CS_AR

Here's an article posted today on carscoops.com

In Defense Of The 2016 Nissan Maxima And Other Large Mainstream Sedans

"It's always a surprise to me that the Nissan Maxima makes ears perk up and people get nostalgic. But the nameplate brings up memories so strong they'd be the envy of numerous premium brands."

http://www.carscoops.com/2015/04/in-...axima-and.html

gizzsdad

Good read - thanks for sharing!

lightonthehill

Interesting read. It is nice to see a reviewer who sees both sides of the Maxima issue. He sees the niche for the Maxima, understands why there are folks who fit that niche, and it is clear he will not make any definite judgement until he has actually driven the car, which I find refreshing.

NissanFreak2000

The Max is definitely a special small market. It for people who want a sedan, but don't want the ordinary sedan that can be seen in every driveway in America! It's for people who want to be able to have some sport in the sedan, a little uniqueness, and don't want to go into the luxury market (i.e. infiniti, bmw, lexus, audi, etc).

lightonthehill

I sort of enjoy driving up to my brother's home in my new Maxima, watching his jaw drop and his eyes widen, and responding to his excitement with a casual 'It's just a Nissan.'

But more than that, I enjoy getting my Maxima taxed, insured and serviced at Nissan prices, rather than luxury car prices.

NissanFreak2000

I agree with the not wanting to go luxury prices. However, the Max is extremely close to many luxury cars without the price. In my opinion, the Max can take on the TLX, especially with the great interior upgrade that the 8th gen has, the only difference is it doesn't offer AWD option, but considering most of those who buy those are FWD anyway, it doesn't matter. I honestly feel the Max straddles the line because it takes out most non luxury top of line cars, but it can compete with some luxury models also.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

Always has been a "tweaner" car since Gen 4, Gen 1 and 2 along with the Cressida and later on Acura Legend were the most luxurious cars that you could get fromm Japan at that time. Gen 3 still competed with Luxury/Sport Sedans winning most but losing to the Taurus SHO once or twice. By Gen 4 the Market changed a lot and it sorta fell into "tweaner" status and has been that way since.

lightonthehill

I can't disagree very much with what you say, but we should keep in mind that there were not a plethora of luxury cars coming from Japan tthrough the first three or four gens of the Maxima, but now even econobox producers Kia and Hyundai are producing cars that cost over $60K bucks. For the Maxima to 'stay ahead' of the upscale cars coming out of Japan and Korea over the last thirty years would have required price increases that would have priced it out of reach for most folks.

The Maxima is indeed a 'tweener', but that is not a negative. Many of us who want something better appointed, well built, more interestingly styled and less common than the Altima, Camry, Accord, etc, but do not want to get into the luxury names, find the Maxima to be exactly what we are looking for.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

Light that's exactly why its the "tween" mobile in a good way! I was just reading through some old stuff, and that '85 2nd Gen SE is what really put this car on the map as a serious contender and started its loyal base. That thing ran with the best of them then, the one I was reading it placed second in a "Sports Sedan" comparo which included the 3 series, Volvo 7 and some other cars.

lightonthehill

Although I am quite sure my perfect 7th gen is probably the best Maxima ever built, I must admit that my 1985 Maximas (we had two 1985s, bought together, one for my wife) will always hold the 'true love' spot in my heart. We travelled a lot back then, and those two Maximas accumulated over 200,000 miles each. I last saw my '85 tooling around town back around 2003. I don't know who owns it, but I can always recognize Maximas I have owned because I always add little things such as wheel well molding, rain guards, discreet mud flaps, etc, that make for a unique vehicle. You mentioned 'run.' That '85 would have run to Nome Alaska if I asked it to.

But the reality is that time passes, and things change. Because of all the automotiver improvements and technological innnovations over the years, the 2016 Maxima will have to be considered as the most advanced Maxima ever built. I look forward to driving one.

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

just my .02. nissan really did a number on the maxima when they decided the altima should be built bigger. right around when the 3rd gen altima came out in the early 2000s it was fighting for market with the 5th gen maxima. both cars sport the V6...both are very similar with sizing and the altima was cheaper.

what made it worse for the maxima was the re-introduction of the infiniti G sedan right around the same time the altima was getting bigger. here you have a sedan/coupe with the highly demanded AWD and a manual transmission...all that for a few thousand more than a maxima.

from that point forward the maxima was fighting for it's identity. no longer the maxima will compete with the camry or the accord...it's now reaching for the avalon and TLs.

the 8th gen is still trying to find itself in this niche market. it's clear that nissan spent a lot on the exterior and the interior of the 8th gen to give the car it's unique shape/design but they still kept everything else more the less the same. whatever they have left in the budget was put in the VQ enhancement which i'm sure will share with the altima and the CVT.

let's see how well it will sell once it hits the showrooms.

