Quez

Lets take a Maxima.org poll...

Just reply with your pick...

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th Generation exterior.


You can mark me down for the 3rd gens... the 3rd Gen maxima and the 94 Legend are two of my favorite designs ever.

Czar

I betcha 4th gen wins because people are preferential to their own body style and most people on the .org have 4th gen.... not surprisingly I vote for 3rd gen. Now only if that body had a slightly shorter front, a more stylized sloping dash like the 5th gen and a VQ then there would be no need for any more gens....

Finality

Even though I run a 4th Gen I would have to say a 5th gen

I've always prefered the newest

Weasel

iTrader: (2)

There's no bias... I have a 4th gen and voted for 3rd.

kit99bar

I think the AE max is pretty

A-Ron Max

I know that i'm biased cuz i have a 4th gen, but common, the 3rd gens look a little boxy and outdated, and the 5th gen rear lights don't look good (in my opinion). So I think for the time being 4th gen looks pretty nice.

pmar

probably the 3rd gen was the longest-running good-looking Maxima. Around mid-1995 the 4th gen was a hottie and was notorious for having the bad-boy looks.

Today the 4th gen obviously looks very dated, with a low trunk and very narrow appearance from behind and strange rear glass. I have never heard anyone objectively compliment the 5th gen, it always gets comments about its strange looks.

Sonic

My setiments exactly.

Quez

I agree that the 3rd gen is definately a flagship body in the realm of sports/luxury sedans. It is now just mildly beginning to look outdated. I own an 89 and I still have people not very familar with Maximas ask me what year it is thinking its at least post-95 vehicle. I do like the 4th gen a lot and I may move into one but overall, i believe the Maxima lost a little of its identity going into the 4th gen because many vehicles have that look. The 5th gen is definately in a class of its own as far as looks, but I dont like the rear lights at all.

FloMax

The AE stands above all the rest. IMHO.

theblue

same here

Mr Super Baller

I think that the 3rd gen is the best looking, but I do like the 5th gen alot.

Y2KevSE

iTrader: (13)

5th gen styling has grew on me, so that's my vote.

KyMAXSE

I couldn't agree more.

GTRBlkMax97

iTrader: (1)

I am not biased but I drive a 4th and I think they are the best body style, I like the rear lights and rear end of the 5th gen but the front is a little to big for me, I think that if Nissan had made the front of the 5th gen look more sleek like the new I30 than I would like it the best, as far as the 3rd gen goes, it allways looks good if you do a fiew things to it like wheels and tint. But I will stick with my 4th until I see the 6th gen

97MaxGurl

iTrader: (17)

I'm biased

bill99gxe

iTrader: (1)

Now there's a good reason.....Kev's car is growing on him.....

3rd gen, hands down. It's not even close.

Y2KevSE

iTrader: (13)

I know I didn't word it correctly... that happens if you get about 2 hours of sleep.

Looks like we need more 5th gen votes. Here's something to persuade you guys/gals...

Quez

Not a bad pic at all... thats the first time i've actually looked at a 5th gen and been really impressed... But still... in person, on the road... the 3rd gens are just CAVIAR in comparison. I dont know what it is... they are very distinctive vehicles. They are gen that gave the Maxima its identity (even tho i did like the 2nd gens alot).

bill99gxe

iTrader: (1)

Hmmmm....now Kev's admitting defeat.....interesting......

So is it better to look good or go faster?

I guess Kev will be fast and I'll settle for looking good....

Stillnmax

4th gens ... share the same drag CO-Efficient as an E36 M3 .

JDwyer2821

3rd gen for me I had a choice of getting a 4th gen but I picked a 3rd

Lordrandall

iTrader: (4)

3rd Gen, all the way.

4th Gen is too rounded and has a bubble butt.
5th Gen, that rear... need I say more?

MaxSport730

i'm sorry but the 3rd-gen is way too boxy to be the best...true back in its day it was hot and it still is...but after time...something will come along and beat it..and the 4th gen did just that...i'm biased cause i have a 4th gen and i'll say that the 5th AE looks better but i still get a crazy smile on my face when i see the front of my car all clean and menacing looking...and with the just the fogs on...WOW...that's all i got to say

MR_Maxi

The 4th gen is easily the best looking, but I'm talking i30. I've never actually seen a US maxima.

My ride is on

www.melbccr.com

under reader rides 'mrmaxi'

yongjun

nothing beats a 5th gen with any kind of body kit with a 2 inch drop.
*drool*

HoJo

I think I'd go for a 4th gen I30, not as much of a bubble butt.

