The Maxima offers an appealing bridge to luxury sedans with sporty handling, above-average performance and a classy interior. Yet despite its ample mass, this midsize sedan doesn't offer a lot of space for either passengers or things. Many rivals also deliver better tech and more features for less money.
Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the Edmunds YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.
Pros
Well-made, attractive cabin
Sharp handling for a midsize sedan
Cons
The back seat and trunk aren't very spacious
Overly firm ride quality in the SR trim
Compromised visibility
Dated infotainment system
What's new
Platinum trim gains heated rear seats
Part of the eighth Maxima generation introduced for 2016
Overview
The years have not been kind to the Nissan Maxima. There was a time when its "four-door sports car" tagline was justified, but the current generation offers little in the way of excitement. To its credit, the Maxima still uses a 300-horsepower V6 engine and provides sporty handling. But you can get similar or superior performance from other top midsize sedans and benefit from more interior room and fresher styling.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.32 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.
Check out our test team's Expert Rating for more information on where the 2022 Maxima comes up short. But hope is not entirely lost. There are rumors that a new Maxima is in the works, and that it may even be all-electric. If these rumors become reality, perhaps the Maxima's "four-door sports car" promise will once again be fulfilled.
Edmunds Expert Rating
average
7.4/10
Edmunds Rating
Our VerdictThe Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.
The Maxima offers an appealing bridge to luxury sedans with sporty handling, above-average performance and a classy interior. Yet despite its ample mass, this midsize sedan doesn't offer a lot of space for either passengers or things. Many rivals also deliver better tech and more features for less money.
How does the Maxima drive? The Maxima isn't quite the "four-door sports car" that Nissan says it is. It's not even really a sport sedan. But it is a sporty midsize sedan, with above-average handling and strong acceleration from a V6 engine. Oddly, the Maxima feels heavy at low speeds but lighter and more agile as speed increases.
This sensation largely comes down to the steering feel. In many cars it's the opposite — lighter at parking-lot speeds and heavier at higher speeds. In turns and corners, the Maxima's dynamic limits are fairly low, but the car communicates well enough that drivers can be confident not to overstep them. Overall, this Nissan is a friendly and easy car to drive.
Comfort
8.0/10
How comfortable is the Maxima? The Maxima's quiet cabin — a joint effort involving acoustic glass, ample sound-deadening materials and active noise cancellation — gives the sedan a premium feel out on the road. The ride is firm and controlled, and the suspension does well at absorbing bumps and road imperfections. (A firmer sport suspension is available for drivers willing to trade ride comfort for sharper handling.) Overall, the Maxima rides better than most midsize family sedans and more like an entry-level luxury car.
The Maxima's seats also straddle the line between sporty support and long-distance comfort. They'll keep you in place through fast corners but remain comfortable for long stretches.
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How’s the interior? The Maxima's interior looks great, the controls are easy to use, and the infotainment system's structure is logical. But there's a price to pay for the Maxima's sleek exterior design. Passenger space is limited, and the cabin feels small. Front passengers get decent headroom, but intrusions in the footwells and high armrests make things feel cramped.
Rear passengers endure even less legroom and headroom. And getting in and out of the Maxima, particularly for those in the rear seat, is more work than it should be. Visibility also leaves something to be desired, and the front corners of the car are hard to judge. Useful side mirrors and safety aids help for awareness.
Technology
7.0/10
How’s the tech? Nissan's technology features are easy to use, but aside from up to two USB-C ports (in addition to two regular ones) and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, the infotainment feels dated and behind the curve. The stereo and touchscreen are adequate, especially if you like bass, but other midsize sedans cost less and offer more fully featured systems and better audio.
Most basic infotainment features can be controlled through voice command, but we found the system finicky about word choice and phrasing. Driver aids are also limited. Adaptive cruise control works well and can bring the car to a complete stop, but Nissan's innovative ProPilot package isn't offered.
Storage
7.0/10
How’s the storage? Considering the Maxima's size, its overall cargo capacity is disappointing. The Maxima lags behind similarly sized cars in both small-item storage and trunk space, but the trunk has a wide and low opening, which makes for easy loading. Additional useful features include hooks for hanging shopping bags and in-trunk pull tabs to release the fold-down seats.
