Timing is everything. Just ask anyone who bought Enron stock in the summer of 2001, or anyone who bought a house in late 2008; the ebb and flow of things can really hinder or help chances of success. Like anything on this pale blue dot, the Nissan Murano is also subject to these sorts of forces, and while it’s objectively a pretty nice crossover, Nissan is reportedly slashing production targets.
It’s not a tariff thing, as the Murano is made in Tennessee, but instead seems to be a matter of timing and tastes colliding with changed consumer desires. It’s a whole new world out there, and while the Murano nameplate made waves in the 2000s, the formula just isn’t hitting like it used to.
At the same time, Honda and Acura have just issued a moderately sketchy brake pedal recall, Toyota is moving RAV4 battery pack production to the assembly plants themselves, and the Lexus IS 500 seems to be going out the same way it arrived by making people crack grins. All this coming up on today’s edition of The Morning Dump.
Anyone Want A Nissan Murano?
The new fourth-generation Nissan Murano is surprisingly good, a plush and well-appointed midsize two-row crossover for the relaxed set. We liked it when we road tested it, even if it’s not an exhilarating experience. However, if you scratched your head as to why Nissan, a brand with its own deep set of troubles, invested that much money into a new combustion-powered two-row midsize crossover that starts at over $40 grand instead of something like a cheaper hybrid Rogue, your instinct might be right. In this story titled “Trouble signs mount for Nissan’s ‘odd man out’ Murano,” Automotive News reports that the Murano is so oversupplied that Nissan’s “pausing work on an upcoming refresh.” Let’s look at the situation:
Despite a redesign earlier this year, Nissan has more than five months’ worth of Murano inventory, a 15 percent jump from its 133-day supply in March, according to Cox Automotive data.
In a June 11 presentation to suppliers reviewed by Automotive News, Nissan said it expects to build 47,410 Muranos in the 2025 fiscal year, 21 percent fewer than it had projected in May.
To get rid of inventory, Nissan began offering dealerships $1,000 to $2,000 for each Murano they take.
Ah, that’s not good. At this point, it shouldn’t be surprising that some dealers and other involved parties believe that the new Murano isn’t the product Nissan needs now, and several shared their thoughts with Automotive News:
“Why would you spend even more money to revive something that doesn’t light up the sales floor?” a dealer said. Nissan “should take the investment and move it somewhere else.”
“This car is not in a clear segment anymore,” said a person with knowledge of the matter. “I don’t think it’s as necessary in the lineup, especially with the Pathfinder doing well.”
Months of inventory, slashed production forecasts, and cash on the hood all add up to bad news. What went wrong? On the face of things, expectations. See, first-quarter Murano sales are up year-over-year by a whopping 84 percent, but even if we multiply that figure of 8,702 units by four as an extra-rough estimation, that’s still a far cry from 2016, when 83,953 Muranos made it into driveways across America. Part of the problem is likely that the appetite for bulbous mainstream midsize two-row crossovers just isn’t what it used to be, especially with compact models gaining luxury toys, three-row models offering increased flexibility for relatively little penalty, and everything gravitating toward a more rugged aesthetic.
Of course, it would certainly help if the Murano were available in a hybrid variant in addition to the two-liter variable-compression turbocharged four-cylinder model, but that’s just an extra layer of frosting on a car that does nothing wrong, other than simply not meeting the bulk of the market where it’s at right now. Miscalculation of a new car program like that is a mistake that can often be measured in billions of dollars. Still, if you are looking at perhaps leasing a midsize crossover, I bet Nissan wants to move some Muranos.
Braking Bad
There are certain things on a car that you don’t want to have come loose unexpectedly, like the roof or the hood. Or how about the brake pedal? Yeah, Honda and Acura just recalled 259,033 cars due to a defect that could render their brake pedals less firmly located than they should be. Here’s what the official recall report states:
During production, the brake pedal pivot pin was not staked, which may allow the pedal to shift out of position. This can result in lateral movement of the brake pedal and may lead to unintended application. If this occurs, the driver’s ability to safely slow or stop the vehicle could be compromised.
