There are some cars that seemingly everyone has an opinion about. You don’t have to look too far to find comments about big trucks, the Toyota Prius, or the Chrysler PT Cruiser. At least the Pontiac Aztek has found a way to be cool. Another one of those vehicles is the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, a car some of you feel so much about that different people commented in separate articles about it! (Ed note: Mercedes had this ready for Friday’s COTD because she’s a pro, but I’m not a pro and was deep into happy hour when she announced it was ready and I missed it. But it’s still good! If this COTD were leftovers in the fridge, you’d take a big whiff and toss it in the microwave. Zero hesitation.)
I’m a bit amused about this because the Murano CrossCabriolet was canceled in 2014, which means it’s been living rent-free in the heads of some people for about a decade. Even more hilarious is the fact that for years after Nissan canceled the weird drop-top crossover, the thing remained in high demand. Call me crazy, but I love the weirdo unironically and I’d totally buy one if I didn’t already have 15 cars to keep going. Oh gosh, between this and the Nissan Rogue, do I like Nissan crossovers now?
Anyway, today, Thomas asked you if there’s a car you used to hate but now you’ve come around on. For me, it’s the Scion iQ. I used to think it was a shameless attempt to copy a Smart Fortwo, but now I have a lot of respect for Toyota’s efforts. For Pointy Deity? Well:
Nissan Murano Cross Cabriolet. I used to hate it because it’s a ridiculous abomination that shouldn’t exist. Now I love it because it’s a ridiculous abomination that shouldn’t exist.
That wasn’t the only talk of the poor CrossCabriolet today. Random Shots nominated the CrossCabriolet for a future entry of Unholy Fails:
Always had a soft spot for the 1st gen Nissan Titan and I was surprised by the bias to the domestic 3 when it came to full size trucks but brand loyalty is huge in that segment of the market. I have this image of a son/daughter not being able to date a certain person because their families drove different brands of trucks.
Suggestion for the next Unholy Fails: Nissan Murano Crosscabriolet
For a final COTD this week, we have a fantastic story coming from Shitbox Showdown from Chronometric about driving a century-old car:
I own a WW1 era car and I drive it. Yes it is unsafe, slow, and unreliable. But nothing compares to taking your wife to a restaurant in a 1917 touring car. They will move a Lambo to park you out front. I have taken my car grocery shopping and for errands within 10 miles or so. It makes every trip an experience and you become a one car parade. People honk and wave. Kids love them and everyone wants to talk about it.
I think these particular cars are both slightly overpriced in today’s market. Model As are a dime a dozen due to estate sales so you can get a much nicer one for $10k. I like the Dodge despite the unfortunate paint combination and it is well-engineered so it is likely to be a better experience but parts will be hard to find. Sometimes you have to have them created.
I contend that the only reason to buy one of these is to drive it where you can.
Neither of these cars is a Duesenberg and the prices are going down so investment is out the window.
Car shows and Parades. You will be a hit at a local car show but you won’t be driving out of town much so that might get old. One way to spice it up is cosplay in vintage costumes.
Static display. Either will look nice in your garage but unless you throw a lot of garage parties or you use it to promote a business, it will just be in the way.
Experience. If you want to try out a pre-war car, this is one way to do it. A better idea is to make friends with someone who owns one. Some can be rented on Turo.
While antique car tours are a real thing, you must commit to it as a lifestyle since it usually involves towing to a scenic destination and then driving around for several days. This is actually quite fun in a “Wow, look what I accomplished” kind of way. And you will have some amazing Instagram shots.
Great, now I want to buy something even older than a Corvair…
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Never paid much attention to the CrossCab until the article at the old site about the strip on the top to accommodate the rollover bars. Then was excited when we saw one on the way back from a concert solely because of that. Really haven’t thought of them since: I like weird cars, so I shouldn’t be telling others they shouldn’t drive whatever it is they like.
The more I see the Murano Cross Cabriolet the more inured I become to it, and I dare say if people keep posting pictures like the one up there with the top up I might even grow to like it. Just not the side profile, anything but the side profile!
We get used to stuff through exposure. Design elements I used to find jarring I barely notice anymore. BMW’s haughty beaver grill is the latest one: I still prefer the size of the e36, but whatever.
