Exclusivity. It's one of those things you can't price on. Er, or rather, you can. Usually it's ENORMOUS.
Designer purses, hand-tooled leather shoes, finely tailored suits; in the fashion world, being unique costs big. Same thing for cars... most of the time.
Now, if you run out and plonk down 60 or 70 grand on an E-Class Mercedes or 5-series BMW, it's going to take all of five minutes before you find yourself parking at the mall next to somebody who bought the exact same car, except in a nicer trim level. So save your money. If you really want to stand out, buy a Nissan.
Specifically, this Nissan right here. It's the Maxima, and it's one of those cars that you'll only find one or two of in stock at your local dealership, and few out on the roads. Nissan doesn't build or sell a lot of them, although it maintains that it's the flagship sedan for the brand.
The problem is two-fold. First, Nissan has at least two flagship cars already: for performance, the GT-R, and for green creds, the allelectric Leaf. The Maxima tends to get overshadowed by these well-publicized giants.
Second, cost. When launched in 2009, the redesigned Maxima SV had a price that lapped right up against the bottom pricing-rungs of the Infiniti G37 sedan. Add Infiniti's often-aggressive lease rates into the mix, and the Maxima actually becomes more expensive than a comparably equipped G.
For 2012, Nissan has reduced the price of the Maxima somewhat. As tested, this SV Sport is now $40,230 before freight, and base models start at $37,880, down $1,920 since last year.
Still, that's a lot of coin to spend on a Nissan. Is it worth it? I certainly think so, and here's why.
Design
When sculpting a car, designers often give a name to the style they're trying to achieve. For the new-for-'09 Maxima, the concept was "liquid motion."
You can see what they were up to in the Maxima's flowing sides and catfish-wide grille. The handsome, muscular flanks make it seem as though a 1970s Corvette Stingray is attempting to break through the skin, and the Lshaped headlights are part Pisces and part samurai helmet.
Overall, it's a great-looking car, especially in person; photographs don't really do it justice. Premium models have a blacked-out roof that's particularly attractive in lighter colours. Seeing a Maxima parked alongside a GT-R shows a strong family resemblance: not bad, considering that Godzilla is thrice the price.
Tweaks for the 2012 model include a new design for the alloy wheels (I liked the old ones better), a new grille design and new taillights. Even compared to the current crop of attractive new sedans from Korea and the updated TL, the Maxima still has a definite curbside presence.
Environment
Settling yourself in the Maxima's well-bolstered seats, and gazing out over the hood, the first thing you immediately notice is those flared fenders. Again, it's very similar to a Stingray.
Thankfully, nothing else in here is like a '70s Chevy. The steering wheel is noticeably smaller in diameter than that found in the Altima- it's the same one in the Juke-and the controls would put you in mind of the Infiniti range. Particularly nice are the huge paddle-shifters, which are properly mounted on the steering column, not the steering wheel.
However, start stacking the Maxima up against its premium sedan competition and-well, it is still a Nissan after all, not an Infiniti. The Premium package models have authentic-looking wood trim, but the Sport's faux aluminum isn't fooling anyone. It's much nicer than an Altima, and light-years beyond the old Maxima's interiors, but not quite to the level of a luxury brand.
Performance
There's a little sticker on the back window of this car that reads "4DSC," for four-door sports-car. It's a label inviting comparison to the Maximas of the past: the first cars to bear the nickname were the SE versions of the mid-'90s which could run with heavy-duty German iron, and occasionally embarrass Mustangs and the like.
It's a strong statement to make, and to be honest, perhaps something of an overstatement. The Maxima is a lighter, shorter and wider car than the old 2008 model, but it's still very much a full-sized offering. However, Nissan claims they've built the best-handling front-wheel drive sedan ever.
Sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, doesn't it? Front-wheel-drive cars rarely handle as well as their reardrive brethren, so why bother trying? Well, quite simply, because it's fun.
Flick the Maxima's shifter over into Ds mode, and this big cat loves to boogie. It's a large car, and the steering is very light at low-speeds, but get the Maxima on a twisting road and the drive is still very rewarding.
Torque steer? Not really: you can feel the big engine twisting the wheel a bit in the corners, but the overall sense is of surprisingly neutral cornering and acres of grip.
One caveat, the sport suspension is going to be a bit too firm for most full-size sedan buyers. While body roll is improved over the base and Premium models, the Maxima Sport can be a bit crashy over bumps.
It's on the highway that the Maxima really shines. As much as many reviewers complain about the vagaries of a Continuously Variable Transmission, the Maxima's version is quite smooth, and under full throttle gives you the impression it's shifting gears. Better yet, the final gear ratio is so high that you can putter along at Coquihalla speeds with the engine lazily turning over at around 1,600 r.p.m.
Should you need to pass, you'll find the Maxima's 290 horsepower 3.5-litre V-6 to be one of the sweetestrevving engines ever made. It's also very, very fast; this car feels designed to gobble up distance, covering the map as quickly as a business jet.
FEATURES
The base SV Maxima is already very well-equipped, with bluetooth handsfree, heated leather seats, BOSE premium audio with iPod connectivity, 18-inch alloy wheels, moonroof, pushbutton start and a partridge in a pear tree. OK, so maybe not the partridge.
Selecting the Sport package ($2,350) adds a dash of zing: 19-inch alloy wheels with wide, 245-series performance tires, a sport suspension, HID headlights and smoked headlights and grille. There's also some chassis reinforcement in the rear that annoyingly eliminates fold-down seats in favour of a pass-through.
Some nice interior features are also added, with power steering-wheel adjustments and - new for this year - a back-up camera. It's a fairly comprehensive package, but the Premium option ($2,800) adds even more goodies like an all-glass roof, retractable sunshades and a fully climate-controlled driver's seat. You do, however, lose the firmed-up suspension and bigger wheels if you check the Premium box, so choose carefully as to whether you want your Maxima to be nicely equipped, or a bit more ripsnortin'.
Observed fuel-economy was reasonably close to the claimed 7.7 litres/100 kilometres highway and 10.9 l/100 km city, or at least it should be if you behave yourself. Driving around in sport mode all the time is going to burn quite a bit more fuel.
GREEN LIGHT
Wonderful V-6 engine; striking looks; high fun-todrive factor.
STOP SIGN
Moderate-quality interior; lack of folding seats; stiff ride on broken pavement.
CHECKERED FLAG
A big, fast sedan that handles well and looks great. Not the obvious choice, but better because of it.
