Used 2019 Nissan Maxima

Nissan’s flagship 2019 Maxima gets a mild refresh this year, helping it stay competitive in a market where 4-door sedans are disappearing faster than the in-dash CD player. However, there are advantages to being one of the last men standing, and the Maxima certainly has a few perks you won’t find in the competition. Unlike the VW Passat or Kia Optima, the Maxima still offers standard V6 power, although it has a tough time competing with the Kia Stinger’s available twin-turbo V6 and rear-drive layout. A long list of standard and available equipment is another of the Maxima’s more attractive attributes, but if you’re looking for rear-seat legroom, a Dodge Charger or Ford Fusion might be a better play.

While the “4-Door Sports Car” tagline may sound appealing, don’t mistake the 2019 Nissan Maxima for a bargain-basement BMW substitute. Instead, we like to think of the Maxima as a sporty entry-level luxury sedan that has more to offer than your run-of-the-mill Camry or Accord. Power from the Maxima’s 300-horsepower V6 is routed to the front wheels by means of a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), not exactly the favorite formula of purists. Still, the Maxima’s CVT is one of the best in the industry, aided in its performance aspirations by a set of steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and its “D-Step” simulated gearshift logic. Torque steer does make itself known if you stomp the accelerator hard, but it’s a minimal event that rarely shows up once the Maxima is up to speed. The Maxima’s suspension delivers a comfortable ride and admirable cornering abilities, but the steering can feel vague at times, being somewhat numb in the feedback department.

The Maxima’s aging platform shows up most noticeably in its interior. Don’t get us wrong; the Maxima has a handsome cabin and a great set of sport seats, but the infotainment setup is a bit behind the competition, as is rear-seat passenger space. Soft-touch materials abound, and the new semi-aniline diamond-quilted leather seating is a nice touch. The analog gauges are complete, but again seem a bit old-fashioned when compared to Volkswagen’s digital cockpit display. At highway speeds the Maxima’s interior remains fairly hushed, allowing in just the right amount of engine growl and exhaust note when necessary.

Nissan has packed a lot of styling into the Maxima sedan, enhanced this year by new jewel-like LED headlights flanking a deeper and more aggressive V-Motion grille. The rear end also gets a new styling treatment, with LED taillights and integrated quad-tip exhaust finishers. New 18- and 19-inch wheel designs round out the major changes. The 2019 Maxima’s silhouette remains the same, with lots of fluidic sculpting and bold character lines. The look is somewhat polarizing and not as sleek or sophisticated as the Kia Stinger, but more dynamic than the Volkswagen Passat.

INTELLIGENT FORWARD-COLLISION WARNING (I-FCW)
Nissan’s Intelligent Forward Collision Warning has the ability to look two cars up, predicting if the car ahead of you is going to have to slam on the brakes when the car ahead of it does the same thing. Standard on every Maxima, the system speeds up reaction time for the automatic emergency braking.

REAR-DOOR ALERT
This clever idea can remind the driver to check for objects, pets or children left in the rear seat. The system monitors if the rear door was opened prior to starting the car. If, by the end of the trip, the rear door isn’t opened again, the Maxima will beep its horn as a warning to check the back seat.

All 2019 Maxima sedans are the same under the hood, sporting a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 300 horsepower and a CVT automatic transmission. Also standard are LED headlight and taillight accents. Even base-model Maxima S sedans come with NissanConnect, an 8-inch touch-screen navigation and infotainment system with voice command, Google search, Bluetooth, Type A and Type C USB ports, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. You also get an 8-way-power driver’s seat, cruise control, push-button ignition and keyless entry with remote start, and a rearview camera. The color 7-inch information screen between the main gauges is standard on all models. Safety equipment includes Intelligent Driver Alertness, forward-collision warning and emergency braking.

Nissan adds features through the 2019 Maxima’s four higher trim levels, with only two option packages. With its leather upholstery, heated front seats, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning and front and rear parking sensors, even a Maxima SV is a highly recommendable vehicle. The SL adds a dual-panel panoramic moonroof, Bose audio and a heated steering wheel, while the sporty SR loses the panoramic roof but gains a sport-tuned suspension, a more aggressive wheel-and-tire package plus more driver-assist systems. The Platinum trim includes most of the above listed equipment and can be ordered with the Reserve Package that adds heated rear seats, 19-inch wheels and Rakuda Tan semi-aniline leather seats.

There’s only one engine choice available for the Nissan Maxima, but it’s a good one: a 300-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 connected to an Xtronic CVT. It manages decent fuel economy, all while delivering smooth and quiet power to the front wheels. CVTs have come a long way, and Nissan’s D-Step shift logic mimics the operation of a traditional automatic by letting the revs rise and fall when at full throttle. A Sport mode livens feel by adjusting throttle response, steering effort and transmission tuning. Given its 300 horsepower, we’re impressed that the Maxima doesn’t suffer from aggressive torque steer, a peculiar side-to-side wiggle felt in the steering wheel that’s common in powerful front-wheel-drive cars. Note that premium unleaded is recommended for the Maxima.

3.5-liter V6
300 horsepower @ 6,400 rpm
261 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/30 mpg