2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet Review

The 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is a new convertible variant of Nissan's popular SUV. So as far as convertibles are concerned, the 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is quite practical.

Given TTAC’s reputation for lack of restraint when it comes to criticism, I was more than a little surprised to see an invite to the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet launch in San Diego, California. Especially considering that our initial reaction to images of the world’s first soft-top CUV was



Which leads to a problem: how do you define successful designs for convertible crossovers? Nissan explains that the goal of this car isn’t simply to sell a huge number of convertibles: it’s actually intended as a halo for the Murano line.



Otherwise, new front seats have been fitted to give more visibility from the rear seat, and the interior has been worked over considerably.



Luckily the rising beltline keeps rear passengers well-cocooned, and the fresh air is not unpleasantly buffeting (although the rear belts will batter against the seats at speed).

Well, for the surprising amount of sense the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet makes as a value-poseur-mobile, Murano halo or four-up cabrio, on the road the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet falls apart under the weight of its many contradictions.



In that world, the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet would not exist, as large, softly-sprung convertible sedans would be able to seat four adults with the top down.

The 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is a two-door convertible variant of the regular Murano crossover SUV. Inside, it gets automatic dual-zone climate control, cruise control, a rearview camera, an eight-way power driver seat with power lumbar adjustment, driver seat memory functions, heated front seats, leather upholstery, a heated and power-operated tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and an auto-dimming mirror.



The "2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet" is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 265 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel drive and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) are standard. Unlike the regular Murano, which takes regular gas, the "Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet" requires premium.



The Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet comes standard with antilock brakes, traction and stability control, pop-up roll bars, front seat side airbags and door-mounted curtain-style side airbags. Convertibles are not supposed to be spacious. Otherwise, the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet shares its cabin with a fully loaded regular Murano.



Come winter time, the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet will show it's up to wintry tasks with its all-wheel drive. You'll be laughing at the meteorologist when you settle into the CrossCabriolet's standard heated leather seats.



With soft-top in place, the CrossCabriolet's profile looks similar to the Murano crossover. Because the front passenger seat easily flips forward, we made it a rule that the kids always entered the car from the passenger side. Like most convertibles, the CrossCabriolet's trunk is relatively small. Low-clearance items like duffel bags, suitcases and groceries in plastic bags could easily squat under the soft-top's housing. I averaged 18.3 mpg during my test drive, and with the top up I inched up the average to 18.5 mpg.



Because it's the top trim level, the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet comes with standard heated seats, dual-zone climate control and Bluetooth connectivity.

I appreciated the CrossCabriolet's high side walls; they came up to nose-height or higher on my kids. To find out how the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet did in MotherProof.com's Car Seat Check,