The interior of the 2019 Nissan Maxima SR is shown in charcoal leather with diamond stitching. The 2019 Nissan Maxima SR is the king of round numbers. It has a 300-horsepower engine and has a 30-miles-per-gallon highway fuel economy rating. If I looked under the floor mat I’d expect to find precisely 30 cents in loose change.
FAST FACTS
* Model: 2019 Nissan Maxima SR * Exterior color: Gun Metal * Interior color: Charcoal * Engine: 3.5-liter, V-6 * Horsepower: 300 * Transmission: Xtronic (CVT) * Fuel economy: 30 mpg highway, 20 mpg city * Local Dealer: Nissan of Chattanooga East, Mountain View Nissan * Price (as tested): $42,810
With its silky V-6 engine and seamless CVT transmission, the Maxima is a smooth operator that gets you home from the steak house in style. For that reason, I place it in a class of sedans I’ve dubbed tooth-pick cruisers, because they don’t stress my middle-age belly after a full meal.
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The Maxima is also poised to take advantage of a full-size sedan segment with fewer competitors. Ford is shelving the Taurus, and General Motors is discontinuing the Chevy Impala after 10 generations. I’m sorry to see the Impala go. The first one rolled off the line in 1958, my birth year. Also, a Taurus was the last car my parents bought together, which makes its passing a bit sentimental, too.
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WHAT IS IT?
The Nissan Maxima is a large sedan with seating for five and a potent engine. It scoots from zero to 60 miles per hour in under six seconds and wraps its occupants in creature comforts.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
A base, S-model Maxima starts at $33,950 and a top-of-the-line Platinum model begins at $41,440. Our tester, in penultimate SR trim, has an MSRP of $42,810.
STYLING:
Even though its ride is sedate and the drive-train is whisper quiet, Nissan has embraced edgy exterior styling for its flagship Maxima, which comes to market for 2019 with a bold new V-motion grille and sexy black wheels. Around back, there are new quad-tip exhaust finishers.
INTERIOR:
Inside, our SR trim tester – provided for a one-week Chattanooga test drive by Nissan – includes a stylish charcoal headliner and pillar posts. The Charcoal color extends to the leather, diamond-stitched seat covers in our tester. The overall effect of the Maxima is of a near-luxury car that shares many of the same features as the upmarket Infiniti sedans at thousands of dollars less.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS:
In a week of around-town driving, the Maxima proved to be a comfortable companion. After driving a string of SUVs, it was good to get back closer to the ground. Sometimes you forget how much better a sport sedans handles, especially if you are driving up twisting mountain roads. That 300 horsepower also comes in handy if your daily commute involves elevation.
FAVORITE FEATURES:
The gloss-black aluminum alloy wheels transform the the Maxima from a domesticated creature into a wild child. The LED headlights also give it an upscale vibe. The Premium Ascot Leather seats in our tester would be right at home on a luxury car. The Premium Package of options ($1,820) includes a dual-panel panoramic roof, an Intelligent Around View Monitor and driver-side seat memory.
BOTTOM LINE:
In a shrinking large-sedan segment, Nissan is poised to claim a bigger piece of the pie with the refreshed Maxima.
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.