LA02MAX

iTrader: (3)

Then you haven't driven one. I've driven several and I can honestly say they're 100x better than a conventional automatic.

It sucks that they're not bringing the manual back yada yada yada, but this is what the maxima has become, and I'm fine with that. You want a 6-speed FWD car? Buy an altima.

At first glance, I hated this new maxima but the design is actually growing on me, and I like nissan's current interior design, so that's a plus.

dizmax96

iTrader: (2)

hmm does the 6.5 have cvtcs on exhaust cam? i dont think it does. also for the 7th gen compression is up 10.6:1 from 10.3:1 so that should bump the power up a bit. variable exhaust cam and compression should make for a nice push. I wonder how it handles, a bit wider and re-done suspension geometry, should be pretty nice. Cant put it down until its driven. I think its a big step forward. Change is inevitable. Things will always evolve. So cant really put this car down, its changed and much sportier. DS mode should be quite fun. Just my 2cents.

Oh yeah larger vented rear brakes. nice change, should make for better brake feel.

STARR

iTrader: (1)

The CVT is probably on it's way to becoming like the SMG/DSG type trans, nothing will stop advancing technology.

Maxima looks good, now to see how the test drive reviews rate the car, there is still room for improvement but Nissan like all the rest can't put everything on the table the 1st MY, gotta keep the product hot.

hmr1979

In his defense (340 hp is a bit high) BUT hey, right now you can get a G8 GT with 360 hp...at 30 grand. So it's not too too much to ask for. My bigger concern is that this car is still not too far off from the Alti's specs, kind of frustrating.

STARR

iTrader: (1)

Just read the entire press release, cars sounds amazing, if what they said is true then the 09 Maxima will impress many once they get behind the wheel

lightonthehill

After looking at the pics and the specs, I am very happy. This Maxima has everything my 5th and 6th gen Maximas have and more.

As to specs, we got exactly what we should expect. The Maxima is a FWD car PERIOD. We may have an AWD option in the fairly near future, but NEVER RWD - That is the realm of Infiniti (and one of many reasons I prefer the Maxima to the G35). Those still whining for RWD are totally oblivious as to the niche into which the Maxima fits.

290 HP is very nice. This is a very spirited four door family sedan, not a race car. 290 may be the ideal power for this car. Over 300 HP serves little purpose on this vehicle, except to suck gas. The important thing is to have a car with lots or room that has strong accelleration, handles very well, has avante guarde styling and has lots of goodies standard. The Maxima does all that rather well.

We have essentially the same eight colors as the 6th gen, although a few of those colors changed names and tints very slightly. Those are excellent colors. I did think Nissan might have an intro gold, as they did with very early 6th gens, but I haven't seen that mentioned on the Nissan sites yet.

It never ceases to surprise me how many 'unsatisfied' posters come out of the woodwork with the release of each new Maxima generation, proclaiming the fatal flaws before ever touching the car. But somehow, despite these voices of disappointment, Nissan continues to sell Maximas.

Sure, there are a few details I would have done differently on the 7th gen, but overall, I love the new Maxima, and, although I love my perfect 6th gen SL, will absolutely be buying an '09 within the next year.

SmokeNismo

It would make no sense WHATSOEVER to put an HR motor and decrease the redline back to the DE's max rpm. The whole point of HR is High Revving. Anyway, It's most likely the same DE found in the Alti. (Sorry if it sounds like im comin on too strong, but so far im not that happy with this redesign.)

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

zomg someone with a brain! tho i don't get why you PREFER fwd to rwd, or at the least, the max to the g35 on the basis of drivetrain layout... but the car is what it is. the 3rd gen forum doesn't complain that the quintessential 4DSC, the VE-5, isn't RWD. Nissan said it wanted to take the 7th gen back to its 4DSC roots. That would mean making it more like a 3rd gen, which is, coincidentally, FWD.

maX5

iTrader: (4)

0-60 mph 6.2 sec (MT est, mfr est)

does the MT, stand for Manual Transmission ?

STARR

iTrader: (1)

Motor Trend

Maxim(a)SerjVQ

I predicted the specs. I'm estatic they dropped some weight outta the porker and brought back trim-specific suspension...now if they could lose the tabbed headlights and give it some "Hero" colors, I'd be sold.

I'm also very happy they didn't move to the 3.7. have you seen gas prices lately? I'd prefer if they just keep making the 3.5 more efficient. a 6-speed GEARED auto or a stir stick woulda done that trick, but I did find the programming of the CVT in the 6.5 appealing for what i expected. Time to wait for a Test Drive i guess...

!PrjctMax!

iTrader: (38)

Took the words out of my mouth

You get more motor...but a crappier look on both interior and exterior, and putting a Vette motor into smaller cars is cheating in my opinion In for the TT GTR motor in a Sentra

.02

dizmax96

iTrader: (2)

i jus asked this question anyways i will answer again. IF it were from the Altima which its not.. the bump in power is probably from having CVTCS on both INTAKE and EXHAUST as well as higher compression. 6gen is 10.3:1 vs 7th gen 10.6:1 .. plus 6gen only has CVTCS on intake side. Should make a difference

soundmike

iTrader: (24)

One other thing, weren't the 6th gen HP figures rated using the old system? If so, then technically, the 7th gen (when rated using the old system) could theoretically be making more than 300hp at the crank.

soundmike

iTrader: (24)

Don't forget, the 6th gens were HP-rated using the old system(?). That means the 7th gen is theoretically making more than 300hp using the same procedure.