Yeah, brake pedals probably should’ve move side-to-side. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported due to this problem, but it sounds like an alarming thing to experience out on the road. Equally alarming is just how this defect ended up occurring, because it seems like the sort of decision chain you’d hear about on a late-night political show. As the official report states:
As part of the production transition from the U.S. to the Mexico facility, the supplier increased staffing levels to build parts inventory and mitigate potential supply disruptions associated with the move. However, due to insufficient training, the staking process was not performed, resulting in brake pedals with unstaked pivot pins. Additionally, a malfunction in the QR code scanning system—designed to prevent process omissions—led the supplier to disable the function and continue production, allowing the issue to go undetected.
Given this news of improper training combined with flouting quality controls, it’s a wonder that only three warranty claims have resulted from this situation. Anyway, if you own an affected 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, or 2023-2025 Honda Pilot, you should be getting a letter in the mail next month about fixing this problem.
Oh, That’s How They’ll Do It
The 2026 Toyota RAV4 is a big deal. America’s most popular car is going hybrid, but for those who’ve tried to get their hands on a current RAV4 Hybrid, getting an electrified model has historically been tricky. Even though 48 percent of all RAV4s sold last quarter were hybridized, Toyota’s basically selling them as fast as it can build them. When every new RAV4’s electrified, where are all the battery packs going to come from?
Well, Canada, actually. Automotive News reports that Toyota is adding new battery pack production lines in the Cambridge, Ontario and Woodstock, Ontario plants in preparation for the next RAV4, a marked departure from the way things used to be. As the outlet writes:
Carrying out final battery assembly marks a “big change” for the Southwestern Ontario plants, which until now, have received completed batteries ready to be placed directly into hybrids built on-site, said Scott MacKenzie, director of corporate and external affairs at TMMC and Toyota Canada.
Basically, instead of relying on complete supplied battery packs, Toyota will be shipping battery modules from its battery plant in North Carolina to Canada, putting them into packs, and then putting those packs into RAV4s being made in the same plants where the packs are… well, packed. It’s a big streamlining that should vastly increase capacity and open up current bottlenecks. I’ll actually be at the Cambridge plant next week, and while I’m not sure I’ll see much of these new battery pack lines, expect some fun content soon.
Godspeed, IS 500
When the Lexus IS 500 exits production, I’ll be sad. Not because it’s the sharpest, quickest, most traction-rich sports sedan on the market, but because a 472-horsepower V8 in a car the size of a Corolla is a belly laugh. It’s a riotously good tine, soft enough to glide over pockmarked streets but tactile enough to make you feel something, whether feeling what the front tires are doing or having the hairs on the back of your neck stand up when the flap in the intake opens. As murmurs around whether Lexus IS 500 production will wind down swirl, Japan’s getting a special model of its own with run-out connotations, one with an especially great name if you have a mental age of about 12. According to a Google Translated press release, it’s going to be seriously rare, with Lexus stating “It is scheduled to be sold in limited quantities of 500 units from around August 2025 through Lexus dealers nationwide.”
This machine largely mirrors what America gets in the IS 500 Ultimate Edition, from the six-piston front brake calipers clamping down on 15-inch front discs to the BBS forged wheels to the red-and-black interior. There have been limited-run IS 500 models with better colors than the grey here, but none with a better name. See, these 500 cars are all going to be called the IS 500 Climax Edition, engraved in badges and displayed in the gauge cluster. I understand that word means peak, but it’s also amusing innuendo, fitting for a car with a sense of humour.
What I’m Listening To While Writing TMD
It’s been more than 15 years since we last heard a new Clipse album, and a lot has changed in that time. Thankfully, brothers Pusha T and Malice have teamed up again, and the result so far is like a cold glass of Perrier in the desert. Just check out the latest single, “So Be It.” From the blue chip visual of a gullwing 300SL in the video to surgical bars like “Lotta jettin’, Prada beddin’, 911s,” a Travis Scott diss coming out of left field to the dark, and sprawling production, this track’s absolutely dripping with excellence. The duo’s fourth studio album “Let God Sort ‘Em Out” is set to drop during Goodwood, and you can bet I’ll ask for aux permission in the Rodius to bump it. If “So Be It” is any indication, we are so back.
