2021 Nissan Maxima

Nissan’s self-proclaimed Maxima “four-door sports car” is now five years deep into its eighth generation. The Maxima title was initially used in the states as the top-tier trim name for the 1980 810 sedan before transforming into a full-fledged model name for the 1982 lineup. It’s been in continuous production since and sits atop a lineup that includes the Altima, Sentra and Versa. Nissan’s flagship sedan in the United States, its class consists of a wide swath of vehicles ranging from the Honda Accord and Volkswagen Arteon to the Chrysler 300 and Toyota Avalon. The Maxima stands out with sharp styling, strong acceleration, and surprisingly robust handling capabilities in this segment. 

Four trims are available for 2021: SV, SR, Platinum and 40th Anniversary. Pricing ranges from the SV’s $38,065 base price to the 40th Anniversary Edition’s $45,270 base price, both including a $975 destination fee. 

Nissan Maxima Performance

All 2021 Maxima models come powered by Nissan’s 3.5-liter V6, which produces 300 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque. Power reaches the front wheels through a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). Though Nissan offers the smaller Altima with all-wheel drive, the Maxima remains front-wheel drive only. 

The Maxima can make the run from 0-60 mph in under six seconds, and it handles well for its size, but there’s plenty of daylight between it and true sports sedans. That said, it can outrun some of its class and manages a smooth ride while holding tight in the corners. The sole demerit is the CVT. Though it’s been improved significantly over the years, it still can’t offer the same traditional feel and immediacy of a well-calibrated automatic or manual transmission. 

Nissan Maxima Fuel Economy

The Maxima returns an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway and 24 mpg combined. Unfortunately, Nissan doesn’t offer a hybrid or plug-in hybrid option for the car, which would boost those average fuel economy numbers. The Toyota Avalon’s hybrid model achieves up to 44 mpg combined, for example. 

Nissan Maxima Comfort, Convenience and Cargo Space

With the Maxima, Nissan shows that it knows flagship cars need flagship interiors. Seating for up to five people means seating for four people here, but cabin quality and styling take the sting out of the tight back seat. Leather and heated, power-adjustable front seats are standard, and buyers can opt to upgrade with plush Alcantara upholstery. The front buckets are deep and supportive, offering 39.4 inches of headroom and 45 inches of legroom. The back seat has just 36.7 inches of headroom and 34.2 inches of legroom. Despite that lack of space, parents will find an easy time installing car seats, thanks to the Maxima’s Good+ LATCH system rating from the IIHS.

The Maxima’s 14.3 cubic-feet of trunk space falls short of the Camry’s 15.1, the Honda Accord’s 16.1 and the Chrysler 300’s 16.3 cubes but not by a glaring amount. 

Nissan Maxima Safety

The Maxima scored a Top Safety Pick + award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In addition, the car earned Good scores in all crash tests, Acceptable for headlights and Superior for both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian crash prevention systems. The Maxima also received a five-star rating from the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NTHSA). 

Standard driver aids include blind spot warnings, rear cross-traffic alerts, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, a lane intervention system, forward collision warnings, traffic sign recognition, a driver alertness system and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.