I couldn't agree more. The G8 may be fast and cheap, but the overall package is subpar.

AllBlackMax

I wouldn't even compare a G8 to the Maxima. You can keep your pushrod Hemi; no thanks. And the interior of the G8 is average at best. I thought about the G8 for a split second but...nah.

AllBlackMax

I believe the 6.5 Gen was rated with the new system.

IlyaK

iTrader: (47)

What is the new system?

nlt624

I sure have and I actually enjoyed it. I have never owned a car with a manual transmission and never plan on owning one. I'm not a driving enthusiast like others may be, so I like to put my car in drive and go.

alicious

iTrader: (8)

Ok because I have driven several myself and they are God awful. They remove the driver from the actual "driving experience" of the car imo. Honestly, anything short of a manual or perhaps a DSG removes you, but the CVT just feels terrible and you feel disconnected from the car. Especially from launch...God, the Altima's CVT was terrible from the initial stomp of the gas going WOT.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

but you never drove one in the Maxima. I'm serious. The Maxima CVT was and is even more so now different from the others.

04-06 rated 265 old system.
07-08 rated 255 new system.
09 rated 290 new system.

35 fricken more hp. only 100lbs heavier with way more features. faster. AND same MPG.

get over manual and be excited.
or
Get a Z or Accord.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

wrong.
(kinda)


6.5 gen 07-08 use the new system. that's why it dropped from 265-255.
but yeah at 290, the new maxima would be 300 using the 2006 rating.

ajcool2

iTrader: (43)

I need to try out this CVT tranny to see what all this ha blah is about.

SickSE

I drove the 6.5 with a CVT. It sounds ok but I would NEVER buy one. Feels like autopilot and not a car at all. boooo

Divewjason

I see the "zomg it's not RWD" complaints coming out.

The Maxima has always been a sporty family car. How many people wanted a Camaro or some other sportscar but their wife made them get a Taurus or something like that? I believe the Maxima is a compromise between a family sedan and a sports car. It can be used as a family car,(The 350Z can't ever be a family car unless it's a two person family.)it is still quick and sporty, it handles well, it's refined. This is a great compromise between the wife and husband if one of them wants a car that is quick and sporty and the other one wants a family car. One of the best things about that car is even though it is FWD(which is safer for a family in inclimate weather anyways.) it still has that sporty characteristic. That is what I think the Maxima is for.

We already have the 350Z, that's our sportscar. Why should the Maxima tread on its territory when the Maxima already plays a very important role in Nissan? You wanted the Maxima seperated from the Altima? You have it with this generation. you can't say that the engines have the same power.

Let's stop dissing this car and actually wait until it arrives at a dealership before we make up our minds.

mikekantor

iTrader: (5)

If they do offer an SE trim later, anyone think a 3.7L will be in it?

eyecon7

iTrader: (4)

Gaurenteed NO.... if they dont move up to the 3.5hr they deff wont go to the 3.7 and we can only dream about RWD even in the future
Generations 8th 9th...etc Its Will Be NO............... I Came to reality after this Generation.... All i Ask is AWD NISSAN.......damnnn you..........

IlyaK

iTrader: (47)

Yeah I want AWD too...cause I live in the mountains and could use it. Oh well.

I like the sound of this Maxima. Looks very promising.

hmr1979

I agree with the interior and exterior looks, and I am by no means going to buy a G8 GT.
But I am putting things in perspective especially since Nissan is deciding to put the 4DSC sticker back on it. I am comparing merely specs. As far as cheating...hmm the 6th gen maxima had pretty much the same engine as our sports car 350Z without all the tweaks.

FWD, CVT, 290hp... all of those specs I have NO beef with. In fact I think it's sufficient progress from the predecessor and they're good specs. But 4dsc?

Divewjason

We won't know until we drive it.

jcalabria

Agreed, with the following difference/explanation: If buying a car for myself only, I would certainly place RWD as a higher priority - maybe even a "must". But... even here in the sunny south I have to think about wife and daughter occasionally driving in snow and ice, so FWD gets a pass from me as long as it still maintains reasonable levels of handling and torque steer is quelled (which it is in the 6.5Gs and Altima, so I expect same of 7G as well).

Also, FWD packaging typically offers more interior room for a given exterior size... a plus for a larger than average person like me. One of the things that interests (and concerns) me is that very wide looking (driveshaft ready?!) center tunnel/console on the 7G. One of the turn-offs of the G35, for me, was how much tighter that tunnel/console made the interior of the G feel to me.

bizzee

I could not disagree anymore. I drove my friends Altima 3.5 with CVT and it felt amazing to drive. And the launch seemed to be the best part of the drive for me.

bb700092

No one knows how much truth is there in what Nissan is claiming about the 7th Gen Max until someone has driven the car. May be all of that is true or maybe much of it is marketing gimmick. But I am feeling a little suspect since the price is set at the same price range as the 6G. Didn't you guys expect the price to be higher than the 6G simply for the reason that the 7G delivers more hp and torque keeping the mpg same? I do not see anything taken away from the 6G, except the length of the car which is compensated by the increased width. So why would the price remain the same after all the enhancements?

