FattiesGoneWild

R1600Turbo

I don't see where people get the comparison to the Altima. They don't look anything alike to me.

lightonthehill

I don't see a great similarity between the Maxima and Altima either, although they both have variations of Nissan's V motion front and both have the hamburger prominently on front and rear. My wife has no trouble differentiating the two either. While I am playing with the map and buttons, my wife frequently calls out 'new Maxima', and when I look, it is indeed an 8th gen Maxima, never an Altima.

Fishlet

Maxima09boy

Hi all,

I just talked to my friend that works at Nissan corporate yesterday and here is what I was able to find about the 9th generation Max....

1. 9th generation Max will begin with MY2021
2. Nissan is "going in different direction" with 9th generation

I have to say I am kind of surprised that the 8th generation will only be a 5 year run. I figured they could at least get 6 years out of it. Maybe that WAS the original plan if they would've been able to release the 8th gen in time for MY2015. The "different direction" comment leads me to believe we may have seen the last of the VQ V6 in the Max. I'm guessing they will pack the 9th gen with a turbo 4 like the Altima and give it AWD?? Hybrid option?? Either way, this may be enough for me to graduate to the next gen Q70L in a couple years )

Anyone else been hearing anything about the 9th gen?

FattiesGoneWild

Maxima09boy

That is correct, although not sure when in 2020 it will be released. I'm guessing late, November/December 2020.

Really curious to see what's next. I'm not so much concerned with the styling, as I've always loved each new generation. I'm more concerned with the powertrain. I know the government is cracking down on emissions and fuel economy etc, I guess I'm just old school and am used to the 3.5 V6.

I always figured the next gen Altima would be a preview of things to come for the Max.

My hunch is that they will add AWD, if they haven't already in the 2019, pro pilot assist, hybrid or electric option for the MY2021.

I dont know, just seems like they are pulling the plug on the 8th gen a year or two too soon, IMO.

We shall see!

Fishlet

R1600Turbo

They're not going to come out with the new facelift and then ditch it so soon after. My bet is 2021 as a 2022 model. That is IF the car exists, given the current state of the sedan market.

17MaxSR

I want an AWD 3L Turbo w coupe as an option.

R1600Turbo

q60...

17MaxSR

No, about 85% of the size of the current Max, which would be about right. Taller/wider than the Q60. This would be a pretty car.

R1600Turbo

It would also take sales away from the Q60 and they wouldn't build it because of that. Not really keen on that render.

17MaxSR

I'd move a Maxima coupe design more toward what Buick did for their Avista concept car, throw the V motion grille on there

R1600Turbo

Definitely not happening. Especially with a new Z coming and the Q60 already our there.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

Exactly, maybe even 2023 model if its still in the lineup.

lindros2

1. Nissan has the GT-R as a halo, and 350z as a sports car. Both don't sell well, and neither draws people to showrooms (the GT-R did for a couple of years).
2. The industry is moving towards fuel-efficient SUV/CUV. See Nissan Kicks.

Nissan will be hanging their hat on the next-gen Rogue.

R1600Turbo

GT-R still sells well for what it is (and the price it sells for). The *370Z is being replaced soon. As Nissan put it, "We are a sports car company" so they have no plans on getting rid of either.

The Wizard

iTrader: (43)

Agree 100%. GT-R was 80k when it debuted. Now it's 110k and is still selling.

lightonthehill

I agree with several here who are somewhat surprised with the 9th gen possibly being released in 2020 or 2021 as the 2022 or 2023 model year. If that is the case, we will not be seeing the dramatic new vehicle that Carlos Ghosn has promised us, because Nissan has too many irons in the fire at this point to develop anything truly dramatic for the Maxima that quickly. The refreshed 2019 Maxima is more than just an adjustment in chrome, and is just now coming out, and the development of the new generation Sentra is now well underway.

Another fly in the ointment is yesterday's firing and arrest of Carlos Ghosn. I have had the feeling he has been the primary pusher of the 9th gen Maxima, and I don't think he will have any further 'say-so'. He was not the instigator of the scandal (that would be Nissan executive director Greg Kelly), but is definitely guilty of misusing cooperate funds and under-reporting his income taxes. Renault and Mitsubishi will also suffer from Ghosn's absence.

If Ghosn-less Nissan still decides to go ahead with a ninth gen Maxima (CEO Hiroto Saikawa will probably be the one making that decision), I will be very surprised if it comes out earlier than late 2022, or as any model year earlier than the 2023. Anything quicker than that will not be the dramatically redesigned Maxima we have been promised. Read MONTE 01&97's post above. MONTE knows things.

lindros2

As the owner of maybe the 15th or 20th 2009 GT-R in the USA, I would say "still selling" is a bit embellished.
1790 at its peak, and 458 year-to-date in 2018.

Heck, Acura sells more RLX's. And I never see those.

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...sales-figures/

lindros2

Other people also know things, dude.
(like, know folks at Nissan USA and Nissan JP)

And I don't care if such-and-such has been a Nissan tech for 25 years... A Wells Fargo janitor doesn't know what goes on in R&D and product planning.

Maxima09boy

I too am surprised at the MY2021 for the 9th gen. The last time I remember Nissan jumping to the next gen for the Max so quickly was the 2000-2003 run of 4 model years. I have to trust what my friend is telling me as he works very closely with the R&D team. As you can imagine, he couldn't divulge too much information, although I pressed him pretty hard )

If it does end up being MY2021 for the next gen, it would make the 8th gen a 5 model year run, which is about average for the Max in recent years.

