Nissan Murano

An SUV that looks like some sort of bottom feeder – it’s a 4x4 whelk.

• Comfort

  It feels faintly American in character, and it is. Not bad for comfort though - the Murano totters around with the best of them. There's plenty of space and the h igh driving position is always nice. And at the moment you can only have the 350Z's 3.5-litre V6, so the going is smooth. 

  

• Performance

  Like we said, the only motor on offer is the 3.5-litre V6 from the outgoing 350Z, so we're talking 252bhp, 0-62mph in 8.0 seconds and 130mph. It's all plenty of go in a surprising package with ALL_MODE 4x4 from Nissan.

  

• Cool

  Unproven. It's a slightly odd choice, but not a bad one per se. Not our cup of chai, but some people love ‘em. 

  

• Quality

  Good, solid quality from Nissan. It's a bit shiny, but there's nothing wrong with the way the Murano is put together. And the reliability is a given - there's nothing here to surprise you. 

  

• Handling

  That 4x4 system works well, and body control is fine, but this isn't a sports car and shouldn't be treated as one. Better than most SUVs, not as good as a normal saloon. But it is pretty surefooted.

  

• Practicality

  The boot's OK at 438 litres, but isn't converted into a cave with the seats down - it only goes up to 877 litres. Still, it'll seat four/five with ease and do pretty much any job you need it to.  

  

• Running costs

  Hmmm. It's a bit expensive because it's a petrol-only deal - so you're looking at mid-twenties mpg even if you're trying as hard as possible. Insurance is also relatively high for the class of car at insurance group 15, and C02 is toxic at 261g/km with the attendant 35 per cent tax.