A primary goal of the Maxima design team was a more spacious interior. Here, we can report total success. There is definitely more passenger room available in the new car, especially for those riding in the rear seat. Though slightly less commodious than the class leaders - again the Passat comes to mind - the Maxima still provides a comfortable environment for its occupants.
Visually, the cabin has been effectively modernized. The dashboard and door panels present an attractive flowing appearance, instruments are large and legible, and most controls are arrayed in a logical manner.
However, there are a couple of minor deficiencies. The front seats, although nicely shaped, are a little short on thigh support for taller people. Some controls, notably the climate-control push buttons, are not as user-friendly as the latest rotary-knob adjusters found in some competing makes.
Most Maxima options, as well as the features that differentiate GXE, SE and GLE Maximas from one another, are applied to the interior. Appearance can be adjusted to taste by specifying leather instead of the standard - and attractive - cloth seats. A power-adjustable driver's seat is available (standard on GLE), and wintertime comfort can be enhanced by ordering the Cold Weather package that includes heated seats and outside mirrors, as well as a warning light for low windshield-wiper fluid.
Every Maxima has enough standard equipment to make additions almost unnecessary. Air conditioning, power door locks/windows/outside mirrors, a sound system with AM/FM/cassette and a host of smaller - albeit no less appreciated - amenities are routinely supplied.
Other potential additions - automatic climate control, re-mote keyless entry and a CD player, for example - are standard on the GLE, a model that is further distanced from less- expensive versions by its simulated wood trim.
The SE is closest to previous Maximas in its character. It can be distinguished from other models by its white-face-with-black-numeral instruments (the others have conventional black face/white number dials) and trunk-mounted spoiler. The SE shares attractive alloy wheels with the GLE (though it has wider, lower-profile tires), and rides on its own sport-tuned suspension.
Newfound civility has not robbed the Maxima of its punch. This is still a quick automobile, one that can scoot away from traffic without showing any signs of strain. A smooth, responsive engine has been a prime Maxima feature since the model first appeared, and still is.
The easy-shifting 5-speed manual transmission, standard on the GXE and SE, is an excellent partner for the engine. So is the electronically controlled 4-speed automatic, which actually improved on the manual Maxima's gas mileage during the EPA city cycle test. Either engine/transmission combination is more than acceptable, regardless of intended use.
Around town and on the freeway, the redesigned suspension provides the kind of comfort most buyers want, and equals the best in its class in terms of silence and smoothness. From the driver's point of view, the Maxima is maneuverable and has light variable-assist power steering that takes the effort out of parking and lane changing.
But aggressive drivers, those who have come to expect their Maximas to dart through twists and turns with the sportiest of rivals, may find the latest version to be a letdown. There's no incompetence here, just a reluctance to play. The steering is not quite sharp enough, and the suspension's not quite taut enough, for extra-hard use.
That said, it must be emphasized that only a few pilots will want to take their Maximas to such extremes, and they are likely to do so based on past Maxima performance. Few of the big Nissan's rivals can match its roadholding as is, and only a couple can best it in this highly subjective area.