I cannot wait to get reviews from some third party (Edmunds, CarandDriver, etc.) regarding how they feel about the 7G's driving experience.

lightonthehill

The 6th gen Maxima was rated at 265 HP in the old government system and 255 HP in the new system. The 7th gen Maxima is rated at 290 HP in the new system, and would have been rated slightly over 300 HP in the old system.

Those 'pining' for a manual may eventually get their wish with a special SE version of the 7th gen. But those folks need to understand that the CVT is the tranny of the future for most vehicles. Once all technical glitches (mechanical and software) have been overcome (and most already have), the evolution of the CVT WILL OFFER BETTER MPG THAN ANY TRANNY THAT HAS SHIFT POINTS; that is simply very basic physics. And government mandated fleet MPG averages demand that manufacturers use the trannies that have the most MPG upside as we move into an ever-tightening fuel crisis.

As China, India and the rest of the world drastically increase their need for petroleum products, the price of gas in the U.S. could reach $10 a gallon at some point in the fairly near future. At that time, MPG will be important to everyone.

Traffic is becoming more and more jammed across the country, and the number of tranny shifts nationwide has reached billions per day, and growing fast. As CVTs are perfected, and their MPG continues to improve, each of those shifting trannies, whether manual or auto, will be wasting another drop or two of precious fuel with each shift. Driving a vehicle with a tranny that has shift points will eventually be considered a wasteful indulgence. Nissan already knows this.

I understand it may be difficult for some here to grasp, but, fairly or not, manual trannies in a mass-produced passenger car will eventually be dropped, considered to be a wasteful toy for macho-aspiring playboys of a bygone era, available only in limited production type vehicles.

Yes, we will lose some of the fun of driving, but nothing ever stays the same in life.

jcalabria

I too, could not disagree any more strongly. The launch performance of the CVT is, if anything, better than the 5AT - maybe even the 6MT as well. The overall low gear ratio of the CVT is significantly lower than the 5AT (12.27:1 vs 11.36:1) and, contrary to the belief of some, there is absolutely no slippage. At launch it feels just like a conventional AT, only snappier. It is completely unlike other CVTs, like Audi's, that use an electronically controlled clutch. That clutch slips somewhat off the line, and does not have the initial torque multiplication that the torque converter adds to the Nissan CVT. Nissan got it right coupling the CVT to the engine with a TC.

As far as removing the driver from the experience, this too is grossly incorrect. You very quickly learn, in anything more than a quick spin around the block, that you can play the CVT like a fine instument... minute adjustments in throttle pressure will alter the way it shifts... make it hold gear or make it shift - up or down - all at the control of your foot. With the right technique, I have found you can even get the tranny and engine to accelerate at the same time... which is REALLY a rush - feels like turbocharger boost building! It is an amazing piece of equipment. I am very interested to learn what programming improvements have been made in the 7G.

Dismissing the CVT after only a brief drive (or worse, having NEVER driven one) is like someone who has never driven a manual taking one out for a test drive, having it buck, kick and stall all over the place, then making a blanket statement that manual transmissions suck.

Do I miss the availability of a manual - absolutely. The first 2/3s of the 20+ cars I've owned were all manuals and I always thought I'd never buy an automatic. However, driving a manual has become an excrutiatingly painful proposition for me, due to hip issues. Just evaluating it vs. other automatics, the Nissan CVT is SOOOOOO much better than any automatic (or other CVT) I've experienced, its not even close. That is mostly because it takes a certain level of skill and experience to get the most out of it. THAT is something to enjoy and take pride in, just as executing a perfect matched rev downshift used to be for me.

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

You can all to your hearts content, the fact that Nissan is claiming to promote emotion and sheer driving feeling instead of just numbers and engineering in the car and only offering it with a CVT is laughable.

NYPD-Arnold

iTrader: (8)

I'll test drive this CVT in the 7th gen, but I too hate them with a passion. Awful on my cousin's Murano, and awful on the Altima.

soundmike

iTrader: (24)

Not really. From 5th to 6th to 7th the price has remained in the same bracket, yet with each generation something better and newer was introduced.

The 2009 Murano's base price was even decreased by $1.5k, considering it packs more than the 1st gen Murano's.

My guess is, they're using the VQ in enough vehicles now that the cost of producing it is much lesser overall. They're just passing on the savings.

soundmike

iTrader: (24)

Well said.

bb700092

Lets see. Hope you are right.

Nissan was offering $2500 incentives on the Maxima and $500 on the Altima during most parts of 2007 and 2008. That includes the Altima 3.5 V6 which is comparable to the Maxima, just a little smaller. I guess that difference is not because "they're using the VQ in enough vehicles now that the cost of producing it is much lesser overall. They're just passing on the savings."