The Maxima has four clearly marked lower car-seat anchors across the back seat and sufficient space for most car seats. The downside is the sloping rear door opening that will require some parental contortions for access.
Fuel Economy
6.5/10
How’s the fuel economy? At 24 mpg combined (20 city/30 highway), the Maxima falls short of midsize competitors with upgraded engines. In our time with the car, we had trouble matching EPA numbers, falling short even of the city mpg estimate. The fact that 91 octane is recommended adds even more cost.
Value
7.0/10
Is the Maxima a good value? The Maxima tries to thread a line between a near-luxury car and one that delivers better-than-average performance. It doesn't quite succeed at either. Sure, the interior looks nice with a veneer of luxury and many touch points covered in soft or premium materials. It also offers a measure of sophisticated handling and performance, but nothing you can't get from another competitor for less money.
Wildcard
8.0/10
The Maxima manages to capture a sense of luxury and sportiness in an accessible package, even if it doesn't quite excel at either. It's a car designed to make the driver feel good. Largely it succeeds, even if it's far from the best value.
Which Maxima does Edmunds recommend?
Sporty performance is one of the Maxima's biggest selling points, so we suggest capitalizing on that by selecting the SR trim. The stiffer suspension tuning provides sharper handling, and you also get plenty of other convenience and safety features for the money.
Nissan Maxima models
The 2022 Nissan Maxima is a midsize sedan that is offered in SV, SR and Platinum trims. All Maxima models are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine (300 horsepower, 261 lb-ft of torque) that is mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that drives the front wheels. Standard feature highlights include:
SV
The base SV trim starts you out with:
LED headlights
Keyless entry and ignition
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Leather upholstery
Heated front seats
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
8-inch touchscreen
Remote vehicle monitoring and control
Eight-speaker audio system
In-car Wi-Fi hotspot
Satellite radio
Standard advanced safety features include:
Frontal collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)
Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)
Rear automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle)
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
Automatic high beams
Traffic sign reader
Drowsy driver monitor (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)
SR
The sporty SR trim adds plenty of racy touches and a few convenience features such as:
Foglights
Sunroof
Sport suspension
Ventilated front seats
Driver's seat memory functions
Faux-suede seat upholstery elements
Heated steering wheel
Paddle shifters
11-speaker Bose audio system
Additional safety features such as:
Front and rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)
Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the vehicle and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Lane keeping assist (steers the vehicle back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
Platinum
The top-of-the-line Platinum model goes without the SR's sport suspension and paddle shifters but adds:
5/5 stars, An Elegant, Sporty Sedan that Packs a Punch!
Paul H,
3.5 SL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT)
I could not be happier with my 2020 Nissan Maxima SL sedan. Like the title states, it's elegant, sporty, comfortable, and possesses absolutely effortless power. I looked at upper trim levels of several popular vehicles, but I kept coming back to the Maxima. To me it had the best combination of attributes, with very few cons. Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are nice, but they are more … for guys looking for a family sedan... yawn. The Avalon was nice, but the styling is boring (same as the Kia Cadenza), and although it has the same engine rating of 300 HP, the Maxima just seems quite a bit more powerful, especially in sports mode. The Maxima is flat out fun to drive and it turns a lot of heads to boot, with it's aggressive styling and bold lines. I read many reviews and the critics have never been impressed with the CVT Xtronic transmission, and for good reason. But the latest generation Maxima's have been using the D-Step logic Xtronic CVT's which have proven to be very reliable. I owned a 2014 Nissan Altima and while I never had problems with the CVT (traded it in at 152,000 miles), it did shift kind of odd. Not the 2020 Maxima, you would swear you are driving a very smooth shifting conventional automatic. Plus, although it's classified as a full size sedan, it's actually better described as a midsize sedan on steroids. What I love about it too, it's not your run of the mill sedan. Be prepared to get a lot of compliments. If you are looking for purely a "Dad's" family car to tote around the kids and the dog, you probably should look elsewhere. But if are looking for a classy, entry level luxury sedan, with sporty good looks and awesome acceleration, and is a sheer delight to drive, even to work, look no further then this gem. While it's not a sports car per se, and it's not a pure luxury car, Nissan did a damn good job of giving you a big taste of both. I'm betting you will love it 100%, I sure do!
