Nissan has re-introduced 4-Door Sports Car terminology for its redesigned Maxima, and with good reason. This flagship sedan receives a shot of adrenaline in both styling and performance for 2009.
The new Maxima gets a bold grille and pronounced fenders that appear to be inspired by the Nissan GT-R sports car. Headlights and taillights have a new and aggressive L-shaped look.
The Maxima's 3.5-liter VQ-Series V6 puts out 290 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque. That's an improvement of 35 horsepower and 9 pound feet of torque over the '08 model. Power is sent to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission, with simulated sport mode shifts and available paddle shifters. Together, they'll take the '09 Maxima from zero to 60 in just 5.5 seconds... 4-door sports car, indeed!
Fuel economy for the Maxima is 16 miles per gallon city, 26 miles per gallon highway.
The new Maxima comes in S and SV trims with several premium and technology packages available.
Being a flagship sedan, the Maxima comes well equipped with power sunroof, leather-wrapped tilt-telescoping multifunction steering wheel, 8-way power drivers and 4-way power front passenger seats, push-button start, and dual-zone climate control. Keyless ignition with push button start has been added for 2009.
The available navigation system is housed in a recessed enclosure, reducing the sun's glare. The NAV screen also serves as a display for the 8-speaker AM/FM/CD sound system with 6-disc in-dash changer.
Standard safety features on the Maxima include 4-wheel antilock disc brakes, a full assortment of front and side impact airbags, active front head restraints, front and rear crumple zones, and an energy absorbing steering column.
Base MSRP for the 2009 Nissan Maxima is $30,160. A fully loaded SV trim will top out at just under $40,000. The Maxima is backed by a 5-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
With updated looks, and newly added power to match, the "4-Door Sports Car" is back, as the 2009 Nissan Maxima.