[Waz]

I find it strange that none of the press writeup of the FX45/35, or the official Infiniti information, make any mention whatsoever of the Murano. The latest Car and Driver has road tests of both the Murano and the FX45, and neither article makes a single mention of the obvious similarities between the two cars!

Am I missing something? Is the FX45 an upgraded Murano, or is it a completely different vehicle?

I'm currently trying to decide between the two, pretty much based solely on looks. I'm not sure if I like the pointed front bumper and curved back end of the Murano, and the FX35 seems to me to be pretty much the same car as the top-end Murano. Any real differences other than the tranny and the bodywork?

 

[dubfly]

other than what you mentioned, it's a whole lot faster. 280hp for the 35 and 300 for the 45. personally i don't think it's obvious they look simular. actually, i don't think they look simular at all. that's probably why you haven't seen anyone write up abou them being the same. body styles of both are different. im not sure if they have the same engines but i recongnized some cosmetic parts being shared between the two such as steering wheel, door handles...etc.

 

[Taylormade]

In addition to what dubfly said, the cargo space in the Murano is much larger than the FX. Other than a few shared parts, it's a totally different vehicle. It doesn't use the CVT transmission either.

 

[Taylormade]

Here's additional information from thecarconnection.com. Check out their review and you'll see why there's not much of a comparison between the two vehicles.

"The FX is making its debut shortly after Nissan?s new Murano, and given the similar size of the two vehicles, some might think that the two vehicles are on the same platform. But, read: they are not. To clear up the confusion, the Murano is built on Nissan?s corporate FF-M platform, a primarily front-wheel-drive platform that the Altima, Maxima, and next-generation Quest are based on, and the engine is mounted transversely (side-to-side). The FX, on the other hand, is built on Nissan?s corporate FM (Front Midship) platform, a primarily rear-wheel-drive (and all-wheel-drive) performance-oriented platform also used by the Nissan Z350 and Infiniti G35, and the engines are mounted longitudinally (front-to-back)."