The first time I drove the all-new 2009 Nissan Maxima during the press preview, I really liked it. But after a week behind the wheel, I think there might be a full-blown case of love. It certainly makes my top-picks list for 2009.
Sedans can be boring. But often a sporty coupe just doesn’t fit into the lifestyle. So it’s nice to know there’s a realistic alternative to the coupe. The incredibly sporty and indelibly sexy Maxima fits the bill.
2009 Nissan Maxima
Fierce Style
Engine: 3.5-liter V-6
Horsepower: 290
Torque: 261 pound-feet
Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive
Length: 190.6 inches
Wheelbase: 109.3 inches
Width: 73.2 inches
Height: 57.8 inches
MPG (city/highway): 19/26
Base price: $30,855
As tested: $37,605
From the price tag to the engine rumble to the swoopy exterior lines, the Maxima truly is the 4-Door Sports Car Nissan proclaims it to be.
Even though Nissan had a great rear-wheel drive platform to pull from, Maxima remains front-wheel drive for its 2009 makeover. Personally, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. This just means it will handle better in Chicago area snow. Plus, some of the negatives associated with FWD, such as tire noise and torque steer, don’t really occur in the Maxima.
The handling overall in the Maxima is nice and tight. Suspension is stiff, steering is responsive, and acceleration is quick. While I wouldn’t say this car made me giddy with delight every time I sat in the driver’s seat (like, say, a Corvette or Lexus IS-F would), it definitely made me smile. It did everything I wanted, and I firmly state this is a car I could live with as a daily driver.
I love, love, love the new styling on the Maxima. It’s different, and every time I got behind the wheel, I felt like I was sitting in something much more expensive. I loved the curvaceous swells on the hood, which were a nice change from the flat fronts of a standard sedan. My favorite design feature, however, was the flared rear wheel wells. They’re sporty and sexy and help create an hourglass shape for the car, which is surprising to see on a sedan.
The interior is sleek, taking cues from the upscale Infiniti brand under Nissan’s umbrella. The cockpit is tight, keeping everything within easy reach, and the center stack is neatly and clearly organized. The seats are comfortable, and I had an excellent driving position with a clear view out all windows. Fit and finish is excellent, and interior quietness is also notable.
There are only two negative things I have to say about this car. First, the turning radius stinks. In Chicago there are a lot of tight spaces and corners. I found that I often had to make two turns to get into a space or round the corner in an alley.
The other thing that bothered me about the Maxima is that for my far-forward driving position, the top of the steering wheel covers the behind-the-wheel gauges. So I can’t see how fast I’m going once I get up over 10 mph. I asked my boyfriend, who’s a Chicago cop, if this could be an excuse to get out of a ticket. After he gave me the are-you-serious look, he said, no.
Base price for the Maxima S model is $30,855, which is a little higher than I initially expected. I predicted a $29,000 start price, which would have been on par with the previous generation. But when you consider that $2,000 gets you a fresh design, 290 horses under the hood and a completely upgraded interior, it doesn’t seem like that much of a hike.
What I really like, however, is that the continuously variable transmission is standard. You don’t have to spend the typical $1,000 to upgrade to an automatic transmission. But, for the record, I think a manual transmission in this car would be fun. Other standard features on the Maxima at a base level include a power sliding moon roof, intelligent key with push button start and traction control.
The test car was an SV model, which is a step above the S model, and it had a base price of $33,555. This model adds standards such as leather seats, fog lamps, a digital Bose audio system, power lumbar support and a manual thigh extension on the driver’s seat.
The test vehicle added $4,000 in options, which brought it to “perfect car” status in my book. It had the cold package with heated front seats and steering wheel ($400), Bluetooth ($300), floor mats ($180), xenon headlights ($400), rear spoiler ($370) and technology package ($2,400). That last one was my favorite. It included navigation with real-time traffic (which requires a monthly subscription), a rearview monitor, XM satellite radio and the iPod interface. Nissan has done a spot-on job with all these features, and I’d say if you’re going to get one option on the Maxima this is it. The as-tested price of the test vehicle was $37,605.
There are two additional levels of Maxima above the SV, and that’s the SV with sport package and SV with premium package. The sport package model has a base price of $35,855 and adds features such as a sport-tuned suspension, 19-inch wheels and paddle shifters. The premium package model has a base price of $37,005 and adds luxury features with a focus on backseat passengers. In this model you’ll see a dual panel moon roof, rear-window power sunshade, rear window one-touch up/down windows and rear-seat audio and climate controls. There are also a couple additions from the tech package: the iPod interface and rearview monitor. If you want the navigation and real-time traffic, you’ll have to add a $1,850 option, and that would bring the price of the car to $38,855.
If I had my pick of models, I’d probably go with the test car – minus the rear spoiler. I actually think the Maxima looks nicer without it. I don’t need or want the wood inserts that come with the premium package, and I thought the suspension was plenty sporty without adding the sport package. The $37,000 price tag is a bit worrisome, but when you think about the fact that this is Nissan’s flagship and it does have some high-tech equipment, I’d say it’s worth it.
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