If you like "different" in your cars -- I know I do -- you're going to like the 2006 Nissan Murano. With its rounded, robust yet sleek exterior and unusual roof line, it doesn't look quite like anything else on the road.

Judging it from the front, you'd think it was a high performance sports car with its aggressive grille. But as it turns out, this crossover -- a mix between a station wagon and sport-utility vehicle -- can be a wonderful family car if you can afford its $40,695 price tag.

	Nissan.com The Nissan Murano crossover, a mix between a station wagon and sport-utility vehicle, has a base price of $30,600. Click photo for larger image.

True, the base price is a more reasonable $30,600, but as you know, add a bit here and a bit there and pretty soon -- whoa, look at the bottom line. Ours had the SL Touring package with memory seats done in leather, intelligent key, sunroof, XM Satellite radio and a number of other items .

The very first thing I noticed was that I could get two baby seats and a third child in the back seat -- that's an unusual feat these days. And not a single person complained about anyone bumping them or being too close.

Then there was that whopping 81.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat down. I could haul a lot of things with that. Even with the rear seat up, the double baby stroller fit easily. And I love the handy rear handles in the rear cargo areas near the hatch opening for lowering the rear seat. No need to stretch or get all bent out of shape here.

There's an unusual dashboard that looks like it's floating, and you see plenty of sleek, good looking aluminum trim, too. You also get a two-tiered lockable center console box that you can put just about anything in, including a laptop computer.

And the quality of trims and material has improved quite a bit on the Murano. That was one of my only complaints on the 2003 model I tested. Now, everything looks much more like what you'd find on a $40,000 car. And there was, as I suggested, plenty of stretch out room and interior comfort.

Another good thing about the Murano is that it's fast. I had no trouble getting around, pulling into traffic on the highway or passing people when I needed to do so. Its engine is a 245 horsepower, 3.5 liter V-6 that is rated at 19 miles per gallon in the city and 24 on the highway.

What didn't I like? The gearshift, which made me feel as if I were trying to stir some hardening dough . And as is the case with most cars equipped with continuously variable automatic transmissions, it takes some time to get used to how they work. If you're accustomed to feeling the car shift with an automatic, the sensation of "seamless" shifting and other subtleties in the car's performance are new experiences for most of us.

But overall, I found the Murano to be quite hospitable to families -- especially the better-heeled ones.

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2006 Nissan Murano

Price as tested: $40,695 (A cheaper version starts at $27,600)
Engine: 245-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6
Fuel mileage: 19/24
Stability control: optional
Traction control: optional
Side curtain head air bags: standard
Basic warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles
Luggage capacity: 32.6 cu. ft

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2006 Buick Rendezvous

Price: $24,280
Engine: 3.5-liter V-6
Mileage: 19/26
Basic warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles
Traction control: optional
Stability control: N/A
Side curtain head air bags: N/A
Luggage capacity: 54.5 cu ft.

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2006 Honda Pilot

Price: $26,995
Engine: 3.5-liter V-6
Mileage: 18/24
Basic warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles
Stability control: standard
Traction control: standard
Side curtain head air bags: standard
Luggage capacity: 15.9 cu. ft.