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Nissan Maxima Road Test
Nissan appears to be its own
competition with the Maxima as it has priced this elegantly designed sedan in
the middle of two other offerings that are nearly the same in every respect
except for price.
Nissan does an adequate job of making the Altima and
Infiniti
different in terms of styling with the Maxima being quite smartly done, and they
offer many more standard features. But the fact remains that the Maxima is not a
bargain based on performance compared with the other Nissan offerings. However,
the new models is a much more refined and sturdy car than previous Maximas
although no faster and a bit less tidy in the corners than the first generation.
We tested the SE with a stick shift and six forward speeds. Before you buy this
model make sure you can shift it. The placement of the shifter makes it
difficult for some people to leverage and finding sixth gear takes a
considerable amount of practice. In fact, leaning over to pull up the release
handle to place the car in reverse may take shorter people two hands. There is
little reward for the manual shifter anyway. Yes, it is faster, but the torque
steer is intrusive as the 265 horsepower easily overwhelm the front tires. We
recommend the five speed automatic version if you commute in traffic. In that
way you can relax and enjoy the room and ride more fully.
There are two versions of the Maxima with the SL being the luxury model. We
found the SE luxurious enough and with the new models being over 200 pounds
heavier than previous Maximas feel that the only reason to buy the SL would be
for a smoother ride. Both cars are fairly quiet.
The feature that no one in The Car Family could figure out was the Skyview roof.
It is two long unremovable glass panels that run the length of the roof. We have
no idea why it is offered as the novelty of having a transparent roof for the
front and back passengers soon wears off. There is a more traditional sunroof
available.
Except for the shifter, I found this Maxima a quality vehicle. You get antilock
4-wheel disc brakes, head-protecting curtain side airbags, and front torso side
airbags, child safety seat anchors, door locks, engine immobilizer, car alarm,
and excellent lighting when the turn signals are activated.
The ride is neither first nor fowl in the SE model. You are fairly isolated from
the road, but you can feel what the chassis is doing. On the other hand,
cornering is just average despite the sporty nature of its appearance. You need
to use first gear with just a hint of throttle as you accelerate otherwise the
front tires easily spin and the torque steer becomes excessive. The last car
that had this much of a problem going straight off the line was the Saab Viggen
and that car could literally turn a sharp right corner if your wrists were not
strong enough. I urge you to consider the automatic transmission although you
clearly are going to lose a lot of the fun element of this handsome vehicle.
That option would also eliminate the frustration I had with the shifter that
simple would not be rushed and it took two hands to pull up on the gearshifts
reverse release ring.
I was impressed with the
interior from a design standpoint. The aluminum type trim pieces offset the
plastic trim well. However, I found it extremely difficult to read the numerous
driver computer control buttons that offered information such as miles per
gallon, time of drive, service needs, and stereo settings on the dash mounted
monitor.
Storage-wise I found the fold down rear seats for useful, but having to bend
over and lean into the trunk to pull the two release cords is not an attractive
proposition. The trunk itself is adequate with storage nets that are the most
useful I have ever seen as the three nets cover both the back and side of the
trunk. The glovebox isn't very large, but the door pockets are useful.
In safety terms the Nissan offers the a standard offering of seat belt
pretensioners, built-in crumple zones, front side-impact airbags and a
full-length set of side-airbags. With its acceleration and braking abilities,
the Maxima is also quite capable of avoiding dangerous situations, too.
I would recommend the Maxima to those who enjoy a feisty vehicle and need enough
room to hold a family. It has a certain look that appears to appeals to
masculine types, but in the right color in can be attractive to the distaff
side.
Using premium gas we were able to get over 25 miles per gallon in mixed driving
and I used the full range of the engine's power whenever the opportunity
allowed. Unfortunately, we tested this Maxima in the middle of a huge firestorm
and so the car stayed inside more than any other car we have tested in a long
time. Nevertheless, it provided a relaxing highway ride and except for its
desire to dart from side to side during heavy acceleration. The steering feel is
not that sharp, but it is much better ride than its competition from Honda and
Toyota when it comes to aggressive driving. The SE also gives an excellent brake
feel and were reassuring.
Under the hood the 3.5-liter V-6 engine produces 265 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque.
This power plant has variable induction, and variable valve timing, tuned
exhausts, and one coil per cylinder. The result is a very eager and quick
reacting ride that can quickly get you above any posted speed limit if you are
not diligent.
Handling is good, but not BMW great. The strut-type front suspension and
independent aluminum multi-link rear suspension work well with the larger tires
on the SE model, but is not immune to hopping for bumps in curves and producing
a pounding sound over rough surfaces. I felt that the Maxima is best left to
mainstream or mountain highway driving and not sharp cornering activities where
its large turning radius and reactions to bumps limits your application of
power.
I enjoyed the Maxima much more than the previous models. It has literally and
figuratively grown up. As such, it can no longer be considered a sleeper in
terms of acceleration, but now lives in the world of sports sedan when it should
do well.
Young working male's view
The bench seat in back is not all that large. You have to duck your head getting
into the back because of the sloping roof that Nissan has endowed this sedan
with to make it more appealing to those who like a practical car with sporty
looks. The Bose audio system in our car was superb and worth considering as a
must have option. We did not have the navigation system on our test model so I
have to rely on past experiences with Nissan models. As such, I would rate their
GPS as a B even with the unique and useful bird's-eye view mode. Overall, the
Maxima is a mean looking vehicle, especially in black, and something that would
appeal to those with a family who want a spot of fun.
Young Working woman's view
The Maxima has an appealing look and ride that should suit those bored with the
Camry, Accord
look and wanting more power than the
Mazda 6 offers. It has significant standard
equipment with a six-speed manual transmission, power windows, power door locks,
cruise control, aluminum alloy wheels, height-adjustable center console lid,
dual-zone climate control, and an eight-speaker stereo. Of the options I would
select the Bose audio system would HID headlights and a moonroof follow number
one. The GPS system and backseat bucket seats don't hold my interest and I found
the Skyview Roof difficult to justify. Basically, this is a sedan that can make
you feel proud both by its appearance and performance, but you might want to
check epinions to see what owners think about this model. I know the engine and
transmission should hold help especially well, I would like to know how the
interior does over a long period of time.
Family conference
We highly recommend you drive the SE sedan with the automatic transmission. The
manual requires more strength and is not easy to handle under full throttle. The
other models from Nissan are also capable and should be sampled before a final
decision is made.
Got it right: Engine, brakes, ride, lighting, interior appearance, turn
signal lighting.
Needs improvement: Small dash buttons, steering feel, shifter, tires,
torque steer, pricing, seats, close pricing to Altima and
Infiniti G35.
Written by The
Car Family |
