It's time for a mid-cycle face-lift for Nissan's flagship sedan, but you'll have to look closely at the face of the 2007 Maxima, because Nissan's stylists were awfully stingy with the Botox. The freshened front end has had its nose stretched slightly, and new, sleeker headlamps are surrounded by more wedge-shaped sheetmetal. A bigger rear spoiler for the SE model, more aggressive side sills, and a reshaped rear bumper round out the exterior modifications.
The interior benefits from an upgrade in material quality, although its design and execution actually are not up to the standards seen in the all-new Altima, the Maxima's less expensive, smaller sibling. The 255-hp, 3.5-liter engine, one of the best V-6s in the business, carries over, and now it's mated to a standard continuously variable transmission.
The revised 2007 Maxima goes on sale this summer.