Bother. Just when I begin to strengthen my resolve against urban off-roaders and all they have come - rightly or wrongly - to symbolise (fraudulent utility, the lofty arrogance of their owners, a blithe disregard for endangered lichen and other pollutant-sensitive fungi), along comes the new Nissan Murano. It is a seductive piece of street jewellery, quite possibly the most attractive 4x4 on the market (and this despite looking like a jacked-up Micra from the rear).
Ever since the Land Rover Freelander first hit the streets, we have grown used to SUVs that look like an air-cushioned sports shoe crossed with a medieval jouster's helmet. But with its metallic portcullis grille and squishy, Tonka-tyred stance, the Murano is perhaps the ultimate expression of this Nike-knight aesthetic.
As well as its charismatic looks, the Murano also packs one of my favourite engines: Nissan's 3.5-litre V6, also found in the sensational 350Z. It is mated to an exceptionally smooth "stepless" automatic gearbox, the first I've tried that didn't feel like it had a permanently slipping clutch. The ride is Jaguar-wafty (sorry, I do try to keep technical terms to a minimum but sometimes it's the only thing that will do), and it is built to typically Nissan levels of quality (that is, better than Renault, but not quite as good as Toyota). The interior is vast and it is both cheaper and better equipped than most rivals: climate control, leather, in-dash six-disc CD autochanger, sat nav, rear-view parking camera and electric sunroof are all standard.
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