I have this generation Maxima and I dont think it deserves all the hate it gets. Its fast, has an amazing V6 engine and exhaust sound, and looks so good. The CVT isnt really an issue for me. It brings such a smooth ride and I average great fuel economy. For those living in the area, I often drive from Tampa to St. Pete and I average around 30-34 MPG. This car has an almost luxurious interior and definitely has a presence on the road. Yes it has some weakness but every car does. Just a few thoughts from ownership. Loved this video Joe!
Had one of these as a rental car, I was really impressed with it, I always caught myself looking back at it in its awesome blue color when I parked it. Super comfy ride too. Maxima always played 3rd fiddle to the accords and camrys of the day. Such an underrated car, please Nissan don't discontinue it.
It is positioned above those cars. The Altima competes with the accord and Camry. This goes up against the Avalon which is no longer made, and I think other competition is also going away.
I just saw that the Maxima is being discontinued. How sad. (also I know google search said to be "drop in sales" but its hard for the average consumer to pay a premium price of 43-45k for one of these...
I’ve always loved this style Maxima since it came out in 2016. Looks even better since it was refreshed in 2019. I’ve driven plenty of them and no they are not the sportiest in terms of handling but for acceleration, they’re pretty decent for the category it’s in. The seats are extremely comfortable and the nicely integrated center stack angled towards the driver really makes it feel cozy.
Always had a soft spot for the Maxima. It's a shame that this might be the last year for it. I'd love to see it with the new 9-speed automatic they're putting into the new Pathfinder and Frontier.
Nissan has recently announced pricing and release date for the 2022 Maxima, so it soldiers on for another year. I am glad it's received a stay of execution, even if for a year.
That's what happens when you alienate your loyal customer base. They made the Maxima smaller, they removed the manual transmission, and replaced the automatic with a CVT. And that was that for them.
Joe - a big shout out from Toronto. As always, a great and honest review. Love your channel. I will offer an opinion... after, 20 years as an owner of a previous brand, we switched to Infiniti and Nissan about 7 years ago. There is a lot of negative comments about Nissan but in our experience, we have had excellent products and just regular maintenance and their service is second to none. Joe thanks again. You are one of the best in the business !
@@LuisDiaz-mf1em different engine though and I believe the infiniti q50 is smaller midsize more along the line with the Altima but it could be because of costs
@@LuisDiaz-mf1em True, When I inquired at a Nissan dealership about the lack of AWD on the Maxima he said you have to get the Q50 if you want awd. This and the fact that they're priced very similarly..
I've had this car (SV model) new from 2016. I now have 95,000 trouble-free miles. Best car I've ever owned. Period. As a mechanical engineer, yes, the CVT is the weak link, which is why you can't upgrade them too much. However, the 30-50 & 50-70 passing times in this car are hard to beat; that's why I bought one. Just make sure you change the CVT fluid @60K and every 30-40K thereafter.
Loving your videos Raiti, well done! I have this car! If you're like me and need room, comfort, handling and speed; for the money, there is no better car in my opinion. It's rock solid, extremely comfortable for me at 6'0" and Sport Mode is more than necessary for that occasional adrenaline rush. Definitely a full size sedan sports vehicle!
9:48 I like how Joe has the air conditioning set to 63 degrees while the rest of the country is FREEZING 🥶 right now. Gotta love those warm Florida winter days.
Yes, needs AWD,more power, and a real trans. I mentioned this in your review on the Nissan GT-R,not everyone can afford a GT-R, a Maxima w/ these updates would be a nice option.C'Mon Nissan, listen to your fans/customers!
My opinion is they should just remove the Maxima from their line up. It’s basically the q50 but worse with the same pricing. Also if you want something like the GTR but can’t afford they also sell the 370Z and will get the new 400Z.
@@andersonlee6190 it’s had 300 for a good amount of years now, I think it’s due for a horsepower upgrade, cvt removal and rear wheel drive. It could probably do really good with that.
Unfortunately that CVT keeps me from getting a bulge in my maxima. I used to want one of these in the 90s when they were desirable. You can't call it a sports sedan with a one-speed transmission.
I traded my 2020 Lexus ES350 for this Maxima 40th anniversary. I had no intentions of trading my Lexus until I took my friend to the Nissan dealership and I saw it!! I open the door to those ruby red diamond cut seats, got behind the wheel and the performance(OMG!) was outstanding compared to the Lexus! I always wanted a Maxima years ago but because of issues with the transmission I decided not to buy. the price a little high but I'm so happy right now!
I fell in love with Maxima starting with the 85 and ending with the 88 models. None have really excited me about their design since, until this model came out! If it leaves, it will surely be missed!
