Used 2021 Nissan Maxima

The 2021 Nissan Maxima is a sport sedan with a touch of luxury. Or a luxury sedan with a touch of sportiness. Either way, it’s Nissan’s flagship car, with a 300-horsepower V6 as standard. It also packs plenty of safety tech while offering upscale features like diamond-stitched leather upholstery. But all at prices that a premium German rival could never match.

Instead, competition comes in the shape of cars like the Kia Stinger, which offers more power and the option of all-wheel drive. Enthusiasts also prefer the Stinger’s standard rear-drive layout over the Maxima’s front-drive-only arrangement.

Nor is the Maxima generous with rear passenger space or trunk volume. If such things are important, check out a Dodge Charger, VW Passat, or perhaps even a Genesis G70.

Think of the 2021 Maxima as a sporty luxury sedan with more to offer than a regular Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. It’s not a true enthusiast’s machine, since it channels all 300 hp to the front wheels through an automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT), which never gets a keen driver’s pulse racing.

Luckily, though, the Maxima’s CVT is one of the best, aided in its performance aspirations by paddle shifters (in SR trim) mounted beneath the steering wheel that fire off simulated gearshifts. There is a touch of torque steer when accelerating hard from a standstill, where each front wheel scrambles for grip (a common phenomenon in powerful front-drive cars), but it’s easily controlled by modulating the throttle.

The Maxima’s suspension provides a comfortable ride and admirable cornering abilities, with a fluid character through corners. This is enhanced by Intelligent Ride Control attenuating engine power and braking slightly to eliminate fore-aft pitching over rough surfaces. And Intelligent Trace Control, a system that adds a subtle amount of braking to individual wheels to maintain a constant arc through the curves. Our main gripe is that a lack of feedback can make the steering feel vague at times.

Nissan’s choice of materials and overall interior design for the 2021 Maxima is admirable enough, but the center stack and instruments are clearly a few years behind the competition. The VW Passat’s digital driver display is a striking contrast here.

The Maxima’s infotainment screen is small and basic, but is at least user-friendly and has physical knobs for the volume and tuning, as well as buttons for various functions. The cabin remains fairly hushed at highway speeds, allowing in just the right amount of engine growl and exhaust note when necessary.

For what is supposed to be a slightly larger-than-midsize sedan, the Nissan Maxima has limited rear-passenger space. At 34.2 inches, rear legroom is an inch shorter than the Nissan Altima. Trunk area is a so-so 14.3 cu ft.

The 40th Anniversary package adds white dials, satin dark chrome interior accents, charcoal headliner, red tan semi-aniline leather-covered seats bearing a 40th Anniversary logo, and heated rear seats.

Nissan packs a lot of details into the Maxima’s exterior design. Jewel-like LED headlights, a grille with a dramatically deep V-shaped element, sculpted sides, bold character lines, and those floating rear pillars that have since become popular in the Nissan Murano and Lexus RX crossovers, and integrated quad exhaust tips.

The overall effect could be love-it-or-leave-it. The Nissan Maxima is not as sleek or sophisticated as the Kia Stinger, but definitely more dynamic than the Volkswagen Passat.

The SV trim is fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels. SR and Platinum trims roll on 19-inch alloy wheels. The 40th Anniversary package’s exterior additions include 19-inch alloy wheels finished in gloss black, a black exhaust tip, and various details, plus Ruby Slate Gray Pearl paintwork with a black roof.

INTELLIGENT FORWARD COLLISION WARNING (I-FCW)
More than a basic collision-avoidance system, Nissan’s Intelligent Forward Collision Warning can see two cars ahead. It can therefore react with greater speed to slowing or stopped traffic, predicting what the car directly ahead will do in response and readying the brakes.

REAR DOOR ALERT
It’s easy to exit a car without checking the rear seats for pets, children, or valuables. Rear Door Alert remembers if any of the rear doors were opened before starting the engine. At the end of the trip, if the system doesn’t detect a rear door being opened again, it will toot the Maxima’s horn as a warning to check the back seat.

Every 2021 Maxima comes with the driver aids included in Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 (see the Safety Technology section below). Nissan’s Integrated Dynamics system, including Intelligent Trace Control, Intelligent Ride Control, and Intelligent Engine Brake is also standard.

What used to be the second trim level, SV, is now the entry model. It comes with LED headlights/taillights/daytime running lights, keyless entry/ignition, heated side mirrors, color 7-inch driver information screen, heated/power-adjustable front seats, leather seating surfaces, Rear Door Alert, rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, voice control, Bluetooth, one USB-A port, one USB-C port, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, Wi-Fi, satellite radio, and the NissanConnect app (including remote start/lock/unlock, emergency response and stolen-vehicle location).

The main method for adding more features to a new Maxima is to go for a higher trim, although the SV trim is eligible for twice the number of USB ports and a few other minor additions.

The SR trim gains many more features, including a trim-specific sport-tuned suspension, dual-panel panoramic moonroof, heated steering wheel, paddle shifters, heated/ventilated front seats, extendable thigh support for the driver’s seat (plus memory settings), ambient LED cabin lighting, Intelligent Lane Intervention, 360-degree camera system, front parking sensors, and a Bose audio system.

Platinum is the plushest, losing the sport-tuned suspension and paddle shifters, but adding nicer leather upholstery with diamond stitching on the seats, rear window shade, rain-sensing wipers, satin maple trim, and a power-adjustable steering column. This highest level is also where the 40th Anniversary package becomes available. The Maxima line has been on sale in the United States since 1981.

A 3.5-liter V6 propels the 2021 Maxima with 300 hp and 261 lb-ft of torque. This connects to an Xtronic CVT.

Continuously variable transmissions have come a long way from the bad old days where they used to feel like they were made from rubber bands. Much of that progress has been achieved by Nissan’s own engineers. They have managed to simulate shifts that mimic a regular automatic transmission with planetary gears.

A Sport mode livens the general experience by adjusting throttle response, steering effort, and transmission tuning. Power goes solely to the front wheels in a smooth and quiet manner.

The Maxima returns decent fuel economy, a much-welcome attribute since premium unleaded gasoline is recommended.

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