We test drove a Nissan Murano SL, the middle model. Ours was equipped with all-wheel drive ($31,200) and loaded with the DVD and Navigation, plus the Moonroof and the Technology Package, both of which require the Leather Package, which in turn requires the Premium Package. So our options added $8,750 to the bottom line (total $39,950, plus destination and delivery) but made for a very nice, fully equipped vehicle for family travel.

Nissan's previous V6 earned awards, and its new V6 produces 25 horsepower more than the old engine, up from 240 to 265 hp at 6,000 rpm, a 10-percent hike you can feel every time you accelerate at full throttle. Torque is 248 foot-pounds at 4,400 rpm. The engine uses continuous valve timing control and variable induction for maximum flexibility under varying loads, meaning it responds quickly anytime you hit the gas.

All Murano models come with an Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission instead of a conventional automatic, and this CVT has been thoroughly tuned to the engine's power and torque curves. The CVT is lighter and has fewer moving parts than a traditional automatic, but also has software that makes it act more like a conventional transmission, shifting 30-percent quicker than its predecessor, which means the engine doesn't drone on at high rpm during full-throttle acceleration away from a stop. Nissan says it's also adaptive to each driver's style and habits. Based on our test drive, we'd have to say it's one of the best CVTs out there. It's controlled by an inline floor shifter that replaces the previous generation's notched-gate shifter for much less wasted motion.

We won't go as far as to say there's a night-and-day difference between the first and second-generation Muranos, but almost. The new vehicle is much quieter in terms of mechanical, wind and road noise. The engine is much more willing, and the CVT transmission shifts properly, kicks down quickly, and lets the engine operate just above idle at freeway speeds, which is another way that it saves on fuel costs for the owner in addition to the reduced internal friction.

The Murano's front and rear suspension is now made entirely of cast aluminum pieces, lighter and faster to respond to inputs, very well isolated from the cabin, and features a set of premium shock absorbers with built-in rebound springs to handle the big impacts. The new premium shocks help the suspension keep the body flat and straight in the long sweepers and they absorb bumps and potholes very well. The TOPS speed-sensitive steering is relatively quick and has some feel to it, so it's not completely isolated and not completely numb or dead at the steering wheel.

All-wheel-drive versions of the Murano now list for $1,600 more than their front-drive counterparts. The AWD is set for 50/50 front-rear torque distribution, but can switch up or down to 0/100 or 100/0 depending on driving conditions. That puts the traction down to the tires with the best grip, improving traction and handling stability in slippery, inconsistent conditions, such as rain, snow and ice. Murano's AWD also connects with the stability control system's sensors for yaw rate, wheel slip, and steering angle for safer control under those conditions as well.