- sedan 58,209
- 13,331 fair
- West Springfield, MA
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- autoshopper.com
- sedan 58,209 gasoline black automatic
2011 nissan maxima review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. It's a midsize sedan like the altima, but it costs more, comes with more equipment, and is sportier. It's close to the price of the rear-wheel-drive infiniti g37, but the maxima has front-wheel drive instead of rear-wheel drive so it isn't as sporty as the g37. the maxima is engineered, built, tuned and aimed at drivers who prefer sporty handling and a firmer ride as opposed to the softer, more luxurious rides associated with many cars in this class. the 2011 nissan maxima competes with the acura tl, infiniti g, cadillac cts, and toyota avalon, as well as deluxe versions of the toyota camry and honda accord. the nissan maxima features a notably wide track, which helps the chassis handle the corners on its wide tires. Maxima's underpinnings are shared with other nissan front-wheel-drive models, including the murano and altima. Sized close to the altima, the maxima's platform is measurably stiffer. maxima sport and premium models benefit from a large steel panel behind the rear seat to connect the floor, walls and package shelf into a single unit that, according to nissan, is up to 17 percent stiffer than the base model, all aimed at sharper handling. Sport versions also add a brace across the front suspension towers for greater stiffness and steering precision. We think that's a vote in favor of the premium and sport packages, though it means giving up the cargo benefits of a folding rear seat. Upgrading to these packages is more than the sum of their feature lists. changes for the 2011 model year are minor. They involve mostly minor appearance tweaks for cars equipped with the sport package. This package now includes smoked headlights, a dark chrome grille, and shiny gray interior stitching. A monitor package 700) comes with the seven-inch color monitor, rearview camera, usb port, and a two-gigabyte hard drive. stand-alone options include the cold package 400) with heated front seats, outside mirrors and steering wheel; hid headlights 400); and a rear spoiler 375). safety features on all models include dual-stage frontal, side-impact and side-curtain airbags; anti-lock brakes with brake assist; vehicle dynamic control (electronic stability control); traction control; tire-pressure monitoring; and active front head restraints. walkaroundthe nissan maxima has an attractive, shapely look that fits with its sporty character. Brand styling themes are evident, but the look is unique in nissan lineup. every exterior body panel on the car shows adventurous and modern design and shaping. The fenders bulge at the wheelwells front and rear, accented by character lines along those bulges. The hood has similar bulges, and they all lend a sporty appearance. On each side, the door skins are pulled in from the fenders and flattened out so that the whole body has what the designers call a coke-bottle shape, with a short nose, a short deck, a long, sloping roof and a bmw-style c-pillar curvature. The grille, headlamps, and 12-led taillamps are large and fit well into the whole exterior design. the maxima is a great looking, assertive sedan with high style and fine detailing, and it doesn't look like anything else in the nissan lineup. interiorthe maxima's place at the top of the nissan lineup is most evident from the driver's seat. The design, materials, and execution of the interior are top-notch. the interior features of the maxima are all about concentration of controls and information around the driver. The interior includes a few items right out of the nissan parts bin. The radio and navigation control panel sit at the top of the center stack, backed up by lower controls with large, very readable labels and markings. The instruments are black with white numbers that are lit even during daytime driving. The hefty three-spoke steering wheel has redundant controls for the audio system, and is available with huge paddle shifters that will never be out of reach for a quick shift. The floor shifter is located to the left of the center console, for those who want to shift via the stick instead of the paddles. the available music box hard-drive radio holds thousands of songs, and drivers can plug their ipods and mp3 players into the available usb port to listen to songs that way. The driver's seat is multi-adjustable, especially in the sport package version that we drove, and very huggy and comfortable. Headroom and legroom are generous for most drivers, though the very tall will want more of both. the rear seat doesn't have as much space as we would expect for a car of this size. So is headroom for those of average height. However, taller occupants will want for more headroom due to the car's coupe-like roofline. The seats themselves are fairly supportive, though. Nissan designed the maxima primarily with two people in mind, with the back seat designed for occasional use. The rear seat that comes standard folds 60/40, which adds considerable space. The sport and premium packages have a fixed rear seat with a cargo pass-through in the center for occasional hauling or ski trips. While that may be going a bit far, it certainly is a sports sedan. Front-wheel drive means it isn't as naturally balanced as rear-wheel-drive cars such as the infiniti g or bmw 3 series. However, the maxima has six engine mounts, and the engine is mounted quite low in the chassis for a lower center of gravity and better handling. The suspension uses aluminum components and a geometry chosen for handling capabilities. We found the front-wheel-drive generates virtually no torque-steer, even under full throttle, an impressive bit of tuning on nissan's part. we found the nissan maxima sv sport felt agile, glued to the road and ready to play, with no hint of harshness in the ride. The abs brakes have vented rotors both front and rear, for superior fade-resistance and added braking power under severe conditions. the maxima comes with a strong, responsive 3. 5-liter v6 engine. With 290 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 261 pound-feet of torque a.
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