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The Nissan Maxima enters its final year of production. Does the 2023 model year send the Maxima off right? Find out our thoughts here.
2023 Nissan Maxima – nissanusa.com | Shop 2023 Nissan Maxima on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2023 Nissan Maxima?
The Nissan Maxima has entered its final year of production as the company is prioritizing EV vehicles. Nissan has added semi-aniline cowhide upholstery and illuminated door sill plates to the Maxima Platinum model. That’s the only change to the outgoing Nissan flagship sedan.
The Breakdown
Great engine
Classy interior
Solid fuel economy
Small infotainment screen
FWD limitations
Tight back seat
A well rounded sedan
2023 Maxima Specs
- 300 horsepower from base engine
- 261 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 3 available trims
- 14.3 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 8-inch infotainment system
- IIHS Top Safety Pick+
- Minimum warranty coverage
2023 Nissan Maxima Powertrain
Under the hood of the 2023 Nissan Maxima is a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 with 300 horsepower on tap. It’s one of the most underrated engines in the class. Not only is it powerful and fun to use but it’s quicker than rivals like the Dodge Charger V6 and the VW Arteon. Sadly, Nissan missed out on the opportunity to make the Maxima back into the flagship car it was decades ago by saddling this one with front-wheel drive and a continuously variable transmission.
We’ve praised the CVT in this car before and no doubt, it’s one of the best in the business, but as the Maxima bows out of the market we can’t help but wonder how much more press, attention, and ultimately sales could’ve been had if the Maxima was a rear-wheel-drive-biased sedan with real cogs in its gearbox.
Nevertheless, it’s a solid everyday car with enough power to satisfy the average driver and good road manners. The suspension on the SR trim is stiffer than the other two and we prefer it as it makes turn in sharper. Pedal feedback is just average across the lineup.
2023 Nissan Maxima Fuel Economy & MPG
As the entire Maxima lineup uses the exact same powertrain, the whole lineup also gets identical fuel economy scores from the EPA. The agency says that it’ll get up to 20 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway. That’s quite good for its class especially since it’s not a hybrid.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
Nissan Maxima buyers will love the lavish cabin in this car. Even the base model comes well-equipped with features like leather upholstery, heated seats, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Step up from there and buyers will find features like excellent ventilated front seats, faux-suede seating elements, a sunroof, and a rear-window sunshade.
The front seats are especially nice with great ergonomics, above-average visibility, and nice attention to detail where it matters. This sedan won’t be confused with something from the Premium category (think Mazda, Lexus, or Acura), but it’s also nice enough to take guests out for a business lunch for example.
The only downside to all of these benefits is that the cabin can feel a bit cramped at times. The front seats are great, and we love their perfect balance between comfortable and sporty, but rear-seat legroom isn’t as grand as in full-sized rivals like the Dodge Charger or the Toyota Crown. Cargo space is also quite limited with a total of just 14.3 cubic feet of storage area in the trunk. The rear seats do fold down for more storage when needed.
Entertainment & Technology
The entire Maxima lineup uses the same 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and it’s grown on us over the years. It’s a bit small, the graphics are a bit dated, and some functions required a little more time between taps than expected but by and large, the system works well.
Menu layouts are logical, and we especially like the inclusion of a physical rotary dial and buttons in the center console that allows the driver to adjust settings without having to look directly at the screen. A Bose sound system with 11 speakers is standard in the SR trim and well worth it we think. It provides crisp clear sound with good range.
Safety Features
If there’s one area where the Maxima truly shines it’s in terms of safety. Firstly, it comes with a bevy of advanced driver assistance technologies like adaptive cruise control, frontal collision mitigation, and blind-spot monitoring. Buyers can add features like marking sensors or lane-keep assist with the SR trim. Finally, the 2022 model, which is for safety purposes identical, was an IIHS Top Safety Pick+.
2023 Nissan Maxima Trims & Pricing
SV – $39,235
The base Maxima comes with LED headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, leather upholstery, heated front seats, an 8-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, eight speakers, a Wi-Fi hotspot, satellite radio, and keyless ignition.
Standard driver aids include automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning, rear automatic braking, lane-departure warning, traffic sign recognition, and forward collision mitigation.
SR – $44,395
This trim adds paddle shifters, fog lights, a sunroof, driver’s seat memory functions, faux-suede seat upholstery elements, ventilation to the front seats, a sport suspension, a heated steering wheel, and an 11-speaker Bose sound system. On top of that, it gets parking sensors, a surround-view camera system, and lane-keep assist.
Platinum – $45,345
This top trim adds a rear-window sunshade, illuminated door sill plates, heated rear seats, automatic wipers, and a premium leather upholstery package.
Warranties
Nissan offers a three-year or 36,000-mile limited warranty on the Maxima. It also covers the powertrain for at least five years or 60,000 miles. That’s about as basic a package as it gets and Nissan does nothing to sweeten the pot with complimentary maintenance or other features.
What we think
2023 Nissan Maxima – nissanusa.com | Shop 2023 Nissan Maxima on Carsforsale.com
The 2023 Nissan Maxima is still a good car overall. It’s not a stellar performer in any one specific area but it’s a well-rounded car with a lot to love at this price point. As the final model year rolls out, we hope to see the Nissan Maxima return as an EV in the future. Take a look at our latest article on new car incentives if you’re in the market.
