The redesigned Nissan Murano has broken cover in metro Detroit yet again, this time with the better part of its new cabin visible. While the exterior of this prototype is still wearing camouflage that is nearly as extensive as it was when we last saw it in September 2023, it’s clear that Nissan is progressing ever closer to putting its updated midsize two-row into production.
The cabin is the big story here. The current dash puts the infotainment rather low in the dash — a design trend that dates the aging midsizer — and we can see in these photos that virtually nothing from the current layout has been preserved. Instead, there’s a broad, almost shelf-like lower dash underneath high-mounted screens, with the HVAC vents and controls down below, much like the configuration of the Nissan Ariya EV. There’s one notable difference, however: The Murano’s dash appears to preserve a large group of physical controls. We can see a large knob along with physical climate control buttons plainly in these photos.
While some automakers have set aside the midsize crossover segment for experiments in electrification, the next Murano is expected to remain on the current car’s D platform (the same it has utilized since its last update in 2015), shared with the Nissan Pathfinder and various Infiniti crossover models. Nissan seems content to let the Murano differentiate itself on styling and interior space, rather than powertrain offerings. On that front, we have our fingers crossed that the Pathfinder’s traditional automatic will make its way under the hood of the Murano this time around, rather than the current model’s CVT.
As of publication time, we don’t have an exact timeline for the new Murano’s unveiling, but given how old the current model is, it really can’t come soon enough. Expect to hear more before the year is out.