, which not only turned Nissan away from the slab-sided sport-utility design of the times, but probably single handedly created what has become known as the crossover utility market.

For its second generation, Murano nips and tucks some of the harsher creases of its predecessor and improves on interior usefulness for passengers and their stuff, with an interior that is creative and functional (once you’ve become intimate with the owner’s manual).

The most useful cargo device is a box, so Murano’s tapered upper body and tucked-in tail probably puts it at a disadvantage against the likes of smaller but boxier competitors such as the Ford Escape and Jeep Liberty. However, the sleek Murano looks smaller than it really is – actually competing against the likes of the Honda Pilot, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota Highlander – so it really has a disadvantage in terms of cargo carrying ability.

Where it hasn’t succumbed to the marketing, though, is in the availability of a third row seat. Instead, Nissan chose to go with a generous cargo area and Murano will easily carry your foursome’s golf bags. And to make sure groceries don’t have free range of the area, an under floor pop-up cargo separator keeps smaller items penned in.

Could a third seat be fit in? Undoubtedly. Would its residents be comfortable either in leg room or shoulder room? Likely not. Still, there’s no denying shoppers in this market are looking for the versatility to carry passengers AND cargo, so Murano falls short of most of its rivals.

It also falls short in the drivetrain department, with all Muranos using Nissan’s award winning 3.5 litre V6. It’s a great engine – smooth, refined and powerful – and it falls just shy of the V6 offerings of many of its competitors (and some of them have V8 options for those needing to haul stuff). The biggest hindrance, however, is probably the continuously variable transmission.

Nissan does make probably the best CVTs in the biz, but they’re still CVTs and not the geared (and usually better user controlled) automatics that are often required during the different operating modes of SUVs.

Murano’s transmission does, however, help return better fuel economy than all its rivals (save for the Hyundai Santa Fe’s 276 hp 3.5 V6), so it comes down to what you need – more power for towing or better fuel economy for running around town.

The curvy shape does have its benefits when it comes to road travel, with the wind flowing swiftly and silently around the cabin. Murano delivers as quiet a ride as you’ll find in any vehicle (wagon or sedan), never mind competitors such as the Toyota Highlander (which prides itself on its quiet cabin). It’s comfortable, too, with the independent front strut and rear multi-link setup keeping things flat and smooth over the most upheaved pavement.

The wide stance and squat cabin also keep the centre of gravity low to the ground, translating into above average handling for a ute. If you were to take a 370Z and turn it into a utility vehicle, chances are you’d end up with Murano both in looks and performance.

Summary:

Year/Make/Model

2010 Nissan Murano

Price as tested                                     $44,783

Trim level                                              SL

Price range                                           $38,298-$47,948

Freight                                                   $1,560

Options                                                  Luxury pkg ($2,800) includes dual panel sunroof with power sliding shades, Bluetooth, HID headlights, power liftgate; leather seating ($1,850) includes power front passenger seat, power driver’s lumbar; premium paint ($135).

EnerGuide fuel economy ratings     11.8 L/100km city; 8.7 L/100km hwy

Observed fuel economy                     10.1 L/100km over 694 km

Warranty (basic)                                  3 years/60,000 km

Warranty (powertrain)                         5 years/100,000 km

Competitors                                         Chevrolet Equinox; Honda Pilot; Hyundai Santa Fe; Kia Borrego; Toyota Highlander; Volkswagen Touareg

Strong Points                                                 Weak Points

- looks                                                                                                    – passenger/cargo versatility            

- comfort                                                                                                – CVT

- ride and handling

- fuel-economy

Editors Rating:

Fuel consumption                                                                                                               * * * *

more car like than even some cars

Value for price                                                                                                      * * *

Kinda pricey but average in the segment

Styling                                                                                                                    * * * *

one of the best looking vehicles on the market (CUV or otherwise)

Comfort                                                                                                                 * * * *

plush seating and acceptable room for four, even five

Performance                                                                                                        * * *

CVT masks the refinement and relative power of the VQ engine

Overall                                                                                                                   * * * *

for fashionable running around all year round, can’t be beat