Tuesday, Mar 22nd, 2011 @ 12:00 p.m. It is, but it isn’t. Don’t try to classify it. And pictures don’t do this vehicle justice. This was just some of the scuttle we uttered when describing the 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet.
Sure, Nissan designers went out on a limb when they undertook the be-heading of their popular Murano Crossover vehicle. Was this a case of “Headless Body in Topless Bar” (apologies to the New York Post headline writers) or is Nissan really onto something here?
It’s the world’s first all-wheel-drive crossover convertible
Boasting crossover functionality with open-air access, it is a shortened Murano with a removed top that got rid of two doors but in turn lengthened the doors that remain. The result is a vehicle that offers comfortable legroom even after the two rear passenger seats are filled.
Nissan has been holding smaller, focused ride and drive vehicle launches around the country. Focusing their efforts on family and lifestyle bloggers, they have been showing the vehicle to a pack of wolves, er, critics that have skewed predominantly female. But when we got behind the wheel and drove through South Florida, the majority of the comments we received were from men. And there was not a negative one in the bunch.
It’s an awkward look at first, but when a company adopts the tagline “innovation without limits” and then backs it up with something unexpected, you have to give Nissan the props. They follow up the innovation by offering the Murano CrossCabrio with virtually no options. Trying out a new boutique–style ordering method, the only choice you really have is in what color you’ll take.
Who else?
Except for those hardy souls who have taken a Sawzall to the top of their Jeep Cherokees, the CrossCabriolet’s competitive playing field is empty. And please don’t start writing that the Jeep Wrangler is a crossover. We won’t answer you. It’s a totally different beast.
The front fenders, engine, windshield and dashboard are all that remain from the four-door version of the Murano. Gone are the B-pillars, as well as the rear doors. The front doors have been extended 7.9 inches for easy entrance and egress from the second row. Pop-up roll bars are located just behind the headrests in the backseat and are engineered to push up through the skylight on the canvas convertible roof. By the way, open to close, the convertible roof can do its thing in 25 seconds.
Although this is not your typical Home Depot-run vehicle able to swallow 12 bags of mulch, a new toilet and a barbecue grill, Nissan says that trunk capacity with the top down is good for 7.6 cubic feet. That’s equal to two sets of golf clubs or two carryon suitcases. When you put the top up, the space grows to 12.3 feet. That’s good for five cases of wine or a bunch of bulk buying at the local Costco warehouse store. That’s not to say that the rear seat won’t be pressed into action for additional storage.
The boutique is on the inside
After making ourselves at home in the CrossCabrio’s cabin, we actually thought we were riding in an Infiniti. Which begs the question, “why isn’t this an Infiniti?” Nissan’s John Schilling would have none of that, explaining that Infiniti has its own G37 convertible.
In fact, the interior does look decidedly Infiniti-esque. Order the black, cashmere, or camel color leather interiors and you’ll get beautiful contrasting wood trim veneers inside. Take your pick of quilted or normal leather. Heated seats and steering wheel are standard, and would be of little use in most droptop climates. We would have loved to have seen and experienced ventilated seats especially in the case of the black leather interior. Maybe that would have been just a little too Infiniti-esque.
We like the ease-of-use of the entry/exit button on the passenger seat back to allow rear seat occupants easy access to their spots.
Other creature comforts include a Bose audio system with eight speakers, a subwoofer and a 9.3 GB Music Box HD that also includes XM Nav traffic. Nissan’s NVH department outdid themselves with this one. We found it quite easy to carry on a conversation with the roof down on I-95 at 75 mph.
It’s everywhere, it’s everywhere
The Murano CrossCabriolet relies on the same 3.5-liter 24–valve V6 engine as found in the Maxima and Altima sedans, as well as in the standard Murano four-door hardtop. Making 265 horsepower and 248 lb-ft. of torque, it is coupled to the all-wheel-drive system taken from that vehicle. Power is sent to the drivetrain by the second-generation, continuously variable transmission, and uses yaw, wheel slip, and steering angle sensors to vary the torque as needed.
A MacPherson strut front suspension and a Multi-link setup in the rear keep the handling sportier than we would think possible, although you wouldn’t go corner-cutting with the CrossCab like you would with a Mini Cooper thanks to the Murano’s higher ride height. Variable speed sensing power assist keeps the steering in check. Overall, the Convertible weighs about 400 lbs. more than the hardtop, thanks to structural enhancements that are necessary when tearing the roof off the sucka. Curb weight works the scale to 4,438 lbs.. EPA cites mileage numbers of 17-city/22-highway.
Behind the wheel of the Murano CrossCabriolet found us wanting to cut out of work early, drop the top and cruise for the rest of the day. It’s just plain fun. Tracking nicely along entrance ramps on I-95, Murano sticking fairly well, as the bolstered seats managed to keep us in place. Acceleration was seamless and we thought this was the best version of Nissan’s CVT that we have tried to date. When the sun started to bake our scalps a little too much, closed-roof-relief was just a button push away.
Leftlane’s bottom line
You have to hand it to Nissan for their ingenuity. They have basically invented a new segment, and in the process, have executed it extremely well.
We have no idea how many they think they’ll move, or whether they will sell in the middle of America, but beachgoers looking for something different in Florida or California might have found their ride of the moment. But we think wherever you drive it will put you in a happy state – at least for now.
2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet base price, $46,390.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.
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