We'll see......

R1600Turbo

Would be more appropriate to compare it to the NSX, which sold 18 cars in October vs 20 for the GT-R. Close, but then the GT-R has sold 490 units so far this year compared to just 140 for the NSX.

sschumer

Any thoughts here on whether Nissan will follow this same path, meaning no 9th generation Maxima?

"GM will no longer make these 6 cars": https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/26/busin...Top+Stories%29

R1600Turbo

As of right now, no.

lightonthehill

Knowing nothing, I feel the Maxima will still be produced. It has been a 'name' car with a loyal fan base for almost forty years. It has actually replaced the Z as Nissan's flagship vehicle. We all know the Altima will be kept, as that is Nissan's best seller, and just had a new generation released. The new compact SUV (Kick) is getting very good reviews, and will be kept. The Murano will be kept as a near-luxury midsize SUV. I think the Versa fills a niche (econo-compact) and will be kept, although Nissan has revived the 'Datsun' nameplate, and is selling them everywhere but in the U.S., and if I was in charge, I would replace the Versa with a Datsun). . A new generation of the Sentra is almost ready, and I think the Sentra may be kept. The Titan is now a good-looking full-size pickup and may be kept, as pick-ups are selling well, especially in rural areas.. I think the first vehicle Nissan may drop could be the Pathfinder (long in the teeth, not a good seller), then maybe the Z (just is not selling well), and maybe the Armada) maybe too big, even for today's piggish buyers).

I have no idea how the firing of Ghosn may change thinking at Nissan. And everything I said in the paragraph above is purely speculation on my part.

R1600Turbo

No, no and no.

lightonthehill

I'm glad to hear that, Turbo. If Nissan is keeping those three fairly low volume vehicles, then I feel very good about their keeping the Maxima.

Those offering the Altima as the reason Nissan may drop the Maxima are trying to somewhat equate those two. Folks who have owned/driven both the Altima and the Maxima know very well that those two vehicles are not equal, and address different market bases. The Altima fills a market range between around $20K and $32K. The Maxima fills a market range between around $32K and $43K. If the 9th generation Maxima is updated to the extent of some of the rumors Nissan has leaked, it will probably fill a market range between around $35K and $48K.

That is if the Maxima is kept. If it is dropped, my forty year history of owning nothing but Datsun/Nissan vehicle will sadly end. Maybe that will be nature's way of telling me it is time to let my wife do all the driving. She has owned nothing but Ford Ranger pick-ups for over thirty years. And a completely new Ford Ranger pick-up comes on the market in two or three months. Sigh. . . . I'll have her put a big bed mat in her new Ranger, and I will hide under the bed mat while we are travelling, in keeping with my new 'less than Maxima' social status.

gerardamorris

The way automakers are killing off sedans, don't know how much longer Maxima will survive....

heyguysitsme

Beat me to it. I heard last night on the radio that Honda's sales of the Accord are slumping. I wondered how much it's a sedan thing or a 4 cylinder thing.

robtroxel

A fine vehicle but too ugly for me

Fishlet

Fishlet

gerardamorris

Tempted to buy the 2019 refreshed Maxima as I fear it will be the last. The Maxima and Altima look so similar, that I fear the Maxima will disappear as there appears to be a redundancy. Hope I'm wrong...

R1600Turbo

I don't see it. And I'm around them every day.

lightonthehill

I don't see a
I don't see a strong resemblance in looks, other than the large hamburgers on both ends. The price ranges are different, the content is different, and these two vehicles are aimed at totally different consumer groups. One is Nissan's 'every mans' vehicle, while the other is Nissan's flagship vehicle. .

The Maxima may be dropped some day, but it would happen because of lower volume Maxima sales, sedans not selling, and possibly a shrinking economy, not because of the Altima. Few Maxima owners have even the slightest bit of interest in the Altima, and Nissan knows this.

If I were you, I would give the 2019 Maxima a close look, because I personally feel we may not see the ninth gen Maxima before late 2022 as the 2023 model year.

Maxima09boy

Just looked at the 2019 refresh.....not bad. Front end is just ok IMO, rear end not a fan of. Quad exhaust looks like a Hyundai or Pontiac Bonneville from back in the day. The red markers in the bumper look cheap as well.

I'm getting a little nervous about the fate of sedans in general, but I just can't see Nissan scrapping the Max, too much of a loyal following. I have to agree with what many have said here.....the Altima and Maxima are two different cars for two very different audiences. I can't tell you how angry I would get when someone would tell me "Nice Altima!" Lol.

I still have to stick by what my friend is telling me from Nissan corporate, as he is very close to the R&D team. Looks like the 9th gen will be here for MY2021, making the 8th gen a 5 year run. From what I understand, they have full scale clay mockups now and are deciding which one to go with for production. This would give them plenty of time for a December 2020 release, which is just about 2 years from now.

Time will tell, but I hope they don't put a turbo 4 in her, otherwise, my 2016 pearl platinum will be my last. Getting sad just thinking about it....

The only silver lining is that I'll be able to use my friends VPP Nissan discount program to buy the new Q80L in a couple years. Gotta keep things in the Nissan family at least.

BlakMaxiJoey

FattiesGoneWild