If you test drove or checked out the new Maxima at your local Nissan dealer, feel free to give your impressions here.

Any and all future threads on this topic will be merged in here. Thank you.

 

Simply put, great interior with some great features. Exterior is hideous. sport mode is nothing special my 7th feels quicker. If they dont redesign ill be moving on to infiniti, audi or lexus.

 

Wasn't allowed to test drive.

Maxima SV
Interior = AWESOME interior
Features = WOW... More than enough to keep someone busy for years playing with all the gadgets.
Exterior = Hideous and where's the sunroof!? The rear tiny spoiler helps

 

Checked the 8th gen out, haven't test driven as I don't want salesmen hounding me yet. The exterior is amazing, aggressive and better than previous generations. The interior can't be touched in any Maxima generation. All around, the best exterior and interior to date. I will giving driving opionion when I pick mine up, but have no doubt with the revised CVT, lower weight, better aerodynamics, and more horsepower that it will outperform all other generations. Nissan did a great job this generation.

 

Sales person that sold me a 2015 Murano Platinum in May (traded my 2012 SV Premium Maxima) let me drive the first 2016 Maxima off the truck at that dealership. It was a Deep Blue Pearl SL w/ Charcoal interior.

Interior was great as many have mentioned. Fit-n-finish was excellent and easily the best yet for a Maxima. Back seat room seemed better than my 2012...but I think it may have been due to the lack of climate controlled seats. Otherwise...very similar. I was disappointed in the switch to the new trunk hinges vs. the struts from previous generations.

Exterior was questionable to me in pictures...but in person it looks almost like a home run. The only thing that holds me back from saying they nailed it was in certain colors the rear quarter view seems odd. Not sure how to describe it. However...it looks great in some other colors...like Coulis Red...Storm Blue...Pearl White and Gunmetal. The front clip has a very aggressive...yet much more aerodynamic stance than previous generations.

The drive brought back some very good recent memories of my 2012 Maxima. After driving a 2015 Murano for over a month, it felt toss-able and very reactive in terms of handling and maneuverability. The steering feel was light...but very precise off center. Once I hit the sport button though...it felt just like the 2012 Maxima in terms of weight...but was more precise. The engine/exhaust sound also became much more aggressive with the sport button activated. CVT response was great in normal mode and even better in sport. Being right off the truck it hadn't adjusted for anyone's driving style yet...but was very natural feeling and quick to respond to throttle input. It definitely felt faster than my 2012...but I wouldn't say it was a huge difference. It was noticeable though.

I was happy with all the upgrades the 2016 came with...but some of the changes will be missed. However...I do plan to pick me up a new SR White or Red after I pay off the Murano in a few yrs.

 

My wife and I went to see the 8th gen Max in a showroom. I am most impressed with the interior and pleased with the exterior. My wife saw a 7th gen in the showroom and thought the interior was bland compared to the 2016. the 2016 SR was blue with charcoal interior. Lighted door sills. Impressive! Didn't get to test drive though. Looking to buy sometime next year.

 

I had a short test drive of the 2016 Maxima SV over the weekend. A brief overview of my opinions:

+ lovely interior, felt "tight"
- so-so exterior, doesn't look sporty, trying to ape Altima, style may grow old quickly
+ light steering, lighter than I expected
- the seats in the SR are lovely, much nicer (negative as I can't afford the SR!)
+ CVT drove fairly well
- CVT (sorry!)
+ suspension handled the awful roads here very well
+ reasonably quiet interior
+ decent visibility
+ great feature list, almost everything I want
- more power than I need
- premium fuel (sorry, had to sneak that in!)
+ tons of leg room in front passenger seat with seat pushed back

 

I went to my local dealership two weeks ago and they had seven 2016s sitting out front in all the different trim levels and all the colors other than blue and red. There was a white SR with black rims that looked pretty sweet. I think the exterior looks great, certainly an improvement over the ho-hum last generation. The new LED running lights are aggressive looking. Like most have said, the biggest improvement is the interior, which is gorgeous, especially on the SRs with camel. I actually passed up the last gen Maxima in 2013 for a Hyundai Azera because the interior was so outdated and cheap feeling. I ended up test driving a Platinum 2016 (might as well see it with all the bells and whistles). I thought the car drove quite well and had more than enough power. I despise CVTs but actually thought this was the best one I've driven, better than any new Hondas I've driven which have been the best up until now and certainly better than past Nissan's I've driven. Overall, I was quite impressed and actually enjoyed the car more than a 2015 Hyundai Genesis (MSRP $50K) that I drove a few weeks earlier. I think the SR would be the sweet spot for me with features, although I haven't test driven one to see how the 19" wheels change the handling, ride, and NVH qualities.

