With its seventh generation upon us, Nissan has returned to the moniker of “Four Door Sports Car” as the motto for its flagship sedan. Like many of us, the Maxima has encountered middle-age spread, and honestly it looks pretty good. Billed as a vehicle possessing of a certain “duality” it features sporty styling as well as the practicality of a four-place people mover.

What is it?

A sedan that Nissan originally billed as one with sporty pretensions, the firm freely admits that most of the competition has caught up to it. In its latest form, Nissan has wisely chosen to mimic styling cues from the corporate “halo” car, the GT-R. That’s a great thing, for they could have chosen cues from the D-segment Versa.

What’s It Up Against?

The competitors for the Maxima include the Acura TL, Chevrolet Malibu, Toyota Camry, Lexus ES350, Lincoln MKZ, and so on. It is benchmarked against the BMW 5-series. It uses the D-platform, the same one that supplants the Altima, Altima Coupe and Murano.

Any Big Breakthroughs?

A new standard next-generation 3-mode Xtronic continuously-variable transmission (CVT) for one, which allows the driver to use either paddle shifters or a gated stick shift to “shift” the gears through six programmed steps on the new Maxima.

A double-orifice hydraulic steering system offers adaptability for slow as well as high speed maneuvers.

Instead of following the 350Z and G37 coupes into rear-wheel-drive, Nissan chose to remain with the D-platform which they claim offers improved body stiffness and noise isolation for the interior. The quiet inside was a welcomed relief to the cacophony of sounds that would creep into interiors of lesser vehicles.

How Does It Look?

Like a high-end sedan that has grown up. From the sculpted look of the hood, to the creased fenders that cover the now wider (by 1.5-inches) track, to the LED taillights, the new Maxima shows a mature, refined look that the model it replaces just couldn’t come to grips with. Squint a little bit and you can see hints of design DNA from the new corporate “halo-car,” the GT-R. From the shape of the headlights, to the addition of the spoiler on the rear on the Sport model, the new Maxima does show an aggressive, powerful stance that was clearly missing on the previous model.

Chrome trim helps to frame the windows and add perceived value to the overall package. The same can be said about the chrome accent door handles.

And Inside?

As much as the Maxima touts its return as the 4-Door Sports Car, we can’t help but think that it has gone more upscale in its approach. It’s not a bad thing; it’s just the way it is. A cockpit-like cocoon where most of the action happens, greets the driver. A tilt and telescoping steering wheel and available paddle shifters lifted directly from the 350Z look strangely at home here. So, too, the stitched leather interior with a premium-level air-conditioned driver’s seat and available manual thigh extension. Rear seat room for three comes with either a 60-40 split fold down with trunk access or a fixed version with a trunk pass through for longer items.

By now, the familiar Nissan center stack anchors the cockpit, dividing the car into the business and pleasure sides of the vehicle. The driver’s position offers a clear view of the gauge cluster, which contains a speedometer in the center position, flanked by a tachometer on the left, and fuel and temperature gauges on the right. To the lower left, are secondary controls including a vehicle stability control on/off switch, mirror controls, and a slot for the smart key to sit while driving. It’s an awkward position for them but probably necessary seeing that real estate for controls is at a premium in the Maxima.

Moving center, the navigation system is a new version of a style previously seen in other Nissans and Infinitis. The shift lever is now offset towards the driver and offers the ability for manual-style gear change programming from the CVT transmission. There is a choice of two optional roof openings: a standard moonroof, or the dual-panel moonroof available with the premium equipment package. An optional Nissan Hard Drive Navigation system and XM NavTraffic with real-time info round out the bill.

But Does It Go?

It does pull! Equipped with Nissan’s ubiquitous 3.5-liter V6 which pounds out 290-horsepower and 261 lb-ft of torque, the Maxima should have no problem showing its stuff, but something does bother us: To achieve the full 290 hp requires the use of premium fuel. Using 87-octane regular fuel will result in a horsepower loss, according to Nissan, of between 15-20 percent, which equates with a power deficit of 43.5 to 58 horses. With today’s gas prices where they are, we wonder if this would have been an issue if the engine were mapped for running 87-octane instead. But the good news is that the engine offers 19 mpg city / and 26 mpg highway for a combined average of 22.5 mpg. The Maxima is equipped with a 20-gallon fuel tank.

Regardless, pulling the trigger results in a launch with a minimal amount of torque-steer, which is important in the high-power front-drive segment. The revised Xtronic S-CVT with over 700 new shift algorithms now features a new Ds (Drive Sport) mode, which we could immediately feel under foot. Nissan claims a quick gear-ratio change in the “downshifts” of the CVT coming into a turn, followed by an auto gear hold, on exit. We would have to agree: power just kept winding up as we accelerated through a turn.

The new Maxima’s suspension has been thoroughly sorted as well. A strut-coil spring suspension rules in the front of the new flagship, while a rear multi-link with stabilizer bar holds sway out back. (pun intended). Steering is now controlled by a “Twin-Orifice Power Steering System (TOPS), which sounds painful, and is similar to equipment found in the 350Z. We found it tracked well and transmitted a good amount of road feel. Not overly harsh, nor marshmallow soft, it offered great road handling through a variety of routes ranging from bumpy backwoods country lanes to major expressways in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, area.

Our test car was equipped with optional Goodyear Eagle all-weather 19-inch tires on split five spoke aluminum alloy wheels. Ten-spoke 18-inch aluminum wheels are standard.

Why You Would Buy It?

If you enjoy a sedan with sporty pretensions, that by and large can back them up, then the 2009 Nissan Maxima might be the ride for you. It’s not a four-door Skyline by any stretch, but it is satisfying in its own right.

Why you wouldn’t

If the return of the 4-Door Sports Car (4DSC) makes you think you’ll have a real Nurburgring-tuned ‘bahn-burner on your hands, capable of vanquishing M5s at the street corner drags, the Maxima might not be for you. If rear-wheel-drive is a requisite to anything any “sports car,” scratch the Maxima off your list.

Also, the styling is a controversial point — you’ll either like it or hate it.

Words and Photos by Mark Elias

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