Our test vehicle did have the auxiliary controls on the steering wheel that came in very handy, although the horn was less than worthy when it came to getting someone's attention.

There are also three power outlets in this Nissan, which is a nice touch as

2006 Nissan Murano

you can plug in your whatever from the front-passenger footwell, the center console and the rear cargo area.

Rear seating is excellent and you can adjust the rake, but this is difficult to do when the car is moving. The rear seats are split and can be flipped so that a generous 82 or so cubic feet of storage is yours. As mom mentioned, the liftover is quite high even for me.

The Murano is much better than the overrated BMW X5 when it comes to performance and the Nissan costs a lot less. Too bad people won't probably be cross-shopping these two because if you were blindfolded you would always choose the Murano. I got about 22 mpg with the Nissan, or nearly 8 mpg more than the BMW.

In our mountain test section the continuous variable transmission performed exceptionally. It even automatically holds the Murano in a lower gear as you go down step grades to prevent overheating the brakes. By the way, the four wheel vented discs were above average, but don't expect neck snapping stopping as they Murano weighs over two tons. The Brake Assist and electronic brake force distribution system help control the Nissan by varying the pressure to each wheel as it is needed.

Young working woman's view: The shape never appealed to me, but I thought the interior was modern and even a touch elegant. Driving was very easy with a high seating position and above average handling,

2006 Nissan Murano

braking, and acceleration. I even found the fuel mileage acceptable for such a large vehicle. I was surprised that there were three areas in the center console for storage and also room in the door pockets and glove compartment. The rear cargo bay can easily hold enough groceries for a week and the rear hatch opens easily, although there is a high liftover.

Getting in and out wasn't too difficult and the turning radius was quite good. I could easily park this Murano without having to do a three-point turn. Actually, I have nothing negative to report other than the overly complicated driver's computer and the small gauges. I wasn't looking forward to testing this Murano, but in the end I found I had learned to love it.

Family conference: If you like the way the Nissan Murano looks, there is no reason not to consider this SUV. However, watch the option list carefully because they are bundled. Also take it for a long ride over roughed up roads to make sure you can live with the sporty suspension. Finally, take a close look at your needs. The Murano does not have third row seating. On the other hand it is easy to drive and certainly distinctive. We have friends who bought one and swear by it for both daily transportation and long trips. She has a bad back so they ordered the more comfortable SL version and it already has 60,000 trouble free miles on it. For the websites of most every manufacture of cars and motorcycles go to http://www.reacheverychild.com/business/index.html