The Good:
+ Interior is gorgeous
+ Exterior is very unique and attractive
+ Nice smooth power delivery
+ Bose speakers sounded excellent (which is rare)
+ Quiet interior

The Bad:
- Mileage is still just average and it uses premium fuel
- Not cheap for the SR/Platinum trims
- Doesn't appear to support Android Auto / Apple CarPlay

 

Did not test drive but just left dealer. Let me tell you photos don't do this car right. its AWESOME in person. I looked at a gunmetal and that funny red/black mix color. The GM looked AWESOME. The interior is out of control compared to the 7th gen. This one did not have a spoiler which actually looked ok without it. The 18" wheels looked better than my 7th gen 19s and did not take away from the car at all (and Id rather replace 18" tires). The wheels themselves are so much better looking in general
Overall impression: This is a great LOOKING car. The exterior look expensive and sleek, and the interior has some top notch gadgets. This was the SL, which made me think I may not even need to go Platinum. This car looks premium as it gets for a car in this price range. I can see why dealers think they can mark these up (even though they have 12 on the lot). Its an eye catcher. But the price will decide it.

I see 2.29% for 60 on nissan and edmunds website which is a good rate. Anyone have any trade numbers to share for the 7th gen Maximas? I'd like to go into the dealer tomorrow wit some actual numbers form forum members.

 

If you have a Carmax nearby, go there. You can take their report with you to the dealer if they try to lowball you.

I did that and got an appraisal for $17,500 on Saturday. Mine was an SV Premium with spoiler. 36.5k. The dealer initially tried to offer me $15,600.

 

What is your mileage/year of car? Mine only has 31k miles on it 1 owner etc.

 

Looks like we're going back and forth between threads!

Keeping it here, '12 SV Premium, 36.5k.

 

Ouch. looks like I'm gonna come in below KBB. could be a deal breaker.KBB shows 15500 for mine, but bet dealer tries to offer 12k or less.
thanks for the info looks like the SL trim is gonna be my limit glad i liked it today at the dealer!

 

The worse - Nissan Connect is getting real crappy reviews. Their Android app hasn't been updated since 12/14, so you know it's gonna be troublesome with newer devices / OS versions. I'm seeing online that many are complaining about the registration process and not being able to access many apps (6 at best at this time).

 

That's funny. All the car magazines generally praise Nissan's system as being intuitive and responsive compared to most others out there. I didn't really spend any time using it during the test drive, so I can't speak to it. I just wish it supported Android Auto since manufacturers like Hyundai and VW are including that across their entire 2016 lineup.

 

Agreed.

 

My dealer initially offered me $18.5k for my 2012 SV Premium Maxima in May...then ended up giving me $20.5k. It was in perfect condition with 30k miles. They then gave me $3k off MSRP on a 2015 Murano Platinum FWD.

 

Thats a nice trade. my 09 has 30k miles and is in good condition too.

My dealer is now showing 14 in stock. I havent seen one disappear off the inventory list on nissans website or their website. could it be none have sold? the SR has been sitting there a month I've driven by and seen it.

 

i honestly don't think most of the public really knows about this car yet. it's just now starting to get any real automotive press coverage. one thing i will tell you is that when i take my pearl white SR out on the road, people gawk at it, and i live in LA, where people aren't easily impressed with nice cars. it could be that they hate the design, but i'm not getting that sense. i think most are just intrigued by all of the swoopy curves and the black floating roof elements. to be honest, it gets a little more attention than i'm comfortable with, lol.

 

I was just reading an article about how cars in the Maxima's class are among the worst selling vehicles. People are passing them up in favor of SUVs. The Impala, Avalon, Azera, LaCrosse and other cars is in this class have all seen huge drops in sales year-over-year and many of them are just sitting on lots. I guess people really love their crossovers and SUVs these days.

Might make waiting a bit to pull the trigger on a Maxima worth it, especially with end of year incentives in December.

 

Test drive it today. all I can say WOW! great design. both exterior and interior. Loved it. Very tempted to buy it. I heard issues about Nissan CVT. Is it still an issue with 2016 model?

 

Only time will tell. If you are worried, I would wait.

 

Erroneous posts deleted. Let's stay on topic please. Thanks!

 

Took another SR for a spin with the family, son liked the rear seat comfort compared to my 5.5 gen; wife loved the front seats with the vents and overall layout, she liked the diamond pattern in the aluminum the alcantara feel and the obvious comfort over our 02 SE max! The new maxima is family approved. Me; I will continue to hold out for a while!

 

I drove one yesterday and here's what I didn't like.

-rear view mirror was positioned low which reduced visibility
-lack of head room in SL trim. I had the seat as low as it could go and the salesman double checked.
-faux wood trim in platinum

I currently drive a CRV with a moon roof and I don't want to give that up. The CRV has at least another inch of head room. I'm 6'1" so not excessively tall.

The ride was very quiet compared to the CRV. The cabin was tighter but not by much and not necessarily in a bad way. The dealer offered me an extended test drive so I could get a better feel. I'll likely take them up in that to see if I can configure the seat in such a way that provides more head room.

