Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV: Quick Test

From a design standpoint, the 2009 Nissan Maxima represents a bold re-think of the Maxima formula - a no-excuses attempt at resurrecting the magic of earlier Maximas missing in the previous generation.

Nissan calls the Maxima's design theme "Liquid Motion," which makes better sense once you've seen the car in real life.

The photos don't do justice to its fluid curves, flowing around tasteful hints of both Nissan's boy-racer GT-R and new 370Z accenting the focus on "sport" in its flagship sedan.

In recent years, the less-expensive Altima snuck right up on the Maxima thanks to its lighter weight, greater horsepower, lower price and less-polarizing design. The newest Maxima addresses these issues one by one, reestablishing itself at the top of the Nissan sedan food chain and justifying its premium price with a ton of luxury features.

Also out of mothballs has come the original '80s Maxima's "4-door Sports Car" slogan as evidenced by the "4DSC" stickers affixed to the rear quarter windows.

True, the new car is much more aggressively styled than the previous version and it does pack more punch featuring a 290 hp version of Nissan's venerable and glorious VQ35 V-6.

But... a "sportscar"?

Inside, the Maxima 3.5 SV's "Super Cockpit" boasts a slew of features that that would be at home in any sportscar, including a 370Z steering wheel with big paddle shifters and a well-bolstered, eight-way adjustable drivers seat.

The sedan's straightline performance is sportscar-like, too - 0-60 in the low six second range, 14-second quarter miles and an electronically limited top speed of nearly 150 mph.

But what intrudes to make the "4-Door Sports Car" slogan more hyperbole than fact is its Xtronic constantly variable transmission.

Push the accelerator pedal into the carpet while in regular "Drive" mode, and the engine will quickly rev up to its 6400 rpm power peak... and just sit there. While it feels as if something's wrong, it's actually just the CVT doing its thing.

The Maxima has one of the great current mass-production engines, but you don't get to hear it sing. Even when you shift manually, you're painfully aware that the “shifts” you're feeling are somewhat artificial and only there to make the CVT feel less like a CVT.

Based on Nissan's D-Platform (shared with the Altima and Murano crossover) the Maxima is competent in most situations, with a good handling and ride balance, excellent braking and, of course, that lovely VQ engine. Push it beyond its comfort zone, though, and its front-wheel drive platform and appeal-killing Constantly Vague Transmission combine to keep the car from living up to its tagline.

While the new Maxima is a many splendored thing - comfortable, competent, well-equipped, good-looking, etc. - it isn't a sportscar with two extra doors.

As an everyday, all-around performance sedan, however, the 2009 Nissan Maxima SV provides all the necessary ingredients to get the job done. In its new form it offers more power, more refinement, more technology and more luxury. In short, it is a lot more car. Just don't call it a sportscar.

Watch the video
Read Part 1: Design
Read Part 2: Interior & User Experience
Read Part 3: Performance

Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV

Performance
- Acceleration: Engine spins up to 6400 rpm and stays there - quick enough, but zero satisfaction
- Handling: Can almost lay legitimate claim to its "4DSC" stickers... at least for a front-wheel-drive sedan
- Braking: Brakes feel good and are as effective as they should be on a sports sedan

Design
- Exterior: Much better than it looks in photos - Nissan took some chances and they worked... mostly
- Interior: Not nearly as risky as the exterior, the inside of the Maxima is still quite nicely done

Utility
- Comfort: Excellent for four adults, maybe even for five
- Space: Much larger inside than you might expect with a decent trunk to boot (pun intended for the Brits out there)

Safety
- Dynamics: Very sport oriented front-wheel drive dynamics - adjustable, which is rare for front-drive sedans
- Technology: Everything you'd expect including a stability control system that can be switched off

Value
- Price: Nudging up too closely against superior, rear-drive sport sedans when optioned up
- Mileage: Not appalling, but not exactly great either

Emotional Appeal
- Heart thumpin' factor: Styling and 4DSC stickers may get your heart pumpin', but CVT single-handedly kills this car's appeal
- Fun to spank: If the road is twisty and you play along with the "fake" shifts of the CVT, then yes, it's somewhat fun

SPECIFICATIONS

Layout: Front engine / Front-wheel drive
Engine: 3.5 liter, V6
Power (SAE): 290 hp @ 6400 rpm
Torque: 261 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
Gearbox: CVT (Constantly Variable Transmission)
Curb Weight: 3579 lbs.
0-60 mph: 6.1 sec.
1/4 mile: 14.6 @ 97 mph
Top Speed: 149 mph (electronically limited)
Mileage: 19 city / 26 highway
Base Price: $35,160
Competitors: Acura TL, Lexus IS 350, Infiniti G37, Audi A4