NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Crossover SUVs, with their low-slung bodies, slim midriffs and mall-bred sensibilities, are making those traditional SUVS look as sexy as an L.L Bean catalog.

The Lexus RX 300, Acura MDX, Toyota Highlander and Volvo XC90 all have drawn wolf whistles from consumers who want a roomy family package, available all-wheel-drive and just enough height to see over the pack.

Now it's Nissan's turn, with the Murano. The name alone -- after the arty Italian glass produced in Venice -- tells you this five-passenger SUV is geared more for antique hunting than off-road bloodsport. As a Nissan spokesman said, "You're not going to be busting over tree stumps in this thing."

Instead, Nissan is touting sportiness as the Murano's edge in this crowded segment. But considering its roots in the fine Altima sedan, and 245 horsepower from Nissan's 3.5-liter V-6, I was let down by the so-so handling and acceleration. A Ford Explorer, no speed demon, took the Murano from a stoplight. The steering feels a bit lifeless in its straight-ahead position, and artificially heavy at lower speeds.

Then there's the outre styling, sharp and industrial up front but self-conscious and gimmicky around back. More than one onlooker found a rear-end resemblance to some of Hyundai's bulbous designs. Others, however, were clearly taken with the overall sculptured shape.

The Murano's many pluses included a smooth ride and rock-solid chassis; an attractive, spacious interior with several thoughtful touches; and confident all-weather traction and grip from its huge 18-inch tires and available all-wheel-drive. The Murano treated a four-inch snowfall that blanketed my neighborhood as if it were a mere dusting. Designed first as a city slicker, it operates fully in front-drive unless the wheels slip, at which point it sends up to 50 percent of the power rearward. For truly dicey conditions, a console switch locks the all-wheel-drive into full-time mode, splitting torque 50/50 between front and rear wheels. (Above 19 mph, the vehicle automatically reverts to part-time operation).

Inside and out, the Murano closely mimics the dimensions and capacities of its main rivals. It's about three inches longer than a Highlander and an inch shy of the MDX. Its extra-long wheelbase is a boon to interior space: The back seat actually eclipses the wide-body MDX for hiproom, allowing three people to squeeze in quite comfortably.

Inside, you'll find none of that rough-around-the-edges feel that mars the Altima. Nissan's familiar three-pod instrument panel is visible over a three-spoke, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls. An LCD screen in front of the center console crowds in a lot of data, but usefully monitors audio, climate, clock, temperature and trip-computer functions, with a contrast setting that ensures the readout doesn't wash out in bright sunlight.

Seats are supportive and comfortable all around, with the second-row offering a useful recline feature. Pull upward on a short strap, and they drop with virtually no effort to a nearly-flat position. The lighweight rear liftgate, made of a steel-reinforced plastic composite, opens to reveal a yawning hatch that's impinged on only slightly by the sloping roof. There's 82 cubic feet of total storage, equaling the MDX. A full-size spare tire is another plus.

Nissan would disagree, but I found the Murano hamstrung by its standard continuously variable transmission (CVT), a system sold on 180,000 Asia-market Nissans a year. It's making its North American debut in the Murano. Unlike a typical automatic, a CVT eliminates the usual stepped gears in favor of a belt-and-pulley system designed to boost fuel economy and maximize engine power at all times. But as with other CVTs, the engine winds up to a constant high speed under hard acceleration, filling the cabin with an insistent, strained note. And there's still some slipping-clutch, rubber-band feel to the process, though not nearly as pronounced as some rivals' CVTs.

2003 Nissan Murano • Vehicle type: Front-engine, front- or all-wheel-drive crossover SUV • Engine: 3.5-liter V-6, 245 horsepower, 246 pound-feet torque • Fuel economy: 20 mpg city/24 highway • Base price: $29,799 • As tested: $32,016

Nissan claims the transmission -- the only one offered on the Murano -- delivers a 10 percent fuel economy improvement, but I'd still trade it for a conventional five-speed as good as that in the Toyota and Lexus. Working from its highway-rated 24 mpg, a voluminous 21.7-gallon fuel tank gives the Murano model a theoretical range of more than 500 miles. I averaged about 18 mpg in combined city/highway driving.

Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, along with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist, which senses the need for anti-lock braking even when the driver doesn't mash the pedal down all the way, bring the Murano to a quick, drama-free stop.

CNN/Money Rating: 2 wheels

At a base price of $29,799 for the SL AWD model -- just over $32,000 for the one I tested -- the Murano is in line with the Highlander. It undercuts the Volvo and Acura by $5,000-$8,000, though it's not in those models' league.

My ambivalence toward the Murano may have something to do with its crossover come-on. Nissan certainly isn't the first automaker to promise that its crossover would haul in more ways than one.

But outside of its iconoclastic styling, the Murano ends up another perfectly pleasant, multi-tasking compromise. Leaving me still looking at perfectly pleasant alternatives.