Well after seeing about 20 of them on the road, in different trims and looking at many many pictures, I still can't absorb the looks of this car. I've heard others say the 6th gen was ugly but like other Maxima designs that took a while to grow on me, that one did.

However, many of the exterior styling elements strike certain notes of looking good the rear end particularly looks in my opinion NASTY.

In comparison to the looks of the 6th gen, I think this car missed the mark. BIG TIME. Sorry Nissan, if I do buy another car that you manufacture, it won't be another Maxima. You destroyed it.

 

7th gen Looks > 6th gen Looks IMO

 

I'd agree with you there. Though, I would agree with the OP that the rear end is what keeps the 7th gen from looking really good IMO..

 

and i own a 6th gen

 

I think most of the car looks phenomenal but it's a complete package. When you get to the rear of the vehicle it HAS to look good. It's what most people see of the car and for the money, they should've done it better. It looks too much like an Altima and I just feel the missed the mark.

 

I actually like the rear and the sides of the 7G. The entire front end though (hood, fenders, grille, headlights) I find to be a complete and utter disaster. I don't like the interior either. The 6.5G has a much better front end and the interior on the SL is far more classy.

 

I think the taillight fixtures are more in line with the new camry. I've also waited 3 model years for this car after almost buying an 06 brand new,just couldn't get past the big buck tooth front end grille and the 07/08 had not distinguished itself from the altima, so i totally get what you mean by one little thing ruining the package. I personally love the new max and my navy blue/caffe latte loaded premium should be here in the next couple days! I can't wait it's my 1st max been in love with these cars since the 4th gen and can finally afford one.

 

The '09 is the first Maxima generation since the '85 and '86 model years (gen 2.0) on which I like everything. Gen 1 was too low and flat, Gen 3 was very close to perfect, but very plain. Gens 4 and 5 were also close, but nothing dramatic. Gen 6 was better after the tooth fell out, but still not athletic-looking.

But gen 7 just has that agile, ready-to-rumble look that grabs me. I even like the large grille, and the way its edges line up, both with headlight lines and lower facia lines. I like the simplicity of the rear, with the single exhaust pipe on each side fitted into the sculpted bumper bottom, and the way the rear fenders reach out to the side in muscular fashion.

But even as I looked at the '09 last March, I knew there would be some folks unhappy with certain aspects of this 'liquid motion' style. That happens with every redesign of every car. Nothing the designers can do about that; tastes just vary too widely.

 

you can wait two or three more years for the redesighned version of the 7th gen, many times they look better, take the 02-03 max compared to 00-01 or the 97-99 vs. 95-96.

 

Sure, and by that time the Altima will have more HP as it is going against the Camry. Nissan won't let us have our "Cake and eat it too" with the Maxima.

 

i luv the way the back look esp at night when you step on the break.. the way the tail lights point to the corners and kinda wrap around the shoulders.. and the front has a speed up or get out the way look to them.. ( thats to the people who like to drive slow in the fast lane>>> move to the right please for crying out loud)... this model is a beast.. oh and i have my windows all illegally at 5%..

"SASHA" is sooooo damn sexy.. i luv her.... once i get past the 15 posts ill put up pics

 

I never liked the 6th gen and it never grew on me.
The 7th gen however, I didnt like at first and its growing on me.
I have seen a couple custom 7th gen and IMO they look great. If i see some good looking custom grills come out I may purchase a Max if I can swing a good deal for one.

 

02-03 vs. 00-01? The visual changes were pretty minor:

1. HID headlights vs. halogen (improvement)
2. Tweaked front bumper (improvement)
3. Different front grille (not an improvement, IMO)
4. "Alteeza" tails (definitely not an improvement over 00-01 SE tails, which is why so many 02-03 guys do retros, at least guys with dark cars)
5. Side skirts (improvement, but the 01 AEs had them too)

I personally think the front of the 02-03 looks better, and the back of the 00-01 looks better...but none of the changes were "major"

wow, you're such a rebel...

You're basing your purchase of a 7th gen on whether or not aftermarket "grills" are available?

 

You and me both.

