Nissan Maxima - Is it worth buying?

The new Nissan Maxima was brought in the Middle Eastern market in 2016 and had the V-Motion design language to follow. The 2020 model is more or less the same as we had back then, though the car did receive a facelift back in 2019.

The Nissa Maxima did not get any mechanical updates in 2019 as it was a mid-life update. It is available in three trims - SV, SR1 and SR2. The range-topping variant gets a good number of features, including full LED illumination, split sunroof, leather-wrapped upholstery and 19-inch alloy wheels.

The cabin is quite plush and gets good connectivity features as well. The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system gets the audio routed to an 11-speaker set that is sourced from Bose. The design looks extremely sleek and attractive, especially the front fascia.

What about the price of Nissan Maxima?

Nissan Maxima price ranges between AED 141,500 to AED 163,000.

Variant	Price
Nissan Maxima SV	AED 141,500
Nissan Maxima SR1	AED 160,500
Nissan Maxima SR2	AED 163,000

Nissan Maxima is one of the premium mid-size sedans in its price segment. However, with respect to the price, there are some other models that could give competition to Nissan Maxima. Some of them are the Honda Accord, Chevrolet Malibu, Toyota Avalon, Dodge Charger, etc.

Design

None can deny the fact that the Nissan Maxima is a gem when it comes to designing. It has a sports car-like front fascia with a long hood. The sleek headlamps and the V-Motion grille make things better for the onlookers. The body is perfectly proportionate and the designing genius is carried to the rear end as well. 

On the contrary, its competitor Honda Accord comes with a sporty coupe-like profile, which surely grabs the car enthusiasts eyeballs.  For the exterior features, both the models are more or less similar.  However, the Accord EX features snazzy LED headlamps. On the other hand, the Maxima SV features a power sunroof.

Interior

The comfort level inside the cabin of the Nissan Maxima is uncompromised. The seats are done in leather upholstery for additional comfort. Moreover, the front occupants get zero-gravity seating positions to reduce the fatigue level to a minimum. There is also dual-zone automatic climate control for optimum comfort for all the occupants.

The Nissan Maxima is offered with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This system further gets connectivity options in the form of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Satellite navigation feels brilliant on the bright head-up display, which ensures you don’t have your eyes off the road for long.

The driver’s information console is another appealing factor inside the cabin. It displays a plethora of information, which includes the powerband for the sports mode, Bluetooth display, tire pressure monitoring display, blind spot aid, turn by turn navigation and driver’s alertness.

While its closes competitor, Honda Accord comes with similar features.like the former. The electronic parking brake with auto-hold, dual-zone climate control, powered front chairs and leather seat upholstery are also available in the Honda Accord.  However, Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is also provided to Accord, that is something missed on the Nissan Maxima specs sheet.

Engine

One of the many things that the Nissan Maxima excels in is the engine bay. Open the throttle and you will experience a burst in power. The power is drawn from a 3.5-litre V6 engine that is smooth and steady on the acceleration. The engine manages to deliver a maximum power of 300 hp along with 354 Nm of peak torque. 

On the other hand, the Chevrolet Malibu’s top-spec variant, LTZ 2.5L DOHC 6AT gets a 2.5-litre engine, which provides a maximum power of 186 hp along with a peak torque 249 Nm. So here, the number says it all, as the Chevrolet Malibu is nowhere near the Nissan Maxima in terms of the engine department. 

For Maxima, the power is channelled to wheels via a CVT gearbox. The car can do the 0-100 kmph acceleration in 6.2 seconds before hitting a top speed of 221 kmph.

Safety

The Nissan Maxima offers some brilliant features when it comes to the driver’s assistance. To start with, it gets automatic emergency braking that can sense pedestrians and apply brakes independently. This can save you from accidents. The intelligent cruise control considers the traffic flow and manages the speed accordingly. 

Besides just these, there are other features, like rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and intelligent forward collision warning. Plus, with the help of cameras, the monitor sets up a 360-degree birds-eye view of the car to help the driver have a better driving experience. 

On the other hand, the Honda Accord features similar equipment like Maxima. While some Accord’s variants miss out Forward Collison Warning with emergency braking and Cross-Traffic Alert, which the Maxima has. On the other hand, the airbag count is in favour of Accord. The 1.5 turbo EX Accord gets eight, while the Nissan Altima 2.0 Turbo SV has only two.

Summing up

The Nissan Maxima is one of the most sought-after mid-size sedans in the Middle Eastern market and has all the good reasons to be so. With a starting price of AED 141,000, it is one of the best cars to choose in the given segment. After comparing it with its major rivals like Honda Accord, Chevrolet Malibu, etc it is quite clear that the Maxima is worth that price.

Also read: Nissan Maxima - All you need to know