5/5 stars, Love it
Anthony,
3.5 SV 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT)
All car types are just right for some individuals, and not for others. I've owned my 2020 Maxima for over 90 days, and I am very happy with it. I went for the SV trim which has most of the bells and whistles, including leather seating and navigation, but doesn't have some of the items that have little or no value for me. Safety wise, it has more than I know what to do with, Intelligent … cruise control, Intelligent forward colllision warning, Automatic Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection, Lane departure warning, Blind spot warning, Rear cross traffic alert (has come in handy several times), rear view monitor, Traffic sign recognition (can glance at my dashboard and see what the last traffic speed sign was, in case you missed it) and much more. As far as handling goes, I'd compare it to a sumo wrestler, it's big, but agille, the car can handle cornering like a smaller car, and the ride is very good on level surfaces, not wallowy, it's firm but not harsh, so in bad pavement some of the bumps come through. Acceleration is excellent, and I've yet to notice any bad behavior from the CVT transmission as some reviews state. In sport mode handling is like a laser, solid and more sport-sedan like, a bit too stiff for uneven pavement. Don't believe reviews that say that the steering is hard for parking, they probably left the car in sport mode. As for space, I'm six foot tall and have plenty of room, including headroom, if you're taller I wouldn't recommend getting the moonroof, because it takes away from headroom.
As for looks, it is a looker. I've caught people admiring it at parking lots, and several times cars in the fast lane slow down to look at the logo in the rear. I got the pearl white paint, which is extra $, but this car shows off very well with it. Initial quality has been excellent, no problems of any type; my biggest challenge has been reading the thick booklets that explain how to use all the features. Although the car is large the interior is not cavernous, more like a mid-sized Kia Optima or so. That's why some reviews list it as a mid-size and other reviews list it as a full-size. For me, the size means safety, it is top rated in that area, and I don't have a big family or a car pool where I need to routinely carry around a lot of passengers. The trunk is pretty good size and the back seats fold down to carry long items. So far the only complaint is the size and shape of the center console, which is too deep so it makes finding items difficult, I would galdly give up one of the two cup holders to get a better shape for the console, but that is a minor issue. In review, it is not a car you will see every five minutes; so there is somewhat of an exclusive feeling. It looks, feels and performs as a premium sedan, but without the luxury brand baggage.
5/5 stars, Underrated
Vic,
3.5 SV 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT)
I rented this car and liked it enough to do some more research on it and leave a review. I drove it 1000 miles on a road trip and it was extremely comfortable. It had more than enough horses to pass. Cabin is quiet. Cruise control is easy to use. Plenty of standard tech. I'm baffled why I don't see more on the road.
5/5 stars, Expectations Exceeded
Cory,
Platinum 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT)
I drove a 2011 Buick LaCrosse for years and loved it but when it came time to replace it, as Buick no longer makes the LaCrosse or anything similar, I was forced to look elsewhere. I considered the Chrysler 300, Kia Cadenza and Nissan Maxima before deciding on the Maxima. Shortly afterwards, I had to drive cross country, over 2,000 miles and really got to know the car. The Maxima has … exceeded my expectations completely. It gets excellent gas mileage, typically around 35-36 on the highway. It's comfortable, spacious and best of all fast, the V6 is really excellent. To my surprise, the CVT isn't a problem at all, which was one thing I had reservations about. The adaptive cruise control and automatic high beams are features I love now but didn't think I'd use. Overall, very happy I chose the Maxima and absolutely recommend it. I never thought I'd appreciate a Nissan after 9 years as a Buick owner but I am not looking back.
The Kia K5 immediately impressed us with its sporty styling, athletic performance and the all-important bang-for-your-buck as it undercuts the Maxima's pricing by several thousand dollars. For those cross-shopping the K5 against the sporty Maxima, we suggest checking out the GT-Line trim with all-wheel drive. The more powerful 290-hp turbocharged engine in the GT sounds enticing, but it overwhelms the front tires too easily.
