Nissan revealed its latest four-door sporty sedan, the 2009 Nissan Maxima. The eighth generation model is a head-turner that is good for everyday use.
Designed to “exude sporty over luxury”, the Maxima reminds us a little of the Nissan GT-R in the front end. Available in two trim levels, 3.5 S and 3.5 SV, both Maxima sports what Cars.com calls “L-shaped headlights and crouched-forward grille” that will surely “generate strong reactions”.
The highly approved design flair does not stop on the exterior. Nissan also applied the sporty looks on the interior, creating what they call a “super cockpit”. All the controls are located at the right places, making them easy to find and use. The Maxima also has the best solution for in-car iPod control. The iPod can be plugged into a USB port beneath the center console bin, then controlled via a multipurpose knob, steering-wheel-mounted toggle switch and LCD screen menus that are similar to the iPod’s actual controls.
The 2009 Nissan Maxima is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 290 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque. This engine is slight smaller than Infiniti G37’s 330 hp 3.7-liter V6. The Maxima SV can go from 0 to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. According to EPA, the Maxima’s fuel economy is an estimated 19/26 MPG.
Safety features include standard antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, front and rear outboard active head restraints and optionally, a rearview camera.