Since the very beginning, the Nissan Maxima has progressively strayed from its sport sedan origins in favour of the middle-class. The latest generation is a little more exciting but definitely not sporty. With the introduction of the new 2009 Maxima, Nissan is trying very hard to re-establish its large sedan's pedigree. To the point where ads for the car associate it with the outrageous GT-R.
Nissan's new design language is called Liquid Motion. Surprisingly, this "liquid" looks exactly the same as the Infiniti's. Style-wise, the Maxima could easily bear the Infiniti logo on its grille. Several elements support this theory: the ridges on the hood, borrowed from the G35 and the FX, the arrested line of the side windows as well as the grille, which is greatly inspired by the FX, apart from the trim. Even the taillights conjure those of the Infiniti.
The designers have done a very good job; the unstructured headlights are definitely innovative. Shorter and more powerful than the previous generation, the new Maxima packs more punch. However, we have the right to question its raison d'être, as it's smaller than the Altima and fundamentally belongs in the same class as its big brother, the Infiniti G35.
The interior is superbly done and very sumptuous. The double wave effect of the upper half is a success. Again, and far from being a bad thing, this is pure Infiniti. The interface is the same, framed by the G35's air nozzles; the dashboard configuration, it's all the same. Only the steering wheel seems overloaded for its size. The quality of the finish is good without equalling the Infiniti's. In certain cases, the plastics used should be of better quality.
It's fully equipped, but something is still beyond me: the reverse camera does a great job, but it doesn't benefit from any sound assistance. The rest of the equipment is complete: Bluetooth technology, 9-speaker Bose MusicBox sound system, including two woofers, navigation system and all the other gadgets standard to the class.
Even if the Maxima has historically been considered a large sedan, space is limited in this vintage. The fact that the roof line is relatively low affects headroom, especially in the back. And the spare wheel robs the trunk of valuable storage space. The seats are comfortable, wrapped in premium leather and offering solid support for the thighs.
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| Style-wise, the Maxima could easily bear the Infiniti logo on its grille. |
Nissan's new design language is called Liquid Motion. Surprisingly, this "liquid" looks exactly the same as the Infiniti's. Style-wise, the Maxima could easily bear the Infiniti logo on its grille. Several elements support this theory: the ridges on the hood, borrowed from the G35 and the FX, the arrested line of the side windows as well as the grille, which is greatly inspired by the FX, apart from the trim. Even the taillights conjure those of the Infiniti.
The designers have done a very good job; the unstructured headlights are definitely innovative. Shorter and more powerful than the previous generation, the new Maxima packs more punch. However, we have the right to question its raison d'être, as it's smaller than the Altima and fundamentally belongs in the same class as its big brother, the Infiniti G35.
The interior is superbly done and very sumptuous. The double wave effect of the upper half is a success. Again, and far from being a bad thing, this is pure Infiniti. The interface is the same, framed by the G35's air nozzles; the dashboard configuration, it's all the same. Only the steering wheel seems overloaded for its size. The quality of the finish is good without equalling the Infiniti's. In certain cases, the plastics used should be of better quality.
It's fully equipped, but something is still beyond me: the reverse camera does a great job, but it doesn't benefit from any sound assistance. The rest of the equipment is complete: Bluetooth technology, 9-speaker Bose MusicBox sound system, including two woofers, navigation system and all the other gadgets standard to the class.
Even if the Maxima has historically been considered a large sedan, space is limited in this vintage. The fact that the roof line is relatively low affects headroom, especially in the back. And the spare wheel robs the trunk of valuable storage space. The seats are comfortable, wrapped in premium leather and offering solid support for the thighs.
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| Bluetooth technology, 9-speaker Bose MusicBox sound system, navigation system and all the other gadgets. |