A close relative to the Kia K5, the Hyundai Sonata brings similar levels of performance and value. The top N Line performance trim has a 290-hp engine and accelerates to 60 mph a full second quicker than the Maxima. It does compromise on comfort a bit, but we still consider the Sonata N Line superior to the Nissan.
The Kia Stinger is simply a better sport sedan than the Maxima in every way. The base four-cylinder engine is more powerful than the Maxima's V6 and the 368-hp GT1 trim will only set you back a few thousand more than the Nissan. Combine that with either rear- or all-wheel-drive, evocative styling, a refined interior and tons of features, and it's easy to see why it is the better pick. Read Edmunds' long-term road test of the Kia Stinger.
Warns the driver if a front collision is imminent.
Automatic Emergency Braking
Works with the Intelligent Forward Collision Warning system. Automatically applies the brakes to lessen the impact of a front collision.
Intelligent Around-View Monitor
Provides a 360-degree, top-down view of the Maxima to help when parking.
NHTSA Overall Rating 5 out of 5 stars
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Rating
Overall
5 / 5
Driver
5 / 5
Passenger
5 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Rating
Overall
5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Rating
Overall
5 / 5
Driver
5 / 5
Passenger
5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Rating
Front Seat
5 / 5
Back Seat
5 / 5
Rollover
Rating
Rollover
5 / 5
Dynamic Test Result
No Tip
Risk Of Rollover
9.5%
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good
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2022 Nissan Maxima First Impressions
by the Edmunds Experts
•03/15/2021
What is the Maxima?
Over the past 40 years, the Nissan Maxima has gone through quite a few different iterations. Sometimes more luxurious and sometimes more sporty, this sedan has always maintained seating for five and used a relatively powerful six-cylinder engine. In its current guise, the Maxima offers a comfortable interior as well as easy-to-use tech features, but it lacks any real competitive advantage in its segment.
For 2022 it's unlikely the Maxima will see any significant changes since this current generation is nearing the end of its run. After that, we're not entirely sure what Nissan has planned for the Maxima. There are rumors that the iconic sedan will go fully electric for 2023 and look similar to the IMs concept Nissan debuted in 2019. We hope the Maxima name will continue, and that Nissan can breathe some life back into its long-lived sedan.
Edmunds says
The Nissan Maxima boasts sporty handling, usable tech and a classy interior, but it doesn't quite stand out in a crowded field. But the Maxima is likely only a year or two away from a radical redesign that could shake things up for this sedan.
FAQ
Is the Nissan Maxima a good car?
The Edmunds experts tested the 2022 Maxima both on the road and at the track, giving it a 7.4 out of 10. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2022 Maxima gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 31 reviews) What about cargo capacity? When you're thinking about carrying stuff in your new car, keep in mind that the Maxima has 14.3 cubic feet of trunk space. And then there's safety and reliability. Edmunds has all the latest NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores, plus industry-leading expert and consumer reviews to help you understand what it's like to own and maintain a Nissan Maxima. Learn more
What's new in the 2022 Nissan Maxima?
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2022 Nissan Maxima:
Platinum trim gains heated rear seats
Part of the eighth Maxima generation introduced for 2016
To determine whether the Nissan Maxima is reliable, read Edmunds' authentic consumer reviews, which come from real owners and reveal what it's like to live with the Maxima. Look for specific complaints that keep popping up in the reviews, and be sure to compare the Maxima's 4-star average consumer rating to that of competing vehicles. Learn more
Is the 2022 Nissan Maxima a good car?
There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2022 Nissan Maxima is a good car. Edmunds' expert testing team reviewed the 2022 Maxima and gave it a 7.4 out of 10. Our consumer reviews show that the 2022 Maxima gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 31 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2022 Maxima is a good car for you. Learn more
How much should I pay for a 2022 Nissan Maxima?
The least-expensive 2022 Nissan Maxima is the 2022 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $37,840.
Other versions include:
3.5 SV 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT) which starts at $37,840
3.5 SR 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT) which starts at $43,000
3.5 Platinum 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT) which starts at $43,150
If you're interested in the Nissan Maxima, the next question is, which Maxima model is right for you? Maxima variants include 3.5 SV 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT), 3.5 SR 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT), and 3.5 Platinum 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT). For a full list of Maxima models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more