The interior & exterior definitely evokes the ‘85 & ‘89, & ‘95 Maxima SEs in my mind that I still love so much and rode in as a kid; have ALWAYS loved the inverted gauges on those SE models - incredible review as always! 🔥
I’ll never forget going to see family in SoCal in the mid 90’s, my cousin worked for Infinity in Carson, Ca and she brought me home the most beautiful Pearl White Maxima… I ran that thing up and down the PCH and the 405 the entire time I was out there. Great cars..
Joe, I have been leasing Maximas since my 1993. The leases were mostly for three years so I never had any mechanical issues to complain about. I did push one lease to 45000 miles and replaced the tires. My last lease was a 2019 Max SL. The lease expired in September 2022. I did a lot of searching about the quality of Nissans with CVTs. There is a lot of info out there. I viewed your reports on the Maxima. I thought you were up front with you evaluations and Zonks. With the pandemic my Max has less that 5000 miles on it. I added up all the info I gathered and decided to buy out my lease and I own it with a document from New York State DOT. I just want to thank you for your honest evaluations which were part of my decision to buy my lease at age 81. I'll let you know.
Great review as always Joe. Years ago I had a Maxima when it had a normal transmission and Nissan was know for their V6. If only this car had a performance investment maybe even a DCT. We can only wonder.
My friend’s family just got a new Black Nissan Maxima a few years ago and they absolutely cherish it; especially after previously driving outdated Lincoln’s and Buick’s. It’s really interesting to see many different buyers that are friends and coworkers gravitate towards Nissan’s vehicles after moving away from brands owned by Chevorlet and Ford. I truly hope they never run into any bad CVT issues in the future. 👍🙏
love watching these videos. I have a 2018 maxima and debating to get this 40th anniversary edition, or an Sonata N-Line. I agree it should've been a little bit more tweaking. But great video!
It’s kind of a budget sedan. Nissan interiors always seem outdated within 2 years of coming out. That’s for every vehicle they make, including the GTR.
The inside definitely looks cool too the best thing I like is the top where the sunroof lever is there’s like a LED light on top that definitely looks perfect at night in the middle
I wish they offered this package in other colors as well. Silver and black would be nice as well for the 40th anniversary edition. BTW, I have 2021 Platinum in black. It really is a nice car to drive.
I feel like Nissan should retire the whole “four door sports car” moniker when their “sports car” doesn’t even come with paddle shifters and uses a CVT transmission. I don’t think that’s unfair, right? And I actually LIKE the Maxima!
If they put automatic or DCT tranny the outcome will be way different but that's for sport enthusiasts people , for regular consumers doesn't make any difference at all.
Great review Joe (and camera work Lori!) Quick Nissan question....any word on when you will be able to get your hands on, and go ON THROTTLE in the new Z that's coming out??
When Altima/Maxima debuted the massive 2013 facelift, it was a game changer and immediately pulled the trigger on platinum maxima. Loved it. Unfortunately, I don’t really notice much interior difference... 8 years later...
I've had three Maximas in a row, I currently have a 2020 SR, it's a fantastic vehicle , and very underrated for what you get for the money, it's quick, tight handling and very smooth power train, world class Nissan V6, they'd be nuts to phase it out.
A $40-50k car that is not a hybrid, should not have a CVT. They killed this car when they did that. The Altima maybe because of it's lower price point, but the Maxima? Hell nah
@@bourbon.36 CVTs are very responsive. This thing will smoke anything in its class from a rolling start because of that CVT. You can't beat 0 shift times. People need to get over the CVT hate.
@@NoName-gv6nm CVT is junk in The Maxima because I own One, looking into getting rid of it, because it’s to Slow, and it’s not a good performance Car, it’s 300hp but to boring to drive
@@LordTrayus Are you serious only have 16,388 miles on the Maxima still have the plastic on the floor accept on the drive side, I’m going to KIA today for a trade in
I've never had as many issues with CVTs as most people do, especially as they've advanced and you have the programmed ratios, but I totally agree that at least specifically on this edition, it would've been a great opportunity to put that DCT in and turbocharge the engine. Other than that it looks great! I don't know if I'll be able to justify the expense when my lease comes up this year but I'll definitely be thinking about it.
@@billb.7346 Below is from Nissan’s publication. I could have put the link but looks like Joe is upset about it. Also I had a 2017 Nissan Maxima Platinum on lease. Now I have an Altima SL 2020. ACTIVE SOUND ENHANCEMENT Active Sound Enhancement (ASE) goes beyond canceling unwanted sounds by enhancing desirable sound. This system is also in Bose® audio equipped SL, SR and Platinum grade models only. Active sound enhancement enhances existing engine sounds according to the engine speed and driving modes through the speakers. Engaging SPORT mode with the drive mode selector will signal the audio system to increase engine note amplification in the cabin. Note: ANC and ASE work through the Bose® audio system and are only active when the Bose® audio system is ON.
@@billb.7346 Well, if you are hell bent on believing something, cannot really help you. The system is ON as you can see the maps. ON doesn’t mean he has to play music through it. Why don’t you google a bit and go through some facts instead of blindly guessing stuff here. Thanks.
