NISSAN MAXIMA REVIEWS AND RATINGS

2003 Nissan Maxima Rock and Roll
Writer's Notes Test Vehicle: 2003 Nissan Maxima GLE Base Price: $27,549 Destination Charge: $540 Options on Test Vehicle: Navigation System ($1,999 - includes 5.8-inch touch-screen display and trunk-mounted six-disc CD changer); Meridian Edition ($399 - includes heated front seats and steering wheel, heated outside mirrors); Trunk Mat ($59); Power Sunroof ($899); Floor Mats ($79); Splash Guards ($129); Traction Control System ($299) Price of Test Vehicle: $31,952 Engine Size and Type: 3.5-liter V6 Engine Horsepower: 255 @ 5,800 rpm Engine Torque: 246 @ 4,400 rpm EPA Fuel Economy (city/highway): 20/26 mpg (with automatic) Curb Weight: 3,289 pounds Competitors: Acura TL, Buick Regal GS, Chrysler 300M, Honda Accord EX V6, Hyundai XG 350, Infiniti I35, Mazda 6, Nissan Altima 3.5SE, Oldsmobile Aurora, Pontiac Bonneville, Pontiac Grand Prix, Saab 9-3, Saturn L-Series, Subaru Legacy, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Passat.   So then, the top-of-the-line Maxima is not a four-door sports car. It costs a shade less than $32,000. Is it then a luxury car? Comments or suggestions about this review? Send an e-mail to: editor@autobytel.com Autobytel Inc. operates the popular automotive websites Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com, and Autosite.com. xxx	IRVINE, CA - In a previous life at a different publication, your author, upon having driven the redesigned Nissan Altima for the first time, wondered in print just how the Japanese automaker planned to successfully sell the less technically sophisticated Maxima at a premium to what could be considered the same potential buyer. What, I asked, aside from 15 extra horsepower, an extra cog in the manual transmission and a few especially reserved goodies on the options list, could possibly entice an educated consumer to select the more expensive Maxima? Alas, this writer never got the chance to answer that question: until now. With the impending arrival of an all-new Maxima, we wrangled an old-style version for a one-week test on the byways of Southern California to discern its position relative to the Altima and to establish a benchmark against which we could measure the new Maxima when it debuts. Our test car was not the 2003 SE Titanium Edition, which likely would have impressed us more than the GLE Meridian Edition with which we spent a week. The Titanium Edition, new for 2003, includes a Bose audio system, an in-dash six-disc CD changer, side airbags, a rearview mirror compass, floor mats, stainless steel doorsill plates, special titanium interior accents and unique exterior paint with chrome alloy wheels for a premium of $999. However, what we would have liked about that car would have had more to do with its sport-tuned suspension than cosmetic trimmings, because the GLE Meridian Edition's underpinnings were about as competent at controlling body motion as a loin skin worn by Louie Anderson. Meridian Edition models include heated front seats, heated outside mirrors and a heated steering wheel, this latter item a rarity on cars under $50,000 let alone one that stickers just north of $30,000. It does not include stiffer shocks or an independent rear suspension, which our Maxima badly needed. Not only did the car bottom its rear suspension on speed bumps with an empty trunk and a single occupant on board, but the ride quality suffered from a continual shimmy and thrum caused, in part, by the Maxima's archaic beam rear axle. Driven mostly on freeways and city streets in and around Los Angeles, the Maxima GLE floated from point A to point B, exhibiting plenty of lateral and longitudinal pitching and rocking along the way. We looked for a motion sickness bag in the large glovebox, but there wasn't one included. Still, call the Maxima a muscle car if you like, because this sucker goes like hell in a straight line. Aside from a four-speed automatic that balked at downshifting on occasion, this powertrain is flawless. If you've never experienced the thrill of rushing to speed while prodding Nissan's 3.5-liter V6 engine with a heavy right foot, get thee to the nearest dealership and scare the bejeezus out of the salesperson while behind the wheel of an Altima, Maxima or 350Z. Likewise, the Maxima's brakes are wonderful performers with excellent pedal feel and response. The mushy suspension does manage to provide relatively flat mid-speed cornering, but the steering is lifeless in the driver's hands, offering little information about road surface or what the P215/55R17 Bridgestone Turanza tires might be up to. Overall, we couldn't rate the Maxima GLE to be much fun to drive, but we suspect the SE model would be a more entertaining dance partner on the open road. So then, the top-of-the-line Maxima is not a four-door sports car. It costs a shade less than $32,000. Is it then a luxury car? The Meridian Edition's heated steering wheel rim is a convincing step in the right direction. In evidence on the Maxima GLE is leather upholstery of fine grain and finish, quality materials covering the top of the dashboard and doors, and fake wood trim to add warmth and elegance to the cabin. Our test car came equipped with a navigation system, a Bose audio system with six-disc CD changer, automatic climate control, and power adjustment for both front seats. There was a memory system for the driver's seat, and an auto-exit feature that automatically moved the driver's seat rearward for easier ingress and egress. A programmable transmitter might possibly be used to open the front gates to an estate, and the power sunroof could let UV rays blaze in for that healthy, cooked, jet-setting look. Outside, Xenon headlights, sporty fog lights and 17-inch alloy wheels were standard equipment. But can the Maxima GLE rightly be called a luxury car? We think not. Rather, it is a premium family sedan, like a Buick Regal or Chrysler 300M. When buying a Nissan, you don't get the same dealer treatment or vehicle warranty reserved for an Infiniti. You don't get free scheduled maintenance as when buying a BMW or Audi. And the neighbors don't think a Nissan badge in the grille reflects the good life. Furthermore, the Maxima possesses little stylistic flair. The rounded body's basic forms are dull and generic. Detailing isn't terribly cohesive, the grille is featureless and ungainly, and the clear-lens taillights are oddly shaped and belong on your nephew's slammed Accord. Unlike the Maxima, a luxury car makes a statement, and compared to its more expensive brother the downmarket Altima is positively arresting. Maxima buyers are among Nissan's most loyal, and the company realizes that it's been awhile since its flagship model has been worthy of their devotion. A great engine does not a great car make. Nissan knows this, and has a new Maxima poised to debut in showrooms as this is written. Perhaps dismaying to purists, the 2004 Max is based on the Altima's platform, and even borrows that mainstream model's general shape. But the interior is unique, including an optional rear bucket seat option, and the styling definitely makes a strong statement. Perhaps most importantly, it makes more horsepower than the Altima. Will the new Maxima legitimately reprise its title as the four-door sports car? Will it be able to compete with luxury makes in terms of quality and image? We'll find out as soon as we drive it. --Story by Christian J. Wardlaw Photos courtesy of Nissan North America

Source:  ABT