2023 Nissan Altima Sr Fwd on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2015 Nissan Murano First Drive

The Murano has an interesting position within the Nissan stable. On one hand, its size puts it between the Rogue and Pathfinder, both of which are geared more toward families, big and small. And while the Murano could easily be used for hauling your brood, that's not exactly its forte. After all, unlike it's siblings, it offers no third row accommodations. There's no rear-seat entertainment system available. There are no clever storage systems. That's because, in Nissan's eyes, the Murano is the flagship of its crossover range, and it's geared more toward older couples – empty-nesters, or folks who just never got around to having kids. This allows the Murano to be more premium in terms its styling and its available content. The Murano is less about taking the kids to soccer practice and more about taking four adults out to a wine tasting. Premium styling is indeed the big story here – this Murano looks fantastic, and is a rather dramatic departure from the oft-disliked second-generation model it replaces. Beyond that, the new Murano is more in line with the radical-looking, first-gen CUV that debuted in the early 2000s. But Nissan says the whole Murano package was developed with this flagship theme in mind – the company's executives call this the Maxima of its crossovers. To find out if that all holds true for the 2015 Murano, I headed up to California wine country – the vehicle's natural habitat, I've been led to understand – to see what's what. When it came time to pen the 2015 model, Nissan strived to "push the reset button." I don't think anyone loves the Nissan Murano as much as the automaker's senior creative manager in North America, Ken Lee. While presenting the third-generation crossover to members of the media during the car's launch in Napa, CA, Lee said it was the original Murano that made him want to work for Nissan in the first place. So when it came time to pen the 2015 model, Lee strived to "push the reset button," and create a product with an equally strong styling statement. The goal here was to design a Murano that would resonate as a premium vehicle not only as part of the Nissan lineup, but within the midsize crossover segment as a whole. I use the word "resonate" for a reason. Think back to the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, when Nissan debuted its Resonance concept – an aggressive, modern showcar that clearly showed a new direction for not just the Murano itself, but for all of the Japanese automaker's future designs.

Nissan introduces new seven-seat e-NV200 electric minivan

Intrigued by the prospect of an electric van like the Nissan e-NV200, but need to transport more people? The Japanese automaker may have just the solution. Nissan has announced the expansion of its battery-powered people-hauler with the new seven-seater e-NV200. Billed as the "world's first all-electric seven-seat MPV," the new model is being rolled out (in certain markets anyway) in response to popular demand, and packs an extra set of full-size seats in the back. The seven-seater joins the e-NV200 range alongside the existing panel van and five-seat versions. At the same time, Nissan has also announced the addition of a new premium Evalia trim for both five- and seven-seat versions. Previewed in concept form a few months ago, the e-NV200 Evalia is ideally suited for transporting VIPs in quiet luxury. NISSAN LAUNCHES SEVEN-SEAT E-NV200 - Seven-seat e-NV200 goes on sale in July - Model is world's first all-electric seven-seat MPV - Introduction of full-trim Evalia to e-NV200 line-up - Model launched in response to high demand Nissan will broaden the appeal of its award-winning all-electric e-NV200 this summer with the UK launch of a versatile and practical seven seat version. The new model – the world's first pure electric seven seater – is being introduced in response to huge interest from fleet operators and larger families keen to capitalise on the market-leading e-NV200's low running and maintenance costs and zero emissions performance. Prices start at GBP19,895 (incorporating the Government Plug-In Car Grant) for those choosing the convenience of the Nissan Flex battery leasing option*, and from GBP23,400 (inc PiCG) for those purchasing outright. At the same time, the e-NV200 line-up will be further strengthened with the addition of a new 'Evalia' version available in five and seven-seat form – offering a 'full trim' option for the ultimate combination of technology, style, sophistication and comfort. The developments mean the e-NV200 will be available as a panel van, five or seven-seat Combi, or five or seven-seat Evalia – giving customers the freedom to specify a vehicle that best suits their lifestyle or business requirements. Launched in response to demand The launch of the seven-seat version fills a gap in the market for an electric vehicle (EV) capable of accommodating larger groups of people. Private hire companies and shuttle services in particular have been keen to see its introduction since the e-NV200 was launched last year.

Green self-driving cars take center stage in Tokyo

Visions of cars that drive themselves without emitting a bit of pollution while entertaining passengers with online movies and social media are what's taking center stage at the Tokyo Motor Show. Japan, home to the world's top-selling automaker, has a younger generation disinterested in owning or driving cars. The show is about wooing them back. It's also about pushing an ambitious government-backed plan that paints Japan as a leader in automated driving technology. Reporters got a preview look at the exhibition Wednesday, ahead of its opening to the public Oct. 30. Nissan Motor Co. showed a concept vehicle loaded with laser scanners, a 360 degree camera setup, a radar and computer chips so the car can "think" to deliver autonomous driving. The Japanese automaker called it IDS, which stands for "intelligent driving system." Nissan, based in Yokohama, Japan, said it will offer some autonomous driving features by the end of next year in Japan. By 2018, it said vehicles with the technology will be able to conduct lane changes on highways. By 2020, such vehicles will be able to make their way through intersections on regular urban roads. Nissan officials said they were working hard to make the car smart enough to recognize the difference between a red traffic light and a tail light, learn how to turn on intersections where white lane indicators might be missing and anticipate from body language when a pedestrian might cross a street. Nissan's IDS vehicle is also electric, with a new battery that's more powerful than the one currently in the automaker's Leaf electric vehicle. Although production and sales plans were still undecided, it can travel a longer distance on a single charge and recharge more quickly. A major challenge for cars that drive themselves is winning social acceptance. They would have to share the roads with normal cars with drivers as well as with pedestrians, animals and unexpected objects. That's why some automakers at the show are packing the technology into what looks more like a golf cart or scooter than a car, such as Honda Motor Co.'s cubicle-like Wander Stand and Wander Walker scooter. Instead of trying to venture on freeways and other public roads, these are designed for controlled environments, restricted to shuttling people to pre-determined destinations. At a special section of the show, visitors can try out some of the so-called "smart mobility" devices such as Honda's seat on a single-wheel as well as small electric vehicles.