It's the trunk access. There is none.In 51 years of car ownership this is the smallest opening ever.

 

I agree. It's pretty small. I had a Mercedes C250 coupe before this Maxima, and the trunk opening was about the same size. You can forget about getting even a medium-sized box through that opening.

 

Interesting. I was showing my wife how, unlike the 7th gen, the height of the trunk area immediately behind the rear seats in the 8th gen is now tall enough to hold our two largest coolers side by side. Unfortunately, in the 8th gen, we can't get those coolers through the trunk opening.

 

Maybe you could lower the back seats and slide them into the trunk from the back seat area. It's not convenient, but it might work.

 

I had earlier tried to lower the back seats, but could not find a latch. There was a pushbutton under a lid behind the rear passenger side headrest, but it would not push down. It had a keyhole, so I removed the hey from the intelligent key and tried to insert it in that keyhole, but it would not fit. I finally decided that my 8th gen was like my 7th gen Premium, in which the rear seats do not fold down. That surprised me, because, looking into the trunk from the rear, it appears the rear seat is a 'forty-sixty' split seat, which should fold down.

Since it has been seven years since I had a car with folddown rear seats, I don't even remember how they latched.

 

I just now went out and took these pictures for you. There are two ways to release the rear seats. From inside the car, there is a push button under a "lid" on the rear platform behind the passenger side rear seat. That will only release one side of the seats, however. The other way to release BOTH seats is from inside the trunk. There are two straps hanging from the top portion of the trunk. It requires a firm pull, but each one will release a section of the back seats. You can then pull them down from inside the car. I hope this helps. I did notice, however, that the opening through the seats is pretty small also.

 

Thanks, doc! I was unable to push the button down (probably locked, but I have no key to it), but I am a very good 'strap puller', so will go that route. Thanks a bunch!

 

LOTH, I should have paid closer attention. Looking back, I see now that you said you had already tried the push button. Sorry about that.

Now I'm going to have to try the mechanical key and see if I can get it to lock that button. I hope it does. It's supposed to, because you should be able to lock the seats and glove box and disable the trunk access if you valet your car. Hmm.