A mutiny in the family
Back in 1989, I was 14 years old. The walls of my room were covered with posters of the road rockets I could only dream about. And over my bed, I pinned up a poster of a car that I actually would have a chance to drive one day; it was the Maxima, Nissan's "four-door sports car".
Well, it only took 16 years for me to finally get that opportunity. My hopes were high, and so were my expectations. Although it's still a pretty sporty car, The Maxima isn't quite what it used to be.
Things went decently well up until 2002, when the Altima got a major redesign and the Max's engine. And when the rear-wheel drive Infiniti G35 hit the market in 2003, the Maxima was automatically pushed aside and ignored.
Too much horsepower?
I didn't think Nissan would do it, but the Altima is now more powerful than the Maxima, 270 horses versus 255. It doesn't prevent the Max from being a very responsive car, and Nissan's 3.5-liter engine is a marvel. It even felt livelier than the unit in the new Altima, which I drove immediately after. The CVT gearbox, now standard equipment in all Maximas (no more manual), reacts quickly and does a great job of keeping the engine in full boil.
It's just too much to ask of the front wheels, stuck trying to cope with the generous amount of torque, as well as the traction control system that frequently steps in. Curiously, the Altima seems to handle its power better than the Max.
The car is also equipped with all-season tires, which were clearly not up to the task; in winter, the Maxima needs appropriate rubber, or you'll constantly be bogged down by wheelspin or the VDC system. Change lanes on the highway at full throttle, and the truck ruts will upset the car big time.
The car's handling characteristics partly make up for the torque steer. The luxury-minded Maxima SL offers a nice combination of a sporty suspension setup and a comfortable ride. Pick up the pace in reaching illegal speeds, and the Max will be more than happy to be your partner in crime. During the course of the week, the Maxima kept a fuel consumption average of 13.2 L/100 km.
Back in 1989, I was 14 years old. The walls of my room were covered with posters of the road rockets I could only dream about. And over my bed, I pinned up a poster of a car that I actually would have a chance to drive one day; it was the Maxima, Nissan's "four-door sports car".
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| The Maxima has been around since 1982. |
Well, it only took 16 years for me to finally get that opportunity. My hopes were high, and so were my expectations. Although it's still a pretty sporty car, The Maxima isn't quite what it used to be.
Things went decently well up until 2002, when the Altima got a major redesign and the Max's engine. And when the rear-wheel drive Infiniti G35 hit the market in 2003, the Maxima was automatically pushed aside and ignored.
Too much horsepower?
I didn't think Nissan would do it, but the Altima is now more powerful than the Maxima, 270 horses versus 255. It doesn't prevent the Max from being a very responsive car, and Nissan's 3.5-liter engine is a marvel. It even felt livelier than the unit in the new Altima, which I drove immediately after. The CVT gearbox, now standard equipment in all Maximas (no more manual), reacts quickly and does a great job of keeping the engine in full boil.
It's just too much to ask of the front wheels, stuck trying to cope with the generous amount of torque, as well as the traction control system that frequently steps in. Curiously, the Altima seems to handle its power better than the Max.
The car is also equipped with all-season tires, which were clearly not up to the task; in winter, the Maxima needs appropriate rubber, or you'll constantly be bogged down by wheelspin or the VDC system. Change lanes on the highway at full throttle, and the truck ruts will upset the car big time.
 |
| The 3.5L V6 is a proven workhorse. |
The car's handling characteristics partly make up for the torque steer. The luxury-minded Maxima SL offers a nice combination of a sporty suspension setup and a comfortable ride. Pick up the pace in reaching illegal speeds, and the Max will be more than happy to be your partner in crime. During the course of the week, the Maxima kept a fuel consumption average of 13.2 L/100 km.