Nissan's Maxima sedan is one year removed from a complete redesign that gave a shot of adrenaline to this full-size 5-passenger flagship.
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. 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 Maxima from zero to 60 in just 5.5 seconds... 4-door sports car, indeed!
Fuel economy for the Maxima is 19 miles per gallon city, 26 miles per gallon highway.
The new Maxima comes in S and SV trims with the SV coming in Premium and Sport trims.
As Nissan's 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, dual-zone climate control and keyless ignition with push button start.
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. Together, they achieve the NHTSA's top five star front and side impact crash safety rating.
Initial base MSRP for the 2010 Nissan Maxima is $30,460. A nicely equipped SV model will cost $33,180, while an SV with the Premium package starts at $36,410. The Maxima is backed by a 5-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
The 2010 Nissan Maxima: a well-equipped, athletic sedan with the handsome styling of a sport coupe...and the nimble performance of a sports car.