Keep this father-son duo in mind when shopping for a new car.

2025 Nissan Murano. Courtesy photo

By Keith Griffin

With Father’s Day approaching, it seems like a good time to focus on what could be best described as Nissan’s father-son duo: the Kicks and Murano.

The fourth-generation Nissan Murano is a classic SUV that has gotten so much better for 2025. Think of it as the once-practical dad who has had a facelift and started working out. The Murano now features a clean front end that includes ultra-thin “Crystal Cube” LED headlights on either side of a gloss-black trim strip, separated from the vehicle’s grille. Nissan’s V-motion graphic is produced by LED daytime running lights “hidden” inside the front grille, executing a clean and modern appearance.

It’s like the Murano realized its 25th college reunion was approaching and knew it was time for a makeover. Nissan designers crafted an interior that is modern, minimalist, and elegant. Its major elements are thoughtfully arranged on a horizontal design theme. For instance, the standard dual 12.3-inch displays are wrapped into their surroundings with stitched materials.

Murano makes use of a capacitive-touch panel for the climate controls, which is a nice feature. The push-button shifters are not. They do free up center console space for storage, cup holders, and the standard wireless phone charging pad, but the shifter is not intuitive, even after a week behind the wheel.

Also inside, both the front and rear outboard seats adopt the Nissan Zero Gravity design, helping provide a more supportive posture for occupants. The rear doors now open wider than the previous generation Murano to ease entry or load a child safety seat. Behind the 60/40 split flat-folding second row, the cargo area offers 32.9 cubic feet of storage with the seats raised and 63.5 with them lowered.

Under the hood, the Murano has a standard 2.0-liter variable-compression turbo powertrain rated for 241 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, an increase of 20 lb-ft compared to the outgoing Murano. The engine is paired with 9-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration was never an issue.

2025 Nissan Murano. Courtesy photo

Nissan Kicks

The same can be said of the 2025 Nissan Kicks. It employs a 2.0-liter inline-four engine rated for 141 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque, coupled to the latest generation of Nissan’s Xtronic transmission. Even with three people aboard, it effortlessly gets up to highway cruising speeds.

The Nissan Kicks makes a strong impression with its bold and expressive design. Plenty of people commented on its looks. The wide stance and fenders give way to a more rounded, protected cabin. Strong fenders and a distinctive boxiness define the lower half of the vehicle, compared to the cleaner upper body.

The Nissan Kicks is growing on the inside while maintaining a compact exterior size that makes driving and parking in Blue Back Square a cinch. It’s roomier front and rear: Compared to the 2024 Kicks, front shoulder room has increased by a generous 1.7 inches (it doesn’t sound like a lot, but it is), while rear-seat passengers enjoy an additional 0.9 inch of knee room and 1.5 inches more shoulder room.

The all-new 2025 Nissan Kicks ups the ante in the compact crossover segment with unexpected levels of available technology, a street-smart design inspired by high-end sneakers, exceptional versatility and the increased confidence of Intelligent All-Wheel Drive.

The growth extends to the cargo area, which is highly functional for a sub-compact. At 40.3 inches, the cargo area opening is the widest in the class and is designed for easily stowing a stroller, golf bag, or other long items. The low liftover height (under 28 inches) also reduces the strain of lifting heavy luggage into or out of the trunk. The cargo door, though, is a negative. It’s heavy and might be a difficult reach for some.

Keep this father-son duo in mind when shopping. The well-equipped Murano has a starting price of $40,470, while the Kicks starts at $21,830.

Longtime West Hartford resident Keith Griffin is a veteran auto journalist whose work has been published in U.S. News & World Report, The Boston Globe and online for various New York Times companies. He is a past president of the New England Motor Press Association.

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