Nissan Murano named one of WardsAuto World's "10 Best Interiors" of 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nearly a year after it was officially unveiled, good news continues to roll in for the all-new 2015 Nissan Murano. Yesterday, WardsAuto World named the Murano to its annual "Ward's 10 Best Interiors" list for 2015. The Murano will be honored at the WardsAuto Interiors Conference on Wednesday, May 13, at the Cobo Center in Detroit.

To select "Ward's 10 Best Interiors," editors spent two months evaluating 42 vehicles during their routine commutes in and around metro Detroit. Editors then submitted score sheets ranking the entries on features such as ergonomics, driver information, fit-and-finish, materials, value, safety, comfort and design harmony.

"First time I saw the new Murano interior, I was blown away by the pearlescent film that's used to lovely effect on the doors, instrument panel, center console and armrest," said Tom Murphy, executive editor,WardsAuto World. "The rest of the interior is brilliantly executed as well, from the smooth, flowing lines of the instrument panel to the ample cargo hold. Beige interiors often are perceived as boring, but this one is stylish and contemporary while achieving a serenity uncommon among midsize CUVs."

The all-new third-generation Murano features modern styling, premium interior and advanced, purposeful technology. The breakthrough exterior design projects a sense of refined intensity, creating an immediate "wow" response, while delivering a low 0.31 drag coefficient. The breakthrough exterior design carries into the interior, which offers an engaging social lounge feel through features such as the refined instrument panel, low center console, advanced NASA-inspired Zero Gravity front and outboard rear seating, and the airy atmosphere created by the large windows and oversized Power Panoramic Moonroof.

"The 2015 Murano has been a great success for Nissan on many levels," said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations U.S., Nissan North America, Inc. "We are truly honored to receive this recognition from WardsAuto."

Premium features and driver assistance technologies abound in the 2015 Murano, including available NissanConnect^SM with Navigation and Mobile Apps, 8-inch color display with multi-touch control, rear USB port with smartphone interface, Around View® Monitor with Moving Object Detection (MOD), Nissan Intelligent Key® with Push Button Ignition, 11-speaker Bose® premium audio system, Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Predictive Forward Collision Warning (PFCW), Forward Emergency Braking (FEB), Driver Attention Alert (DAA)* and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA).

Every 2015 Murano comes with a standard 260-horsepower 3.5-liter DOHC V6 connected to an advanced Xtronic transmission. Fuel economy has increased 20 percent (over the previous generation) for combined mpg and is rated at 21/28/24 mpg city/highway/combined for both front-wheel and all-wheel drive models.

The 2015 Murano is offered in four trim levels – S, SV, SL and Platinum – and in a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)* for the Murano S FWD is $29,560 USD, while the top-of-the-line Murano Platinum AWD is priced at $40,600 USD (full pricing is available at NissanNews.com).

For two weeks beginning April 27, the Murano and other winners will be profiled on WardsAuto.com. To view the complete "Ward's 10 Best Interiors" list, please visit http://wardsauto.com/2015-wards-10-best-interiors

Worldwide, Nissan Leaf has outsold next two competitors combined

Nissan may not be meeting some of the more optimistic prognostications with sales of its Leaf electric vehicle, but it's certainly kicking the competition's butt. EV Sales is tracking global sales of plug-in vehicle models and estimates that Nissan has sold almost 172,000 units of the Leaf worldwide. That's more than the two next-best-selling plug-ins combined.

Globally, EV Sales estimates, the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in has moved about 88,000 units, while Toyota has sold about 71,000 of its Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles worldwide. Fourth-place Tesla Model S is close behind at about 66,000 units.

Among automakers, Nissan is also by far the lead dog, but Mitsubishi has leapfrogged Chevrolet among plug-in vehicle makers, as the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid continues to sell well. Impressively, the relatively new BMW i3 has moved almost 23,000 units since its debut in Germany last year.

As for Nissan, company chief Carlos Ghosn said at the New York Auto Show earlier this month that the company could sell as many as 50,000 units a year of the Leaf in the US, provided that charging infrastructure throughout the country improves. Earlier this year, cumulative US Leaf sales moved past 75,000 units since its late-2010 launch.