But as for chasies you can't tear me away from my 4 wheel independant suspention.

NYC GS4

iTrader: (2)

I have a lot to say on this. I dont mean to offend anyone in the process because everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion.

Overall, my favorite was always the 92-94 Maxima because of the different (improved) tail lights and grille. Only thing was that I really didnt like the stock 89-94 SE rims and thought they were hideous, the GXE rims werent much better but at least looked respectable with the newer clear coat finish. I also didnt care much for the factory spoiler on the GXE/SE.

When the 95+96 came out, I thought that was one of the ugliest designs ever. The rear end looked way to big, with ugly, bland tail lights, the front grille lacked personality with just some plain black mesh, none of the color finishes looked nearly as good as some of the 3rd gens, the bumpers and hoods were scratched up in a matter of weeks, the stock rims were still ugly no matter which way you went(GLE, SE) continuing the trend from the 89-94 SE's.

In 97 its if someone redesigned it to my taste, they made the tail lights so much better looking by making them more enhanced, putting them upside down, making them look smaller and much nicer overall. The grille was now chrome on the GXE's/GLE's and body matched on the SE's, looking a lot better overall. The headlights were now crystalized, the exterior colors seemed to look a lot sharper, another nice touch were the 16 inch rims for the SE's, some of the best looking OEM rims to date. Now the only real thing I noticed was the paint was still weaker with most bumpers scratched up and hoods chipped up, another thing was parts like the starters and alternators started going a lot earlier, around 70K miles compared to mine which have lasted me twice that and continue to go on. Still doesnt bother me that much and I'm definitely considering one.

Then they came out with the 2K, and the only one I ever liked at least a little was a fully loaded SE (17's, black heated leather, moonroof). Then when I saw a AE with all of those options plus the brighter wheels, bronze headlights, body kit, I was definitely in love.

So my all time favorites in no particular order are:

92-94 GXE/SE
97-99 SE
2001 SE AE

SkyMax

Agreed..

Chris91SE

iTrader: (1)

JDwyer2821

maxmizd27

The 4 th gen's never did anything for me. There are some awesome ones out there like Tony's, but in stock trim I don't like the rounded-over corners on the trunk and the roof line is way too rounded. Any more and it would look like a VW Beetle. The front was very bland on the 95-96's. I like my 3rd gen much better than 98% of the 4th gens I've ever seen.
When the 5th gen's came out it was so distinctive that I thought that Nissan finally lit a torch under their designers *****. I love them. I'll change my mind to 5th gen next year when I get my 6 speed SE.

James92SE

iTrader: (31)

third gen hands down....


4th gen just looks bubbly to me in stock form, no offense. the wheels look like they are recessed (sp?) in towards the body way too much. and whats with the 8 inches of front wheel gap? jk. but i have seen some sweet tricked out 4th gens!

5th gen looks odd, i hate the rear lights. its growin on me though.

dmontzsta

iTrader: (8)

3rd Gen.Looks more sporty...I voted 3rd Gen all the way.Of course the 4th gen will probably win because there are more 4th gens on the road.

SmoothMax

iTrader: (2)

I gotta go with the 4th gen simply because of all the modified Maxs' I've seen (bodykit, rims, etc) no other looks as smooth IMO...

Sarah99GXE

Well it's kind of a toss up between the 3rd & 4th gens....I loved my 3rd gen, everything about it..but I also like my 4th gen, I love the grill and the bubble but doesn't bother me But since I had to vote and could only choose one, I voted 3rd gen.

James92SE

iTrader: (31)

WOO HOO!!

JDwyer2821

I think people will vote 3rd gen because just like me the 3rd gen maxima made me love maxima all together. I was never into maximas intill I drove a 3rd gen two years ago and ever since than it was maximas all the way for me. (This is my second 3rd gen)

Quez

its like this...

the 4th gens do look good but had no IDENTITY... they look too much like too many other cars at distance.

the 5th gens do have an identity but they just dont look like Maximas... SORRY!

3rd gens.... Nissan are you listening??? Work that 3rd gen body into a gem! Why rework from the ground up?

FAST4EN

My thoughts Exactly...

This is My 3rd third Gen and I love it (one was totaled and one thr slushbox gave out)...But the VG 5spd rules...so does my 94 300ZX TT...but this is a MAxima board...and I need to update my Sig.