The Nissan Maxima's interior has a two-toned color scheme.FAST FACTS
* Model: 2016 Nissan Maxima SR* Exterior color: Coulis Red* Interior color: Camel and black* Engine: 3.5-liter, V-6* Horsepower: 300* Transmission: continuously variable* Fuel economy: 30 mpg highway, 22 mpg city* Dealer: Nissan of Chattanooga East* Price (as tested): $38,940
When Nissan designers set out to fashion the eighth-generation Maxima, the mandate was clear: Create a full-size family sedan with enough sizzle and spark to separate it from the pack.
While other entries in the full-size sedan segment - including the Chevrolet Impala, Chrysler 300 and Toyota Avalon - are built on a foundation of quiet comfort, the Maxima has sports-sedan aspirations. It's a car balanced on its toes not resting on its heels.
The 2016 Maxima's redesign is being accomplished up Interstate 24 at Nissan's sprawling Smyrna, Tenn., assembly plant. Almost 3 million Maximas have been sold since the model's debut in 1981, and Nissan is clearly dedicated to keeping the car relevant in a market increasingly dominated by trucks and SUVs.
New Maximas have begun to land at local car stores, and we were able to snag a deep-red copy in sporty SR trim from Nissan of Chattanooga East. The new Maxima comes in five trim-levels, S ($33,235), SV ($35,215), SL ($37,715), SR ($38,495) and top-of-the-line Platinum ($40,685).
STYLING AND FEATURES
The Maxima has been designed using the same aesthetic and engineering sensibilities that guide the makers of Infiniti sedans, Nissan's luxury brand. Infiniti has always embraced boldness when it comes to styling and performance. It has even been called the Japanese BMW.
The new Maxima tries to capture that Infiniti performance vibe with new, aggressively styled sheet metal and tweaks to Nissan's respected 3.5-liter V-6 engine, which makes a lusty 300 horsepower and transforms this family sedan into a thrill machine.
The exterior design of the new Maxima takes some time to absorb; like it takes a few seconds to form an opinion about a new cologne. The grille has been extensively reworked to look like a smiling fighter jet. The headlight assemblies jut into the sculpted hood to form a hexagonal shape. Curving character lines start at the headlamps and then cascade dramatically down through the door panels, like water tumbling down a mountain stream.
The rounded rear quarter-panels taper into a pleasing posterior, and flared wheel-wells give the Maxima an aggressive stance. Also, 19-inch, diamond-cut aluminum wheels add to the sleek look.
The two-tone, black-and-tan interior of our Maxima SR tester is a jaw-dropping example sport-infused design. My first thought was, "Wow, this looks like a Jaguar." When you sink into the premium leather seats, quilted for comfort, the Maxima transports you to your "happy place." Meanwhile, paddle shifters the size of butter knives beckon the driver from behind the flat-bottomed steering wheel.
Nissan tiers its Maximas so there are plenty of trim levels, but few free-standing options. Our SR tester includes buttery Ascot leather seating surfaces, aluminum brake and accelerator pedals, ambient LED lighting, intelligent cruise control, and navigation channeled through an 8-inch display. Sirius XM radio pumps through a Bose sound system on the Maxima SR. The only options on our tester are splash guards and floor mats.
The cabin is gorgeously detailed with aluminum accents etched in diamond patterns. Other trim pieces are done in piano black, which fits especially well in the black and tan design scheme.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
The way Nissan's zero-gravity sports seats hug your body is a tip off that the Maxima is made to toss around twisting backroads. Right way, we found a two-lane county road to take our laps.
Continuously variable transmissions, with their gearless drives, are often a drain on performance. But the Nissan engineers have done a good job tuning the power-train for serious fun. A stout, 3.5-liter V-6 engine allows the Maxima to pull all the way to the red line.
Our tester has two drive modes, "normal" and "sport," that can be adjusted to suit your mood. The sports tuned suspension gives a car a firm, sure-footed ride. To buy a Maxima without at least a little taste for performance is to miss the point of this excellent automobile.
A full array of safety features makes driving the Maxima to near its performance limits a low-risk endeavor. Our tester comes with forward collision warning, blind-spot monitors, and front and rear parking sensors.
BOTTOM LINE
The new Nissan Maxima clearly has a target audience, middle-age drivers who want to reconnect with the driving experience but don't want to spring for luxury car prices.
We think they'll soon be turning up the assembly line speed in Smyrna as word spreads about this head-turning, fun-inducing sports sedan.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.