Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2004-07 models built after September 2003
Tested vehicle: 2003 Nissan Murano SL 4-door 4wd
The Nissan Murano was introduced in the 2003 model year.
All 2003 and later Murano models manufactured after June 2003 include structural changes to improve occupant protection in frontal offset crashes. In addition, Nissan modified a portion of the padding underneath the carpeting at the driver's right heel on 2004 and later models produced after September 2003 (note: information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door).
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has evaluated the crashworthiness of a 2003 Murano with the structural modifications and retrofitted with the improved padding in a 40 mph frontal offset crash test into a deformable barrier.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test; the side curtain airbag and side chest airbag on the driver side inflated during the crash.
The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained well.
Both side airbags deployed for the driver dummy. The large curtain airbag kept the dummy's head away from the B-pillar and roof rail.
Extensive paint smears show where the dummy's head hit the side curtain airbag.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CEF0323 |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 6 |
| Left (cm) | 10 |
| Center (cm) | 11 |
| Right (cm) | 9 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 13 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 4 |
| Right (cm) | 3 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 4 |
| Rearward (cm) | 1 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 2 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEF0323 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 517 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 118 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 2.9 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 23 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.47 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 29 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 0.4 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 2.0 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 1 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 3 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.40 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.57 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 1.9 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 1.9 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 43 |
| Right | 74 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: All seats AHR
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | All seats AHR |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 58 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 52 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 9.3 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 66 |
| Force rating | 3 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 270 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 743 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.