Nissan Maxima Review
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The Nissan Maxima was first introduced in 1981 and has continued on to become one of Nissan's top sellers. Initially, Nissan dubbed the Maxima a "4-door sports car," and with its powerful engine, responsive suspension, and sleek body lines, the latest 2006 model lives up to its title. See also the main fact sheets for the Nissan Maxima.
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High Points
- Roomy, comfortable interior
- Powerful engine
- Innovative stylings
- Relatively good gas mileage
Low Points
- Moderate torque steer under heavy acceleration
- Design may be too radical for some
- Back door openings are small, cumbersome
Performance and Handling
The 2006 Maxima's engine is impressive. With 265hp, the 3.5L V6 comes standard on all models of the Maxima, and once they've driven it, most aren't likely to complain about this apparent lack of variety. Acceleration is quick, even at high speeds, and the suspension, particularly on the SE model, is stiff and tight, providing crisp maneuverability.
The suspension on the SL model is a bit softer, so the ride will be that much smoother at the expense of some of the Maxima's high-performance handling. Also, the Maxima's front wheel drive is the cause of some torque steering at higher speeds, which is to say that taking curves quickly leads to a bit of a struggle with the steering wheel to keep it from jerking in one direction or the other. The effect is minimal, but if the idea seems unnerving, it can easily be avoided by taking freeway off-ramps and other such turns at reasonable speeds.
Gas Mileage
According to Autos.com, the Nissan Maxima ranks second only to its sister, the Altima, in the mid-size car category for fuel efficiency. Its city/highway numbers as reported by FuelEconomy.gov are:
Safety
The Maxima received relatively high marks on all of the safety tests performed by the NHTSA. It earned 4/5 stars on all side impact tests and rollover tests, and while it also received a 4-star rating for its passenger front impact test, its driver rating for the same test yielded 5 stars.
Some of the standard safety features found on the Maxima include 4-wheel anti-lock brakes; front, side, and overhead airbags; occupancy sensors; side impact bars; and front and rear anti-roll bars.
Reliability and Maintenance
Because the latest incarnation of the Maxima only debuted in 2004, reliability information is not yet available.
Interior and Comforts
As one might expect from a car competing with the likes of the Acura TL and V6 Audi A4, the Maxima's interior is chock full of little luxuries. Only two trims are available, but even the "lesser" of the two, the SE, features an impressive list of standard conveniences, including dual zone automatic climate control, a digital information display, cruise control, and several intuitively laid out storage compartments. The SL simply upgrades or adds some of these options.
However, a few things do make the Maxima's interior stand out from its competitors. The first and possibly most unique feature is the "Skyview Roof," a tinted ceiling window that runs lengthwise across the Maxima's roof, spanning both the front and rear seat areas. Two separate shades are located inside the car, one each accessible to front and rear passengers, to block out or let in the sun as they see fit. For those who might be put off by this unusual design, a traditional sunroof is still available as an option.
Secondly of note is the Maxima's Elite Package, which practically redesigns the rear interior of the car. This options package not only implements a rear sonar system and heated steering wheel, but it also replaces the rear bench seat with two bucket seats, installs a rear center console with storage capacity, enables rear windows with one-touch automatic up/down functionality, and installs a power rear sunshade. The one drawback to this is that, by removing the 60/40 foldable rear seats, the Maxima's overall storage capacity is dramatically cut back. A hefty price to pay for luxury for some; not so much for others.
Exterior
The latest generation of the Maxima, which debuted in 2004, completely changed the image of the car, returning it to its roots as the "4-door sports car." Whereas the previous generations maintained a boxier, more homogenous sedan look, the 2004 redesign rounded off the edges and pulled the trunk in a bit, almost creating a hatchback effect. The headlights and taillights are sloped to give it a more sporty, aerodynamic feel, and the chrome-tipped dual exhaust pipes further do away with the typical "luxury sedan" stylings. Its wheelbase is about 3" wider for a better ride, and the stylish 18" wheels complete the image.
Some of the standard exterior features for the Maxima are HID headlights, fog lamps, power mirrors, and the "SkyView Roof." This last option, which was only visible through two, separated sliding shades from the interior, is fully visible from the outside; it is a long tinted panel of glass stretching lengthwise from the front of the roof towards the back.
Styles and Options
The 2006 Nissan Maxima comes in two trims, the SE and the SL, which share the same basic powertrain features. These include a 3.5L 265hp V6 engine and a 5-speed tiptronic automatic transmission. In fact, the two trims share many features and are only set apart from each other by minor differences in options.
Generally speaking, the SL is slightly more upscale than the SE. The SE, for example, comes standard with 4-wheel disc brakes, 18" silver alloy wheels, premium cloth seating, and an AM/FM/CD stereo system, while the SL is equipped with 17" wheels, leather seating, and a 6-disc changer for music.
Main Competitors
See Also
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