2025 Nissan Murano Configurations: Trims, Features, and What Sets Each One Apart
The 2025 Nissan Murano returns as a fully redesigned model after years on the previous generation's platform. Understanding how it's configured — meaning which trim levels exist, what each one includes, and how the options stack up — helps you figure out what you'd actually be getting before you ever step into a dealership.
How Nissan Structures the Murano Lineup
Like most mainstream SUVs, the Murano uses a tiered trim structure. Each higher trim adds features from the one below it while introducing new ones. Nissan has historically kept the Murano's trim count manageable — typically four to five levels — rather than overwhelming buyers with dozens of packages.
For 2025, the Murano lineup is organized around these trim levels:
| Trim | Positioning |
|---|---|
| S | Base / entry-level |
| SV | Mid-range |
| SL | Upper mid-range |
| Platinum | Fully loaded |
Each tier is designed to serve a different buyer priority: cost of entry, balanced features, comfort-focused upgrades, or maximum standard equipment.
What Comes Standard Across All Trims
The 2025 Murano is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain — a significant departure from the previous generation's V6. This hybrid system is standard across every trim, paired with an electric motor and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Front-wheel drive is the standard configuration, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available as an add-on or standard depending on the trim.
Every trim also includes Nissan's Safety Shield 360 suite of driver assistance features, which typically covers:
- Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Blind-spot warning
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane departure warning and lane keeping assist
- Rear automatic braking
- High beam assist
These systems are increasingly common across the industry and reflect current expectations for mid-size SUVs in this price range.
What Changes as You Move Up the Trim Ladder 🔍
S — The Starting Point
The base S trim provides the foundation. Expect cloth seating, a touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keyless entry, and the full safety suite. It gives you the new hybrid powertrain without the premium pricing.
SV — The Value Sweet Spot
The SV adds convenience and comfort features that many buyers consider near-essential. This typically includes a larger infotainment display, additional USB ports, and upgraded interior materials. The SV often represents the strongest value in the lineup because the price increase from the S is relatively modest compared to the features gained.
SL — Comfort and Technology Focus
The SL steps into genuine premium territory. Leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a more advanced audio system, and a panoramic moonroof are common at this level. The SL also typically adds driver assistance upgrades beyond the base Safety Shield suite — things like ProPilot Assist, Nissan's hands-on highway driving assistance system that combines adaptive cruise control with lane centering.
Platinum — The Full Build
The Platinum represents the Murano's complete equipment list. This trim typically adds quilted leather seating, a head-up display, a premium surround-view camera system, ventilated front seats, and the most advanced available infotainment and audio options. It's built for buyers who want the vehicle fully optioned without selecting individual packages.
AWD: How It Fits Into the Configuration Picture
All-wheel drive on the 2025 Murano is an intelligent, electronically controlled system — not a mechanical 4WD setup designed for serious off-roading. It's aimed at improving traction in rain, snow, and light adverse conditions. AWD availability varies by trim:
- On some trims, AWD is an optional add-on
- On upper trims, it may come standard
- Choosing AWD typically adds to the purchase price and modestly reduces fuel efficiency
If you're in a region with significant winter weather, AWD availability is likely one of your first configuration decisions.
Fuel Economy Across Configurations 🔋
The hybrid powertrain improves efficiency significantly over the outgoing V6, though exact EPA figures depend on the drivetrain. FWD models generally achieve better fuel economy than AWD versions. Expect the gap between FWD and AWD efficiency to be several miles per gallon combined, which matters if you're evaluating real-world fuel cost over time.
What the Configurations Don't Tell You
Trim level is only part of the picture. Dealer inventory, regional pricing, destination and handling charges, and incentive availability all affect what you actually pay. The Murano's MSRP at any given trim is a starting reference — what dealers actually have on the lot and what manufacturer incentives apply in your market are separate variables.
Color choices, interior combinations, and available packages (if any) also vary by trim and may not be equally available across all regions.
The right trim for one buyer — someone in Minnesota who prioritizes AWD and heated seats — may be meaningfully different from the right trim for someone in Arizona focused on value and infotainment. What the trim structure tells you is what's included at each price point. What it can't tell you is how those features match your specific driving habits, climate, and budget.