The Big Question:
Let’s say, hypothetically, the new Nissan Murano never ended up happening, the money spent on it is still sitting in Nissan’s accounts, and you’re in charge of what to develop with those funds. What sort of car are you bringing to the Nissan lineup?
Top graphic credit: Nissan
What to build instead of a Murano? This might be an odd take – but nothing. Nissan has enough models on sale – the problem is that most of them aren’t competitive. I would use those billions saved to develop a good 2-motor hybrid system and every model in the reduced lineup would have an hybrid as the base engine.
If I’m in charge of the Nissan model lineup:
Cars:
I agree with their current plan to axe the Versa and Altima. They only need one sedan and a midsize Sentra will do. It needs to be competitive with the Civic.
Sports Cars:
Yes, the GT-R needed to go – so does the Z. Bankrupt companies don’t have money to waste on poor selling halo cars
Trucks:
Killing the Titan made sense – focus on the Frontier
Crossovers:
Kicks Play needs to go. The new Kicks is better in every way and selling the old one at a $300 discount makes no sense
3 crossovers (Kicks, Rogue, Pathfinder) works.
SUVs:
One BOF SUV is enough.
EVs:
Leaf could die. Focus on making the Ariya competitive.
Well, the Murano money probably wouldn’t stretch far, but, I’d look to do a Bronco/Wrangler/4Runner competitor on the Frontier platform, sharing as much of the pickup’s sheet metal as possible, and also do a stretch of the Z to either offer a 2+2 hatch version or a full-on sedan (probably with a different name). Neither of those would involve an all-new platform or design, so could probably be spun off relatively cheaply
I mean, the crew-cab Frontier has such a tiny bed it might as well be an SUV. Shorten the frame and fair the bed into the cab and you’re set.
Agreed. at least they have a long bed (6ft) option. I wonder why jeep does not do that with the gladiator.
The vehicle you described used to exist- the Xterra.
The new Murano is kind of oddly styled in my opinion, but it also suffers from the Jatco quality concerns, even though they currently are using an honest to goodness 9 speed auto trans.
I think for my tastes they are trying to market it as a Luxury ride, but it looks small, does not come off as all that luxurious and start a hair over 40K and quickly builds up to a 50K OTD price tag.
I’d make a new Xterra!
That would eat into this as well as the Rogue sales, which are likely not all that great anyway, they also might hurt pathfinder sales a bit….but I would definitely welcome a Frontier bases actual SUV with a frame and actual Offroad goodies like lockers and a selectable transfer case
They clearly forgot that the Murano’s segment is convertible crossover.
100% market share!
The 90s 300ZX just as it was.
I’m bringing back the Titan. No hybrid. V8. 4×4 for $30,000.
Boom.
Nissan needs to bring back the Micra… but this time as a three-row SUV with proportions similar to the Kia Telluride. Because why not?
That’s no worse than the Mitsu Eclipse Cross… amirite?
New generation Versa. Bring back the manual, kill the ICE-only auto and replace it with a hybrid. No need for a PHEV, just a closed-loop. Drop the sedan and go to a revival of the ’80s 210/Sentra slantback wagon (“Sunny California” was the JDM name). Ruggedized volume model, sedan-height sporty and mpg-maxing trims.
That lexus is a great car, assuming it’s still lexus-reliable, which is an open question, but it’s just sooooo expensive for what it is.
By the time the dealerships get their hands on them they cost as much as a new M3, and a lower spec CT4V BW actually undercuts the IS500. I get the appeal of a V8 cruiser for sure, but those two cars just absolutely obliterate the IS500 when it comes to performance. IMHO it should be priced to compete with the mid tier sports sedans. It’ll still be slower, but the V8 would really stand out.
But they’ve priced it so high that it’s competing against the full M/RS/etc. models and it just doesn’t hold up against them at all.
I feel attacked, we thought the market was already fairly bottomed out!
If it were me, I’d say make a Leaf in the previous generation format, small 4 door hatchback, sell it mid-20s so bare bones, heck roll up windows are coming back in style, throw those in, and some better batteries, and then have the new one as the Cross Leaf or LeafUV, or just I dunno call it the Murano, and sell them as hard as possible to Europe, India, Australia, wherever EV credits are still to be had.
