Nissan Believed Many More People Desired an SUV That Appears Less Rugged.

      Caleb Jacobs

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      The Nissan Murano has been revamped for 2025, and it's a commendable update. The challenge lies in its competition with numerous midsize crossovers, many of which have an off-road focus. Market analysis indicates that this style is currently in demand, yet Nissan has chosen a different route with the Murano, creating a stylish vehicle for urban settings. This is a bold strategy that appears to be yielding some positive results; however, Nissan has produced so many units that reports claim it's offering dealers between $1,000 and $2,000 each to accept new stock.

      The information about the surplus of Muranos comes from a report by Automotive News. It refers to Cox Automotive data revealing a five-month supply of Muranos at dealerships throughout the United States, which is a 15% rise from the 133-day supply recorded in March. Due to this surplus, Nissan is reportedly reducing its anticipated production for the year, lowering its forecast by 21% from May’s estimates to 47,410 units.

      As Nissan emphasizes the sophisticated and stylish nature of the latest generation, it has been challenging to predict how it would stack up against the adventurous competitors. Nissan Vice President of Model Line Marketing Operations Jeff Pope mentioned to Automotive News, “Understanding the share of the segment you can capture … and the volume it translates to is a bit trickier than evaluating a traditional segment like the Pathfinder. Therefore, we took an aggressive approach [and] increased initial [Murano] production.”

      Ah, the Pathfinder: another midsize crossover from Nissan that is performing well in the market. It has a clearer niche as it appeals to the fundamental segment of buyers interested in the possibility of off-road capabilities, even if they rarely utilize them. This trend has permeated almost every category—indeed, even among supercars. But that’s not the case with the Murano.

      The HVAC controls are still among the most unusual I've come across in a test vehicle. They are touch-capacitive, requiring a press on the wood-like trim to operate. Quite urban, indeed. Caleb Jacobs

      This redesign of the Murano focusing on urban functionality may have contributed to its notable performance in 2025. Deliveries surged to 8,702 in Q1, marking an 84% increase from the same timeframe last year. This improvement indicates it is recovering from the significant decline faced by the previous Murano model, which only surpassed the Mazda CX-70 and Toyota Crown Signia in its category in 2024, as those models were newly released that year.

      The longstanding neglect of the Murano is why some Nissan dealers feel they find themselves in this predicament. The model went a decade without substantial updates until this recent iteration was introduced late last year. One anonymous retailer who spoke to Automotive News expressed, “Nissan allowed the model to age so significantly that loyal Murano customers shifted their loyalty away from the brand.”

      If they manage to entice those customers back into the showroom, they may appreciate what they discover. I found the Murano enjoyable for its distinctive character when I reviewed it late last year, and with aesthetics like that, it undeniably makes a statement. We will have to wait and see if it is sufficient to draw customers away from the popular off-road capable five-seater vehicles.

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