First off I want to clear something up. The 7 Generation Nissan Maxima is NOT a four door sports car…no matter what those stickers say or how Nissan attempts to market it. With that being said it is a performance vehicle, more specifically a performance oriented touring sedan.

This review is mainly written from the viewpoint of a recent 350 mile roundtrip I completed in the same day driving primarily on Interstate 40 in Tennessee. I drive a 2010 SV Sport in Ocean Gray.

Impressions:

·This car seems most comfortable cruising between 75 and 85 mph on the open road.

·Can sustain 110+ mph with little effort and no strain on the car (yes I have performed that action).

·From 80 mph to slightly over 100 mph has the most impressive acceleration surge.

·Driving in Auto mode and using the paddle shifters (or gear selector for the non paddle models) to drop it down to “4th” gear is the best way to achieve instantaneous acceleration at freeway speeds.

·Acceleration from 80- 100+ is so smooth and linear that you can take your hands off the wheel and it will still track straight. (What torque steer? At least at that speed).

·Handling in curves at speeds over 80 MPH is FANTASTIC…can even deliberately catch the apex of the turn late and still get back into it with no problem. Nice flat handling, no excessive body roll. Fastest curve taken at 105 mph on a %4 downward incline.

·The steering is very precise…point and shoot steering…no slack or wasted motion, very communicative. Perfect match for those winding mountain roads.

·Steering wheel is nice and thick, steering effort is nice and weighty at speed invoking confidence.

·Seats are non-fatigue inducing. Very nice and supportive for a nice long trip, while still bolstered just enough to keep planted in the curves. +1 for the adjustable thigh extension.

·Observed fuel mileage on very hilly/mountainous trip with semi-frequent acceleration bursts to over 100 mph…25.6 MPG. Average speed 66.8 MPH.

·Owners of more expensive more prestigious cars (S-Class, Lexus L460, and a few 7 Series BMW’s) seemed to be very interested in the styling as they would pull up beside me and give my Max a few good once overs, then nod in approval and keep it moving.

Conclusion: This is definitely a performance vehicle. Having a CVT transmission and a FWD layout does nothing to diminish this fact. All the ALLEGED disadvantages of the two aforementioned specs have been addressed. The CVT has a Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde demeanor with precise and fast shifting in sport mode while using paddle shifter or gearshift lever and instantaneous throttle response. Or it can be driven conservatively at sustained freeways speeds (65-80 mph) while reporting excellent fuel economy for a 3.5 liter 290 HP engine (24-27 MPG…your mileage may vary). The FWD does not suffer from torque steer which has plagued other High Output FWD vehicles. This was proven with WOT acceleration with my hands totally off the wheel, it tracked straight with no pull to the left or right.

My humble opinion is that for under 40k there is not a more versatile and capable performance sedan on the market that offers the performance and level of refinement…married to an aggressive and bold exterior, as the 7th Generation Nissan Maxima. Obviously some of the performance aspects of this car has trickled down from the GT-R and Z.

 

·Can sustain 110+ mph with little effort and no strain on the car (yes I have performed that action).

Curious as to whether you remember what the tach was running at that speed.

 

 

I do that all the time. I hit 120mph like I was just getting to 70mph and car is planted firm and going aggressively with great stability and traction. As I pass other expensive and fast cars, all I can say in my mind is "Catch me if you can, lol!". And sure enough, I never see anybody in the rear view mirror. So, I take my phone and take a picture!

And if I find a driver that tries to keep up, all I say is "No retreat, No surrender". And I see how long they can keep up. Very seldom does it last 5 miles and they disappear in my rear view mirror. And I am gone.

So, if my 6thgen can do that with no strain I believe you can do that and even more. I love my car! And I like the 7thgen.

 

Yes indeed PetitFrere, Maxima has a GREAT lineage. It has always been the sporty performance oriented sedan. To be honest if you ask me the jump from 2nd Gen to 3rd Gen was the biggest leap ever for the line...the rest have been more evolutionary. I still see 5th and 6th Gens on the road and am like "dang they are so sexy".

With that being said if I had a 6th Gen I'd probably skip over the 7th and see what the 8th version has to offer (if they still decide to produce Maximas after this version).

 

Next time I go fill up the tank I'll do a quick run to let you know. There is a stretch of interstate that has no cutoffs for cop cars and good visibility for me to do it.

Edited to say: I just noticed I said on a %4 downward incline...wow, way to go Maxim_ized.

 

great write up. Thanks for sharing.

 

I have to agree with the handling at speeds over 70, the car just seems to be at it's best.
Seat comfort was a one of the deciding factors, the seat extension is a plus, too bad they didn't put one on the passenger side also.

 

Couldn't agree more; before I got my 2010 Max last summer, I crossed shopped and test drove, a Altima, Camry, G37, ES350, RX350, TL, TSX, etc and the Maxima had the most comfortable front seats of any of these vehicles; the RX350 came in a very close second to the Max, in my opinion, on front seat quality/comfort but the Maxima was the best; the rest of the industry should really use the Max's front seats as a guide!