Refreshed Nissan Murano Spied With New Headlights Shining

New spy shots provide our first look at Nissan preparing a refresh for the Murano. The changes appear to give the already handsome crossover an even sharper look.

These photos reveal that the updated Murano features revised headlights with a pair of LED running lights that create an arrow pointing at the center of the grille. It's an eye catching look even on this camouflaged model and should be even more striking on the finished vehicle. There's also a new trapezoidal lower fascia. The concealment on this test mule appears to cover the niches for the fog lights.

The only other changes are at the rear of the vehicle where Nissan conceals the taillights, which is a good hint at new units for the refresh.The major change appears to be more red in them, rather than the roughly equal mix of crimson and clear parts in the current parts.

The current Murano arrived for the 2015 model year and featured a major design change. The floating roof design and deep, V-shaped grille continue to look striking years after arriving on the road. Nissan introduced new tech for the 2018 model year (gallery below), including automatic emergency braking and intelligent forward collision warning as standard features on all models. The SV trim and above got Blind spot warning and rear cross traffic alert, too. Adaptive cruise control now became part of the SL grade and SV Premium Package. At the same time, the company updated the center console for easier accessibility.

The current Murano comes exclusively with a 3.5-liter V6 with 260 horsepower (193 kilowatts) and 240 pound-feet (325 Newton-meters) of torque, and customers can choose between front- and all-wheel drive. The current trend towards powerplant downsizing could lead to a more efficient four-cylinder with forced induction for the refreshed model.

A debut date for the refreshed Murano isn't yet clear. However, it could be on sale before the end of the year.