Goodbye Murano, hello Murano - Nissan unveils all-new crossover ahead of New York

The official debut of the 2015 Nissan Murano is at the New York International Auto Show this week, but the carmaker unveiled it early with press photos and a release giving some details of the new crossover's changes. And there are many.

The Murano sits at the top end of Nissan's crossover lineup as the largest, most powerful option in the line. The Rogue comes in beneath it and the huge Armada SUV is above. As one of the company's best-selling vehicles, it's important that it be at the top of its game. The new Murano is definitely that.

The new design fits in with the rest of the Nissan lineup in crossovers, with a curved beak and rounded shoulders at the front giving way to a narrowing, sporty rear that ends in a rounded cutoff. This new look retains the refined and stand-out, futuristic looks of the brand as the third-generation of this popular vehicle.

Nissan calls this design trend the V-motion appeal with the greatest accents in this generation being the curvier door panels and the boomerang head and tail lamps. It's a sporty look with a lot of appeal.

Inside, of course, the Murano remains one of the most well-outfitted crossovers you can buy. It's signature has always been its deluxe interior appeal and that continues in this new generation. A lower height to the instrument panel, wider center console, and zero-gravity seating right out of the Altima all adorn the new insides of the 2015 Murano. The windows are meant to be larger from the inside than they appear from the outside, giving a more airy feel to the cabin and a powered, panoramic sunroof tops the premium packages of this new Murano.

Technology plays a huge role in this new-generation vehicle as well. An eight-inch display, available 11-speaker Bose stereo system, and a large array of active and passive safety features such as Blind Spot Warning, Forward Emergency Braking and more fill out the Murano's suite.

The engine and powertrain are largely the same, though some improvements have been made. A 3.5-liter dual overhead cam V6 is standard in the 2015 Murano and connects to the next-generation advanced Xtronic transmission Nissan has perfected. Four trim levels are offered, starting at S, then SV, SL and finally Platinum.

The new 2015 Nissan Murano will enter showrooms late this year as a front-wheel or all-wheel drive option. MSRP has not yet been announced.