But I bought a house in 2008 so…take that with a grain of salt.
I think the point was to contrast buying Enron at the wrong time vs buying a house at the right time.
I also bought my first house in late 2008, and it worked out pretty well.
Not where we were in CT, we ended up doing a short sale in 2014 as I moved for my job. Bought again in 2019 and the house is worth 50% more and we’ve done nothing to it, crazy.
I think you mean shouldn’t.
But I do like the way the Murano looks, more than the Pathfinder or Rogue. Wouldn’t buy one tho.
Cheap and cheerful. 100hp., 50+mpg. under $25k. Pao! (Pow,Pow,Pow)
Pike Factory, part two. No, seriously, hear me out.
If the Leaf is actually solid overall, and very reliable, do four boutique Pike Factory variants. Make more than you did then, where you don’t have pop idols hoping they win the lottery to buy one (and some still drive them to this day!), but ensure they’re still “kind of hard to get.” You don’t want to build four PT Cruisers where they’re everywhere, because once it’s everywhere it’s not cool anymore. It must remain novel. It must be a, “Oh, hey, I saw one of those on the road today!”
Make something well styled, with a much more upscale interior, so long as what’s underneath is pretty low TCO over the long haul (at least 10 years, ideally 20+). The Pike Factory cars were all based on the March, after all.
Now you have something that gets people coming into dealerships that isn’t cheap, but there’s margin there to cover the lower volume, but people can afford. They can imagine a situation where they can actually buy it, and they want one.
Low-end halo. Figure out how to ensure it makes money, and use it to build brand excitement. That might be a decent way to get interest back in the brand.
That’s a fine idea! LEAF drivetrain gives you lots of flexibility and EVs are used more like city cars, so you can sacrifice some comfort and aero for style and fun. Federalizing them might be a pain though.
My Nissan dream is to resurrect the Datsun nameplate for a “510” retro-styled EV RWD sports sedan using a LEAF transaxle in the back. Basically a Nissan take on the Tesla Model 3.
Isn’t the Murano just an ICE’d Ariya?
When you’re the automaker for sub-prime lending with 5 other CUV/SUV things on the showroom floor – something is bound to get passed over.
The Ariya is a bit smaller but more importantly sits on its own Renault-Ampere-derived platform for EVs. Much different than Nissan’s legacy D platform used for the Murano.
What got passed over was the underlying vehicle platform, which has been the same, albeit with updates, since the 2nd-gen Murano debuted in 2007.
Sure – but does anyone really care about the underlying platform if it still works?
Most buyers would say “Huh?”
The Murano is actually interesting looking too. Someone in my neighborhood got one in a matte blue color and it’s legitimately pretty striking. I had to stop and do a double take to figure out what it was. I’m not going to comment on whether it’s good or bad looking, but it undoubtedly looks interesting and stands out, which should be another layer of appeal for the normies they’re trying to sell them too.
With that out of the way, the answer as to why no one wants them is simple-no electrification…and on top of that it’s saddled to Nissan’s miserable VC turbo 4….that doesn’t do what it’s intended to do (improve fuel economy) and is incredibly unreliable on top of that.
Very few people want mid sized SUVs that aren’t electrified anymore. Nissan should’ve known this but, well….they’re Nissan. No one is going to buy one and put up with the real world gas mileage in the low 20s when you can go to the Honda or Toyota dealership down the street and buy something that’ll get close to 40.
Anyway my business answer is I would’ve sunk all that money into hybrids. My enthusiast answer is bringing back the XTerra.
At this point, shouldn’t just about everything be at least light hybrid. A new ICE vehicle just seems DOA (I’m looking at you Ford Bronco).
Yessss. I will not look at anything that’s not at least a hybrid for my next car. Current car is ICE but it’s small and gets ALMOST 40 mpg on the highway. I cannot imagine going back down to the 20s (or lower!) when I finally give up the fun car and go back to an SUV.
