The Nissan Murano is enjoyable to drive. It handles more like a car than like a truck and better than other vehicles in this class. It's a relatively sporty vehicle with quick acceleration and responsive handling. Its smooth ride and powerful engine make for enjoyable highway travel as well.

Nissan's 240-hp V6 feels mighty healthy in spite of the Murano's considerable heft at just under 4,000 pounds. The Murano feels as quick as a sports sedan. Throttle response is strong any time you tap the pedal, a benefit of 244 pound-feet of torque. Towing isn't its forte, as with others in this class, but the Murano can tow up 3500 pounds.

The continuously variable transmission is responsive and fuel efficient. Unlike a four-speed automatic, there are no perceptible gear changes. It works steplessly. As you accelerate, instead of shifting through gears, the CVT uses variable-diameter pulleys connected by a complex steel belt to change ratios continuously and transfer engine torque to the driveshafts. It changes ratios more smoothly than a normal automatic does, allowing the engine to rev at a speed that's most efficient for acceleration. This also improves fuel economy. Front-wheel-drive Muranos delivers an impressive 20/25 mpg city/highway, according to EPA estimates.

The CVT in the Murano has just three ranges: D for normal driving, S for sportier acceleration and L for the lowest range. Shifting from D to S raises engine revs 2500 rpm at a given road speed. Dropping from S to L increases engine speed by another 1000 rpm. Rev the engine near its 6600rpm redline and the ratio automatically reduces, thereby lowering the engine revs as the Murano's speed increases. Engine braking is programmed into the electronics that control the CVT, so when you're coasting down a steep hill, accelerometers sense this condition and increase the effective gear ratio, which is akin to downshifting a conventional transmission.

Fortunately, you don't need to understand any of this, or even be aware of it, to drive the Murano. We are particularly impressed with how quiet this transmission is compared to conventional automatics. Acceleration is quicker than with a conventional automatic and it's impressively smooth. Indeed, at first it may feel too smooth. It's surprising how deeply we're conditioned by the operation of an engine and conventional automatic transmission. The Murano's sensation of acceleration without an increase in the engine's pitch or speed takes some getting used to.

Handling is impressive. We found that the Murano rides and handles better than a Honda Pilot, and we liked its ride and handling better than other mid-priced SUVs. Murano's road manners are as impressive as its smooth drivetrain. The steering feels quick during turn-in, and the big 18-inch tires refrain from squealing until they are truly at the edge of cornering adhesion, increasing the driver's confidence that Murano will respond like a well-sorted sedan. It does just that up to about 8/10ths of its performance envelope, at which point it begins to understeer. Hitting a big bump at the apex of a corner doesn't upset its handling.

All-wheel drive takes much of the stress out of driving under rainy or snowy conditions. It improves overall traction and reduces the likelihood of skids, so it's well worth having for bad weather or emergency lane-change maneuvers. The Murano's all-wheel-drive system drives the front wheels until wheelspin is detected, at which point the center differential can redirect up to half of the power to the rear wheels.

The brakes are highly effective and easy to modulate for smooth stops. The braking system includes four-wheel vented disc brakes with Brake Assist, which helps ensure maximum braking force in a panic stop, and electronic brake-force Distribution (EBD), which reduces stopping distances and improves stability by dynamically distributing the braking force between the front and rear wheels.

Optional Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) further improves stability in slippery situations by automatically applying brake pressure to individual wheels and reducing the power whenever it detects the tires are beginning to lose grip in a corner. This can help the driver maintain control of the car.

The Murano is not a small car and its front fenders and hood slope dramatically downward and out of view. The Murano can feel wide on narrow rural roads when meeting cars coming the other way, and the driver needs to take care when parking or maneuvering in tight quarters.