The CrossCab puts a smile on my face every time I see one, which leaves it ahead of at least 95% of the other cars on the road. I don’t care whether I’m laughing with it or at it. 😉
“You will be a hit at a local car show but you won’t be driving out of town much so that might get old.”
Near where I live, there was an annual hill climb in Algonquin for antique cars. They started back in 1906, and I know they revived it earlier this century but I can’t find anything current.
Mercedes, if this is still a thing, you should check it out.
I didn’t think it was any worse than the PT Cruiser convertible. It’s not easy to redesign a 4/5-door utility vehicle into a 2-door convertible. In at least 3 ways the Nissan is better than the Chrysler:
a) it didn’t need a roof hoop
b) the top folded flush with the body
c) owing to the slanted hatch of the 5-door original, the Nissan had a cargo opening that looked a lot more like a trunk lid.
I think the PT Cruiser looks better with the top up, but the CrossCab is better with it down (for the reasons you listed). For a convertible, I think that the preference is to look good with the top down, so the Nissan wins.
And good point that it’s a tough redesign to do, and the fact that both companies went for it is great.
I don’t think it would have done any better if anyone else made it, but I appreciate that Nissan made the attempt with the CrossCab. The original Murano was a bit of a gamble as a style-oriented 2-row crossover at a time when crossovers were still boxier, and more S/CUVs were adding 3 rows of seats. It did well for Nissan, so maybe DINKs or empty nesters (I would always see one around that had a plate like “MY50 2ME”) that didn’t need a van or SUV any more but didn’t want to step down to a car again would be interested – not that different from parent Renault’s attempt with the Avantime. Which…also didn’t do well, but hey.
I always thought this was a pretty unique vehicle and I didn’t think it was all too bad. It’s the same factor as the super cool AMC Eagle, two door Sundancer from the early 80s.
I feel like this is a side-effect of the current sea of lookalike grayscale crossovers that we must wade through on every drive we take in the current year. We’re now at a place where the automotive landscape is so dull, that anything that stands out for any reason will tickle our fancy. A mind-boggling abomination like the Cross Cabriolet, the perennial “Ugliest Cars Ever” list topping Aztek, they’re all beginning to evoke feelings of fondness, just because they’re not boring.
It goes for colors, too. The new Integra can be had in a color that I’ve previously only seen going in one end or coming out the other end of an infant. And yet I can look at it and honestly say, “At least it’s a ******** color.”
The Nissan CrossCab is like a hammerhead shark. It is wrong on many levels but it would be a thrill to see one in the wild. Until you see one in the wild.
This is the way. This right here.
2014: Kill it with fire
2024: Kill it with love
Whoops, I got confused. Tried to love it with fire. Did not end well.
A Burning Love can do that sometimes.
At least post-combustion contact tracing can give you an excuse to catch up with old friends at the clinic.
I have seen two Cross Cabriolets in the wild and can no longer honestly say that I never get carsick.
I know someone who liked the Murano convertible enough that they actually bought one!
Was it Victor Kiam, because he liked his Remington electric shaver so much, he bought the company.
Damn, I haven’t thought about those commercials in forever, but no, it was someone else.
Its not just that the Murano ‘vert lives rent free. Some people have never seen one before. My gf hadn’t until this past weekend and I got to regale her with tales of this monstrosity.
Or seen one being driven with the top down. I never have.
I’ve seen one parked with the top down. A couple was dropping their kid off at a daycare that was having a parent’s night out event.
I’m still torn on the cross-cab. It is so ridiculous and an inelegant platform for a ragtop. I am usually drawn to automotive odd-balls, but this and the Aztec I struggle to find any appreciation for. But I’d take the cross-cab over an Aztec any day.
I can’t decide if it’s one of those convertibles that looks better with the top up or down.
I think it looks (marginally) better with it down, but I wouldn’t trust the thing to redeploy when needed, so I can see why people keep them up.
I think it’s one of those convertibles that looks better parked at the bottom of lake or, preferably, ocean.
I was looking at buying one for possibly similar reasons to the day care couple. Wanted a convertible that also fit a couple kids. The back seats on most convertables are not for actual humans, even small humans.
Ended up with a Wrangler and put on a soft top, but have to admit the Murano is still tempting, in part because it is so ridiculous.