2010 Murano LE vs. Outback 3.6R Ltd.

[mattski]

Hi All,

Thought I would share my *subjective* review of the 2010 Outback 3.6R Limited with Nav as compared to the 2010 Nissan Murano LE AWD with Nav. This is based on my experience driving both vehicles back to back for over 40 miles each on the same day. Obviously, this is based only on my experience with two single vehicles and represents my personal opinion only, so please take it with a grain of salt (or the whole shaker of salt if needed!).

Overall the Murano addressed the two fatal flaws that I had with my OB - the driver seat and the steering feel. We had winds gusting to 30 mph the day of my test drive and the OB wandered a lot and felt very light at highway speeds. The Murano tracked precisely, had nicely weighted steering, and most importantly, while it transmitted a fair amount of "road feel" with those 20 inch wheels, it it did not shake or vibrate at all. It was well-planted, inspiring and most of all - FUN to drive (I missed those days!). In the ideal world, I would want the "Pro's" of each in my vehicle, but that was not possible, so here is my summary of each FWIW.

Outback Pro's
More like a wagon
Better AWD system - completely transparent
Powertrain - Feels faster with 5 speed and paddle shifters
Better visibility to the rear
Bigger Nav screen
Lower roof height
More cargo space
Smaller wheels - better ride and cheaper rubber
Lighter by 500 lbs or so (Murano is a bit of a porker!)
Better fuel economy and uses regular fuel

Murano Pro's
Precise and communicative steering
Very comfortable seats - especially for tall guys like me
Memory for seats, mirrors and sterring wheel position
Quieter cabin and highway cruise
Simpler and faster nav system - no lockouts for iPod control!
Bose stereo - very sweet with 2 subs
Very smooth CVT - definitely for cruising
Folding mirrors
Rear seat heaters and vent ducts
Smart key - can stay in your pocket for locking/unlocking and starting car
Bi-Xenon headlights
Comes in red

Cheers,
Matt

[Orzel]

Nice comparison, and looks to be a fair evaluation. We did much the same sort of testing but our comparison was the new RX350 (we were coming out of an RX330 and we also tested the new Audi, the Mercedes, a Venza and the Mazda's). I swear that the Mo is quieter, quicker, and certainly a lot sportier, much better road feel. Seats were about equal to the Lexus. However there are systems that Lexus has perfected like the self clearing side windows that are head and shoulders above many other brands. Body style, cockpit and some QA problems convinced us to go with the Murano. NOt only that, but those Lexus $150 oil changes get really old....

[mattski]

Hi All,
Quick update after living with the Murano for 2 months (and after leaving my 2010 Outback behind).

What I miss the MOST about the Outback - the AWD powetrain. The Subaru set-up is really smooth and seamless. I also miss the 50% rear bias on the 3.6R.

Biggest surprise about the Murano - How well it handles in the curves (very little lean for such a tall vehicle) and how stable it is on the highway even in heavy winds.

Biggest annoyance about the Murano - The sunroof wind deflector is a useless piece of mesh that whistles incessantly at any speed over 35 mph. All things considered, thisis pretty minor!

Cheers,
Matt