The 2019 Nissan Maxima features a novel design on a full-sized sedan in today's marketplace. Styling is swoopy, futuristic, and undeniably sporty. Blacked-out A- and B-pillars, along with a black strip on the C-pillar, make the roof appear to float, giving the whole car a unique appeal.
Underneath the hood rests a 3.5L V6, a revised version of the engine that powered the previous Maxima generation. Here, it makes 300 horsepower. That output is sent to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT.) Rather than having set gears, CVTs are able to choose any ratio, essentially adapting on the go to whatever the driver is demanding, be it smooth fuel-efficient cruising on the highway or hard acceleration up an onramp.
While the outside of the Maxima is striking, the interior has received equal attention. The interior design is clean and functional but not without its little flourishes. Keeping with the sport sedan theme, the cockpit is now more focused on the driver and features hand-stitching on several of the trim pieces.
The Maxima is offered in five different trim levels: S, SV, SL, SR, and Platinum. Standard equipment on the base S model is still somewhat comprehensive. The S includes an 8-inch color screen that houses the standard navigation system, an 8-way power adjustable driver's seat and 4-way power adjustable front passenger seat, dual-zone automatic temperature control, a rearview camera, a 7-inch advanced driver assist display, HD radio with a subscription to SiriusXM, 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, daytime running lamps and LED taillights, and dual exhaust tips.
The SV trim improves upon the interior of the S by adding leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, front and rear parking sensors and additional movement settings for the power front seats.
The SL trim adds several safety features, a massive moonroof and a Bose premium sound system. Included safety features on the SL include a predictive front collision warning system and a blind-spot monitoring system. The front sensors on the car also enable intelligent cruise control, which automatically speeds up and slows down the Maxima to maintain a set distance to the car ahead of it on the highway.
The SR trim is for buyers who are a bit more serious about using the Maxima as a 4-door sports car. Nissan's integrated dynamic-control module allows for active changes to the suspension and engine, allowing drivers to tune their car for better handling or more engine braking at the push of a button. The SR also gets 19-inch wheels and Alcantara, diamond-stitched seats and a charcoal headliner. And though it comes with most of the features on the SL trim, it does not include the moonroof.
Platinum models, of course, offer the most of everything. In addition to getting the trick interior seating from the SR trim, the Platinum trim also includes the huge dual-pane moonroof from the SL trim. Other goodies on the Platinum trim include an around-view monitoring system, fully climate-controlled front seats, a motorized tilting and telescoping steering wheel, rain sensing wipers and wood accents for the interior. A Platinum Reserve package offers satin bronze faceted finishes, diamond-quilted Rakuda Tan semi-aniline leather appointments and heated rear seats.
Striking Styling
Powerful Engine
Efficient CVT Transmission
Sporty Driving Experience
Upscale Luxury Features
For 2019, Nissan has given its flagship Maxima sedan a slight makeover, with a larger front grille that integrates more fluidly with the hood, plus standard LED headlights and restyled taillights as well as a fresh rear fascia.
The Nissan Maxima starts at around $34,000, a price point in the company of luxury offerings of the Mercedes C-Class, the Acura TLX and the Lexus IS. The Maxima offers more space than an equivalently priced Audi, BMW, or Mercedes, and it also offers more pace than a high-end Camry or Accord. The Maxima tries to let buyers have their cake and eat it too, reproducing the fun driving experience offered by European sport sedans, without reproducing their higher prices and smaller cabins.