 

My son liked the seats, and the sunroof even more compared to our 5th gen. Fit, finish, everything, great, and how do I put it - it feels like a real Maxima again, like the 5th and 4th gens.

I am not a fan of the synthesized engine noise. I get it - I had to add a flap that started making noise ~80mph to avoid the occasional blue-light surprise on my 5th, but because you know it's fake, it gets old quick.

Steering - it's as good as electric gets. The computer stability stuff does well to prevent the car from getting out of sorts, and even keeps the torque steer under control for the most part.

Both my wife and I commented that the the diamond-stitch leather pattern is really chinzy, and it reminded us of 70's nougahyde trims. Same for the Toyota Tundra platinum. The fake plastic wood with a diamond-y mold pattern also seems "meh" at best.

And then ... I saw a "new" 7th gen, same Majestic Blue as my SE20A, beige perforated leather. List ~36k, asking 26k at the dealership. *swoon*

 

The 8th gen was delayed because they tested the new CVT in the Altima first, in order to get all the kinks worked out before releasing it in the range topping sedan. Therefore, I wouldn't be too worried about any CVT issues.

 

Nevermind that Nissan was the first mainstream auto manufacturer to offer one, and while the press ripped them a new one, at some point people came around for them. For fun-to-drive, they suck, but in miserable rush hour traffic they suck less than anything else. Where do you spend most of your driving time?

 

Hell you can get a Subaru WRX with one now.

 

CVTs are great in stop/go traffic, provided the throttle isn't too sensitive. There's nothing worse than suffering an automatic that's stuck in 1st gear at 3000rpm while crawling at 3mph. Ok, I'm exaggerating but you get the picture!

 

[QUOTE=ROMIL;9057905]I went to my local dealership two weeks ago and they had seven 2016s sitting out front in all the different trim levels and all the colors other than blue and red. There was a white SR with black rims that looked pretty sweet. I think the exterior looks great, certainly an improvement over the ho-hum last generation. The new LED running lights are aggressive looking. Like most have said, the biggest improvement is the interior, which is gorgeous, especially on the SRs with camel. I actually passed up the last gen Maxima in 2013 for a Hyundai Azera because the interior was so outdated and cheap feeling. I ended up test driving a Platinum 2016 (might as well see it with all the bells and whistles). I thought the car drove quite well and had more than enough power. I despise CVTs but actually thought this was the best one I've driven, better than any new Hondas I've driven which have been the best up until now and certainly better than past Nissan's I've driven. Overall, I was quite impressed and actually enjoyed the car more than a 2015 Hyundai Genesis (MSRP $50K) that I drove a few weeks earlier. I think the SR would be the sweet spot for me with features, although I haven't test driven one to see how the 19" wheels change the handling, ride, and NVH qualities.

The Good:
+ Interior is gorgeous
+ Exterior is very unique and attractive
+ Nice smooth power delivery
+ Bose speakers sounded excellent (which is rare)
+ Quiet interior

The Bad:
- Mileage is still just average and it uses premium fuel
- Not cheap for the SR/Platinum trims
- Doesn't appear to support Android Auto / Apple CarPlay
The 2016 Maxima SR uses 89 octane, regular gas. FYI

 

I can agree with you on the lack of support for the latest Android/Apple software. I'm amazed at how poor the implementation is. The 'Connect Apps' app provides little value.


I personally don't consider the first 2 items on your bad list bad. I didn't buy such a car for it's fuel efficiency and consider the 10-15% improvement a nice bonus, and I certainly didn't have the goal of purchasing a cheap car, so I don't expect to pay cheap prices. I wanted value and I feel I found it here, even at the Platinum level.

 

Sorry, I opposed. I replied to the post above mine, did it wrong, darn newbie. I replied that the Maxima SR used 89 octane not premium. I do agree that Nissan should have android apps and Wi-Fi. I have the SR with everything. I test drove both (SR and Platinum) and enjoyed both, just like the sportier SR. I do agree with your closing comment. Sorry for the confusion.

 

Nissan will support both who knows when.
As far as I know ther is only ONE CAR available that has android auto or apple car play, and that is the Hyundai Sonata.

 

89 is mid-grade in most states. And not SR specific.

 

I am 6ft tall and like you I drove a CRV . I found the rearview mirror too low too and the lack of headroom.


However, I was able to adjust the seat to negate the low mirror problem and headroom was also good enough with the seat adjustment. I do feel my hair touching the roof but I raised the seat as much as possible to ride a little higher .

 

The 2016 Kia Optima will also support Android Auto and Apple Car Play

 

I guess that makes sense since th Optima and the Sonata are mechanically almost the same vehicle.

 

I wish the 2016 Maxima supported Apple Car Play but from what I've heard so far Maximas NissanConnect system works pretty well. Small sacrifice if any at all.

 

After hating the look of the new max I guess its slowly starting to grow on me considering I saw a car yesterday on base and went "holy Cr** what is that" it was the new max lol then saw another one immediately after. Not too bad after all I suppose.