It’s funny, Nissan might have had a creditable Passport alternative if they’d attached their V6 to the new 9-spd (JATCO but developed with ZF tech). At the very least, I guess, buyers didn’t have to endure the VC turbo paired with a CVT. Oh wait, they did… the quickly-cancelled VC Turbo Altima.
To the Murano’s credit, it at least has a ZF adjacent 9 speed and not a CVT.
“What sort of car are you bringing to the Nissan lineup?”
The Nissan NP300 in reg cab and crew cab variants paired with Gas, Diesel and 6spd manual or automatic.
A cheap truck with a base MSRP under $25K would move fast.
It’s already being made in Mexico, I’d wager to say it can meet EPA standards
Ok, so there’s some clear consensus that a new XTerra would have been the obvious thing to spend their money on instead of another Murano. So let me say something different.
They have the Rogue and Pathfinder. I bet the Armada still exists too and no one at Nissan thought to check to see if the lights were still on at the factory.
Theres an Altima, and a Sentra. There are even EV’s that are pretty good.
Whats missing? A cheap sports car. They have the Z, but it’s horrifically priced.
So I want to see a small, RWD, lightweight 240sx revival.
Heck, the Z should be the cheapest sports car out there already, given how long they’ve been building it. Wonder how much a 4-cylinder stripper model could sell for?
I’d develop a small sedan, wagon, and hatchback, hybrid of course and call it the 510
That’s what I said too!
Alexk98 already said it, but Nissan needs to bring the Xterra back.
The new Murano may be a nice car, but it is solidly where the Venza was a few years ago and the Passport was until recently – an in-betweener with no definable reason to exist. When the Pathfinder was a wet fart of a car in the 2010s, the Murano made more sense because it wasn’t pretending to be something it wasn’t. But these days the Pathfinder is better designed and situated (though probably still not competitive) and the Rogue does a better job of filling the two-row segment right below the Pathfinder. The Murano brings little to the table, especially at that price point, and I’d also argue it looks too much like the Ariya, which in my opinion is a bad thing.
A sports + overlanding focused minivan… Something like if the Renault Espace F1 or the Ford Supervan had babies with a Buhanka or Mitsubishi Delica. 🙂
And name it something fun like Bongo Friendee!
Nissan 100% should have developed a Frontier-based Xterra. A naturally aspirate V6 powered BOF off-roader would sell like hotcakes right now.
People aren’t that jazzed about the new 4Runner*, but there’s really no other alternative in that class. This would be a great time for Nissan to jump in.
*Before anyone jumps in, I don’t consider the Wrangler and Bronco to be direct competitors to the 4R. While they’re both BOF 4×4’s, the Jeep and Ford are much more offroad focused, with more robust offroad packages and gear and removeable doors/roof. While still capable, the 4R is optimized for pavement performance, making it #3 off-road, but #1 ON-road. Which is why I bought one.
As a Toyota apologist, this is a good take.
I agree with everything you said.
I would then take whatever is left and make the Titan an EREV. Put the 3.8 liter in their, tuned for recharging, and line the battery packs up under the bed.
Revive the nameplate, beat RAM to market, and make their full-size relevant again.
I personally love the Honda Passport but they already have money on their hoods around me so I don’t think they’re selling very well
Passport is a great choice if one doesn’t plan on doing any serious off-roading. You brought up a good point the other day about the mileage though, it gets about the same as a 4Runner and even some full sizes.
The gas mileage really is just atrocious for what it is. One of the crossover benefits compared to body on frame is they’re usually more efficient. That isn’t the case here-in fact the Trailsport actually gets worse fuel economy than an ICE 4Runner.
It’s gotta be that V6. I don’t know that much about Honda, but it seems they’ve had a 3.5 V6 for decades now. I’m sure it’s been updated, but engineers can only do so much. This should really be some sort of hybrid by now.
It’s a great motor and firmly in the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” category. I believe it had a few significant updates for this generation, including the loss of VTEC, up. It’ll probably run until the heat death of the universe…I remember my buddy got a hand me down Pilot and by the time he sold it it was at 270,000 miles, running great, and he got decent money for it all things considered.