 

While discussing ugly cars, what comes to my mind is the new Acura TL. Acura showed us how to take a clean,aggressive and successful design and butcher it to yield one of the ugliest car on the road.
Now, in comparison to what they have done, I consider the maxima an improvement.
In comparison to the 6th gen, I think it looks better proprtioned and has some sleek, clean and appealing lines. The front end can be polarizing(but only minimally with more people liking than hating). The rear end is just generic, nothing special. Its definitely not ugly. Styling, in general, is very subjective. One man's dream could be the other's nightmare.

 

There's a fully loaded black SV with 19" wheels and spoiler black on black and a Grey base model with black cloth interior in my parking lot at work. I absolutely drolled over the black on black with all the options where as the base model didn't really stand out for me. I totally agree that the 7th gen is better looking than the 6th gen. Nissan does a good job of updating the Maxima just enough to improve the looks but not too drastic. I really would like to come back to the Maxima fold but man I just can't swallow spending 30K+ for a front wheel drive sedan.

 

Interesting. It's just the opposite for me. I find the rear to be just fine where as the front just downright sucks IMO.

 

Imo, there's nothing wrong with the 7th gen's looks - rear or front. It's gorgeous.

 

only in comparison to a 350z

 

the 09's front looks like a lancer evo's front imo

google it, ull see what i mean

 

The word Ugly has been reserved for another car already i.e. 09 Acura TL.

Please select a new word for the 09 maxima e.g. conservative or probably gorgeous

 

I'll agree. The front looks ferrari-ish or maybe it's just me. The back end looks ****.

MM1

 

I'm guessing you're referring to the old Testarossa, due to the square grille, becaue the 7th gen max looks nothing at all like any other Ferrari....

Note: The Testarossa is a 20-year-old design....at least.

 

How original.

 

Nothing wrong with 20 year olds...
I should say that it reminds me of the Maserati Quadroport (sp). I better find some pics of what I'm talking about.

MM1

 

eader!.... i know i know

 

hmmm IDK the 6th gens grew on me but the 7th's rear end will never... its kind of a tie with a bit edge to the 6th gen... 7th gen interior is ultimate

 

 

I was behind/next to one (a black one) for about 100 miles on the way home up I-95 today (in my runner). When you're up beside it or at a 45degree angle to the rear, it looks pretty good. But when driving directly behind it (for about 40 minutes) it's just a wierd looking car, IMO...

 

Dude the angles that you chose to shoot would make any car look wierd. The first one also has some lens distortion making the image stretch. And who would look at cars from the bottom pointing up. It would be like laying on the freeway watching the cars zip by..not a good idea. Your second pic is actually very good.
Overall I think its a decent looking car. Not everyone will like. I agree the front could have been more conservative and not so over the top. The rear is just generic, nothing wrong with it. But like I had posted before the looks are very subjective.

 

....not to mention, Nissan still has this thing with liking massive wheel gap, FTL...

 

It's a nice looking car, but it's not a car I would buy. My opinion the 5th gen was the last real maxima.

 

I think this is one of Nissan's best redesigns yet! The lines on the 09 are unreal looking and the interior is the best yet!

 

I am going to have to agree

 

I totally agree. this thing is sharp. I'm new to maximas. 2 of my friends have 5th gens and I've paid attention to them since then. when the 6th gen came out, I wasn't blown away, but i also wouldn't have bought either 5th or 6th based solely on looks. This one totally has my attention. I'd buy this one based on looks. I think Nissan did well on this car.

 

I had to dig this one up. Has anyone's opinions changed since late 2008?

Personally, first impression for me was that the 7th generation, was wow! That's THE Maxima. The item i had to get used to was the "lobsters claw-like" headlights but that grew on me so fast as the whole car got my attention.

I dont know but somehow there's something about the front end design, it seems as though a GT-R is wanting to come through, i.e. Stillen Maxima.

 

cant be that bad with record breaking sales in 2011

 

My favorite gens are 3rd, 4th and 5th. After that, they look to big and got heavy.

 

do u mean the maxima itself or the entire nissan fleet as a whole ?

 

the front, especially in black looks very menacing.

the hood is very "drapey", the hood kinda "drape" back into the car across the fender shoulders. I'm not sure if it was by intent or completely accidental, the maxima design is really like nothing else that's being offered today. Add to that the squared off grille and the entire looks just looks like "serious business".

but to know that the main designer of the a35 was also behind the altima design is kinda dissappointing.