When it made the commitment to giving the Maxima a "big tent" appeal--that is, to
include more conservative and less sport-minded buyers--it expanded the interior space
to accommodate kids, dogs and rollerblades. That's especially true in the rear seat,
where previous editions were a bit cramped.
The front compartment provides plenty of head and legroom, even for taller drivers.
The front bucket seats, which are swathed in smart-looking gray-velour coverings, are
comfy and supportive. The interior of our test car was done in a monochromatic
three-shades-of-gray decor that's quite handsome. In addition to two small cupholders
for styrofoam cups of java, a new, larger holder has been added for ceramic mugs and
such--and it's notched to accommodate the cuphandle.
In the SE--but not in the GXE and GLE--the gauges are niftily designed so that, during
the day, the dials are marked by black-outlined gray digits on a white background. But
at night, they miraculously mutate into a white-on-black design for greater
visibility.
The switches and dials are cleverly located to allow the driver to spot everything
without having to lean forward and peer under or over the steering wheel.
Though the cruise control on-off switch is still on the instrument panel, the system
can be operated via the buttons on the lower-right quadrant of the steering
wheel--instead of diddling with stalk-mounted switches.
The Maxima claims to seat five. But, as with most vehicles that make such a claim, the
fifth person had better be short, featherlight and skinny-hipped--because she or he is
going to be sitting over a hump in the floor, with a fold-down armrest for back
support.
Lurking beneath the Maxima's demure body design is the soul of a predator. When Nissan
designers redesigned the Maxima, they built the engine--a 190-hp 3.0-liter
dual-overhead-cam 24-valve V6--from lighter aluminum alloy, allowing the the Maxima to
shed 100 lbs., down to 3010 lbs. They also tweaked the engine's electronic controls.
The result? A heart-stopping time of 6.7 seconds in the zero-to-60 sprint for the
Maxima SE. That's quicker than any other Japanese sedan sold on these shores--including
the ones with 8-cylinder engines. It's also faster than the Taurus SHO.
But buyers of 4-door sedans are more interested in the car's performance in freeway
passing situations or emergency maneuvers than stoplight acceleration. And the Maxima
SE is similarly brisk in freeway traffic, pulling smartly ahead of the crowd when it
needs to.
The SE is equipped with Nissan's patented Multi-Link Beam suspension. By minimizing
camber change, this new system provides precise handling and stability during
cornering. Though its maximum performance limits aren't quite as high as the previous
system, it's more compact, improving interior space, and cheaper to manufacture.
The reduction in camber change also means that softer bushings and shocks can be
used--thereby reducing suspension friction. That translates into a smoother, softer
ride.
Some sport-driving enthusiasts have indeed found the overall ride and handling to be
too soft--at least in comparison to the previous edition of the Maxima. However, that's
not as much a problem with the sport-tuned SE. In any case, the average driver will
likely welcome the trade-off of road feel for softer ride.
The 5-speed manual transmission responded obediently, meshing nicely with the potent
V6 engine. Steering was sure and responsive for the most part, although in really hard
corners the Maxima's rear end seemed to lag behind the front end, a more or less
universal front-drive trait known as understeer. But another trait that commonly goes
with front-drive understeer is absolute predictability--ease off the throttle and the
nose of the car tucks back on line.
When the cruise control was engaged at 65 mph, the Maxima purred along at a quiet 3300
rpm. Nissan designers have also reduced noise and vibration levels at higher speeds,
another plus in the mainstream midsize market.
Initially, the power-assisted antilock brakes seemed a bit grabby. But, halfway
through our test drive, rain began to fall. And on a wet surface, the brakes rose to
the occasion, providing straight, assured stops every time.