I owned a 1997 SE. A 5 speed. Black on black. Bought it brand new and drove it until it gained 346k on the engine. Did basic mx on her. Treated her well and she treated me well!!! The Maxima will always be one of my favorite cars!
I hate that the exterior is the same since 2016 but the interior looks so nice, still only have 72k on my 7th gen that i love but this interior looks almost perfect, imagine it was AWD, interior looks better than the Q50 imo
I recognized many of those bottoms from my 2010 G37. To bad today’s Maximas don’t awake that feeling on me like my 90 Maxima did 30 years ago. By the way, I still own a 1990 and a 1993 Maxima.
Same here, I've got the 2020 Max SR. Sunset Drift Chromaflair paint with the premium ascot leather with alacantra inserts. The 40th anniversary edition has nothing but a few additional things that are cool but not a good enough reason to have waited even if I had known they were doing this. I didn't realize it was hitting this year. I would like all the chrome on my car to be black chrome. But only a small amount on this featured Plat had the dark or black trim. I'll always prefer less chrome or at least no silver chrome.
Can't understand why you keep putting down the CVT? I absolutely love the CVT in the Maxima and 2013 Pathfinder and had no issues. I had the CVT without simulated gears so it just instantly and quietly accelerated like I was being pushed by the wind and it was extremely responsive. I test drove the 2022 Frontier without the CRT and it didn't even come close, felt lousy, making a lot of noise, then it accelerated. What is so bad with the CVT?
@@rubenleon9482 the Nissan software program is not efficient at reading CVT sensors because it is always on fuel economy mode. so when you apply a lot of RPM it doesn't synchronize with the right CVT ratio and this causes the jerkiness and shuddering in the transmission resulting in shortening its life span. Nissan needs to find a balance between fuel efficiency and CVT performance. either that or the driver should listen to the engine, transmission before applying more force.
@@thelastdefenderofcamelot5623 Are you talking about an early prototype or something? I had an 2008 Maxima and 2013 Pathfinder both with a CVT and I had zero issues. The CVT was amazingly smooth quiet and super responsive. I now have an 8 speed 2019 Lexus ES 350 and I really hate the transmission.
@@rubenleon9482 I am describing a problem someone found in the previous generation of Rogue models. doesn't necessarily apply to yours. I'm tired of people bashing Nissan CVT's and not explaining why it is bad. there are youtube videos explaining pros and cons of CVT but doesn't explain why it is bad. but this is what I found out after getting to the bottom of this. its mostly the drivers fault for driving like a maniac on a economy car. just keep asking and see if someone can give a better answer than this.
Joe and Lori. Thanks for bringing us ( FROM THE SECRET LOCATIONS) this 2021 Nissan Maxima 40th Anniversary EditionLori OUR QUEEN,, Thanks for all you do, MUCH LOVE to you You are JOES LORI DOLL!) Yes, it could be a better vehicle BUT I AM DIGGING IT! LOVE THAT RUBY red OR RED VELVET interior! The engine sounds great! Even with that CVT. I hope Nissan keeps the MAXIMA and makes it even better.LOVE that exterior color too! Be well, Be safe and I will see you guys on another ride soon!
@@throughdude23 yes indeed and its all politics because Nissan is part owner of Jatco I guess they feel tied to them they should've been dropped them years ago its killed their reliability
My very first vehicle was a 1994 hard body and it was slate grey pearl. It was a great color. If they do kill off the Maxima, please bring back the old hard body trucks Nissan! 😃👍🏼
Maxima CVTs are not made by Jatco. They are made by a different contractlized company. Forgot the company name, but that’s why the v6 equipped CVTS usually don’t have the same problems
Definitely agree. This car has more potential to improve then any sedans out there. Why they have kept the fwd, cvt and 300 Hp year after year is mind boggling. Must have vendor parts contracts for years. Bring back the manual?
I owned a 3rd Gen 1990 Maxima 5-speed (when it really was a 4-door sports car as they advertised for that generation Maxima). I loved that car.... until the engine seized at 8K miles. When the dealer pulled the engine apart they found several oil passages were not completely drilled through the block and they couldn't believe that the engine hadn't seized up sooner. Great factory quality control. I got rid of that car after they replaced the short block under warranty. I've never been back to a Nissan dealership since...
I was deciding between the maxima or the Camry xle v6 a year ago. The performance of each is identical as well as price. I ended up buying the Camry due to the reliability legend. The maxima is nice tho.
REALLY considering getting a Maxima, however the SR not the 40th. Any car that you would consider over the Maxima that is fairly close in performance and price? Thanks!
I’m so old I remember when they switched model name from Datsun 810 to Nissan Maxima. I think some badges in 1980/1981 had Datsun and Maxima on the trunk lid. I also rennet when this was the brotha car to have before the Escalade and 300.