For people that care above longevity over all else and/or want to actually overland with their Passport (I’m sure there are 3-4 of them lol) it’s a great choice. I get why they chose it-especially with the 4Runner going forced induction and sending Toyota fanboys into a collective crisis.
But for the people that just want to use it as a hauler with a little bit of extra character (probably 90+% of potential buyers) the MPG is a non starter. Unfortunately it seems like the market agrees so far-every Passport near me has money on the hood, with some already listed for 10% off MSRP.
I’m still holding out hope that Honda’s upcoming large vehicle hybrid powertrain finds its way to the Passport. I strongly doubt it would have any effect on off-road ability whatsoever and even if it takes away some space the vehicle is already so massive on the inside that it won’t make a difference.
Anyway the hybrid 4Runner is a neat idea but unfortunately the system doesn’t do anything for efficiency in the real world. It’s all about getting more power without more emissions. Most people on the forums for the 4Runner and Land Cruiser are getting mid teens in practice…and the hybrid adds so much weight that the trucks aren’t even any faster despite the added power.
Toyota doesn’t miss often but they absolutely missed on the smaller iForce MAX powertrain.
Another downside to the Toyota hybrids is that the fuel tank is much smaller. Owners are reporting range in the 200’s, meanwhile I just filled my 23-gal 5th gen 4R tank last night and the display was reading 401miles to empty. And at “empty” I still have a good 3 gallons left in the tank.
They just seem like such a swing and a miss to me. They definitely help them with emissions but they’re slower, they offer minimal if any fuel economy benefits, they add complexity, as you mention they offer less range, AND they make the SUVs they’re in less practical because they raise the load floor.
I see some small benefits for Toyota but as a potential customer I’d see no reason at all to “upgrade” if I was shopping for a Taco or 4Runner. There are barely any tangible benefits to owners as far as I can tell other than a slight bump in towing capacity and bragging rights. The engine is standard kit for the LCs and I doubt that changes because if they offered the V6 in those there’d be less incentive to upgrade to the Lexus…and thanks to Toyota’s sketchy allocation system the GX550s are still selling for over MSRP before they even hit lots…although Land Cruisers are currently rotting on lots even with cash on the hoods so something will have to give eventually.
Honestly I just think the LCs are just overpriced. If the 1958 was a $50,000 truck and the loaded ones were in the low 60s they’d sell well. But with the 1958 starting at nearly 60 and the higher trims getting into the goddamn 70s I’m unsurprised folks would rather splurge on the GX since it’s so close in price. It’s an absolute gas hog and that engine has a colorful track record so far, but I don’t think the average buyer of a $70,000 BOF SUV gives two shits….especially with the G87s in the Tahoe/Suburban actively shitting the bed.
I saw that picture of the 2026 Toyota RAV4 and honestly thought it was some sort of new Subaru.
Same. WOOF. I thought the current one was awkward looking, but this is worse. Toyota design langue has been terrible the last few years. The only Toyota that actually looks good is the Crown, esp the wagon.
I like the current one, but the new Rav4’s exterior design looks to be in the wrong direction
Maybe from a few years back. The new Subarus are heinous.
What would I build instead of a Murano?
Easiest answer in the world: A new X-Terra. The off-roader market is still crazy popular, and has Nissan nailed the formula, I’d bet serious money they’d be eating Toyota’s lunch with the mixed reviews of the new LC250 and 4 Runner.
The time for an X-Terra is now. Well, really, it was two years ago, but demand for 4WDs is still massive.
Nissan’s stylists have been sleeping at the wheel. They want to keep making marshmallows.
The easyest answer: make a couple different SUVs with totally different outwards appearances but the same basic bones on the inside. That way you can shift production as one picks up/drops.
YES! I said the same thing. A lot of Toyota nerds I know are very lukewarm on the new 4R, they miss the V6 (even though it’s worse). The N/A 3.8L would be a huge selling point.
I agree. People love driving to work looking like they’re going to do something really badass after work. And if you get an X-Terra, no one will leave freaking rubber duckies on your hood every time you go into the grocery store.
“Of course, it would certainly help if the Murano were available in a hybrid variant”
I believe you mistyped “Cross Cabriolet”.