R1600Turbo

Altima VQ isn't changing (265hp?), and the next version of the car won't have the V6 anymore.

gizzsdad

My dealer has told me that the V6 Altima cannibalizes very few Maximas for them. Roughly 95%, when offered the choice, choose the Maxima.

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

oh wow...that will be a game changer for the maxima then.

i would guess that people who come in to shop for a V6 sedan will see the altima as the cheaper option to the maxima. interesting to know that ppl still choose the flagship sedan.

thanks for the info guys.

NissLover

I think the problem is more so the media making it seem like it has an identity problem every time a new Max debuts. Its always the same thing. Nissan is happy with the sales of the Maxima. No where near the Altimas of course, but it's usually at or around the top of the premium car class.

theWalkinator

For 40k, I'd rather go with Hyundai Genesis, front wheel drive with CVT, no, thanks Nissan, nice try, but no, not for me.

R1600Turbo

It's funny how many people, including those that have owned Maxima's, are against the idea of the car being FWD. It's been FWD since the mid-80's, pretty sure Nissan doesn't plan on changing it anytime soon. Possible AWD in the future? Maybe, but never strictly RWD. Why? They have Infiniti for that.

theWalkinator

Exactly, Infiniti is Nissan's 4 door sport car, not Maxima, I am not against FWD, but against FWD with CVT, Nissan label it 4DSC and charge 40K, no, for that amount of money, there are many other options to go.

lightonthehill

I can understand why folks did not like the CVTs of ten years ago, but the CVT on the 7th gen Maxima was far better and more reliable than the CVT on the 6th gen, and Nissan has worked hard to make the CVT on the 8th gen far better than the CVT of the 7th gen (eliminate the off-the-line damping and the 85 MPH fade). CVTs are already at the point they are more fuel-efficient and acccelerate faster than a manual or automatic.

In the traffic we have these days, a manual tranny on the Maxima will not sell. In fact, manual Maximas essentially stopped selling around 1998, and manuals are the least efficient tranny built these days.. A sports car is not defined by tranny or engine power, but by things such as how well it takes curves at speed, how much fun it is to drive, and how sporty the styling is. This 8th gen Maxima is going to surprise a few folks.

R1600Turbo

In defense of their 4DSC labeling, the Maxima is certainly one of the sportiest cars in it's class.

NissanFreak2000

I completely agree that the CVT in the 6th gen was not that great, the 7th gen was a little better. With the 8th gen that has been reworked combined with the other improvements, I will be more than happy with the Max as it will be more fuel efficient and faster.

lightonthehill

I think that now makes four posters here who have been able to free their minds from the 2nd millenium trannies and understand the 3rd millenium CVT is not only now a better performer than those shifting 2nd millenium trannies, but will only increase the gap over them as time goes by.

It isn't always easy to adjust. I felt badly when I cut up my Pure, Sinclair, Esso and Gulf cards. But time passes and things change. I drove only manuals in the 1940s, and through the first two-thirds of the 1950s. In fact, I drove only a manual from April 1978 till October 1984. I still love manual trannies, when in a location I can actually use them. Unfortunately, they are totally worthless in the gridlock I endure.

It is sort of sad to see there are still those hung up in the 2nd millenium who think a sports car requires either an antiquated and inefficient manual or one of those complicated, heavy, large and expensive umpteen gear automatics. But there will always be those who prefer to stay behind and live in the old familiar and comfortable past instead of accepting the arrival of any advancement. I was once like that, and drove tubed bias ply tires through the 1960s before finally accepting that radials were easily the superior tire.

NissanFreak2000

My first car in high school was a manual. After I finished college, I bought my first new car and it was an automatic. It was more fuel efficient, faster, and a blast to drive. Manuals have no advantage for me, especially living in a metropolitan area. I have no doubt the cvt in the 8th gen will be superb, not only faster, fun to drive, but more efficient. If I did decide to move to a sports car, it would still be a auto, cvt, or dct.