Topic: Test Drive: 2016 Nissan Maxima SR

[Fobroader]

And some people still believe that they will die if they drive a RWD vehicle in winter.

Cant the Infiniti be had in AWD??

Sure, but then the price difference is at least $4k. And a base Maxima has standard nav, leather seats, heated seats, parking sensors, auto dimming mirror, HomeLink... All of those are optional on the Q50. An equivalent Q50 is a $9k more.

Let's not pretend that these things are the same price.

No one said same, close enough though. To get a better car, I think a few grand is worth it.

[OliverD]

And some people still believe that they will die if they drive a RWD vehicle in winter.

Cant the Infiniti be had in AWD??

Sure, but then the price difference is at least $4k. And a base Maxima has standard nav, leather seats, heated seats, parking sensors, auto dimming mirror, HomeLink... All of those are optional on the Q50. An equivalent Q50 is a $9k more.

Let's not pretend that these things are the same price.

No one said same, close enough though. To get a better car, I think a few grand is worth it.

We're talking about a 25% price difference. Easy to say it's worth it when we're not buying and playing with imaginary money.

[Fobroader]

And some people still believe that they will die if they drive a RWD vehicle in winter.

Cant the Infiniti be had in AWD??

Sure, but then the price difference is at least $4k. And a base Maxima has standard nav, leather seats, heated seats, parking sensors, auto dimming mirror, HomeLink... All of those are optional on the Q50. An equivalent Q50 is a $9k more.

Let's not pretend that these things are the same price.

No one said same, close enough though. To get a better car, I think a few grand is worth it.

We're talking about a 25% price difference. Easy to say it's worth it when we're not buying and playing with imaginary money.

How is $4k 25%??

[OliverD]

I was talking about the Maxima vs. the Q50 that is comparably equipped which is the Premium model. $36k vs. $45k.

[Fobroader]

I was talking about the Maxima vs. the Q50 that is comparably equipped which is the Premium model. $36k vs. $45k.

$10k is a lot, I agree.

[OliverD]

Granted, that Q50 has AWD (no Premium RWD model). But still. I can understand why people would choose the Maxima. The $36k model is a good value.

[Fobroader]

Thing is, as tested this Maxima is way more than $36k....at $43k, it makes "0" sense.

[OliverD]

Thing is, as tested this Maxima is way more than $36k....at $43k, it makes "0" sense.

Well then the equivalent Q50 is $51k.

[SailFastSimon]

It's wrong to poo-poo CVTs as not sporty - they were banned from F1 for their performance advantage long before they were added to Sentras and Versas. ...

Actually it's not clear that CVTs were banned primarily due to their potential performance advantage: This article hints that CVT technology was banned because "it sounded revolutionarily different to contemporary (and modern) F1 cars." Any performance advantage, the article goes on to say, was mere "speculation" since the car never got raced and had only done one wet-track test run before the ban was enforced.
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2007/05/03/banned-continuously-variable-transmission-cvt/

Reading between the lines then, it sounds like the F1 bigwigs banned CVTs because they feared the racing would end up sounding like a high-decibal leaf-blower convention and would cause fans to abandon the sport in droves.

Certainly the short clip you get of the car accelerating in this video (from 0:42 to 1:02) doesn't have any of the drama and pop of a gearbox banging through the cogs. Though it does bring to mind a fall day with the gardeners arriving to clear up the fallen leaves. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3UpBKXMRto

[Sir Osis of Liver]

^ One of the main reasons I lost interest in F1. Turbines banned, active aero banned, active suspensions banned, sucker cars banned etc. They've banned so many technologies at this point, it's essentially a spec series.

Williams was saying the FW15 CVT car was running a second or two faster in testing than the shifter cars IIRC.

[SailFastSimon]

^ One of the main reasons I lost interest in F1. Turbines banned, active aero banned, active suspensions banned, sucker cars banned etc. They've banned so many technologies at this point, it's essentially a spec series.

Williams was saying the FW15 CVT car was running a second or two faster in testing than the shifter cars IIRC.

True that.

Regarding your last point, there may indeed have been a performance advantage (though it's difficult to know for certain given the very limited testing Williams ever did, and given that the car never raced), but the potential performance advantage doesn't actually appear to be the main impetus behind F1's decision to ban the technology.

[Schmengie]

My impression of the Maxima from just looking it over on the showroom floor was not positive. To my eye this car is totally about form over function with way too many useless surface-excitement details slathered all over it, from the ridiculously high belt line and narrow windows to that horrid buck-toothed Bugs Bunny grill and the 'forked' headlights. 

[mlin32]

This car is target towards 'murricans who want a big car and a big engine. "Wow that looks sporty! Lotta power in a straight line! Must be a sports car, what a great bang for the buck"

Never mind the numerous acquaintenances and friends with Nissan products with some poor reliability/quality after just a few years.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

 

[ArticSteve]

Ridiculous that you can't get a sunroof on the SR.

You don't want an SR.  Ride is unpleasant and has more engine noise.  245/18s are expensive enough.  After all this is a mid sized FWDriver.

[ArticSteve]

The last one I drove was about a 2010 or 2011, it was heavy, unwieldy and desperately needed an AWD system as that 3.5 easily overpowered the front wheels. I just cannot buy into the CVT=fun equation, I guess the Caliber CVT I tried totally ruined CVTs for me, forever. Also, why you wouldn't just step up to the artist formerly known as the G37 baffles me.

The 2016 is not remotely the same car as the previous versions.  Drive one before making useless comments.  This particular 2016 Nissan CVT is the best auto I've driven.  The stick works really well for downshifting (transmission braking).

[ArticSteve]

I didn't think of that. I suppose a Nissan dealer can sell an Infiniti car and service it too. We should ask Artic.

NO.  Wouldn't be a problem changing the oil, etc., but zero warranty work.

[OliverD]

The last one I drove was about a 2010 or 2011, it was heavy, unwieldy and desperately needed an AWD system as that 3.5 easily overpowered the front wheels. I just cannot buy into the CVT=fun equation, I guess the Caliber CVT I tried totally ruined CVTs for me, forever. Also, why you wouldn't just step up to the artist formerly known as the G37 baffles me.

The 2016 is not remotely the same car as the previous versions.  Drive one before making useless comments.  This particular 2016 Nissan CVT is the best auto I've driven.  The stick works really well for downshifting (transmission braking).

I found that also to be the case with the previous gen (downshifting).

[ArticSteve]

And some people still believe that they will die if they drive a RWD vehicle in winter.

Cant the Infiniti be had in AWD??

Sure, but then the price difference is at least $4k. And a base Maxima has standard nav, leather seats, heated seats, parking sensors, auto dimming mirror, HomeLink... All of those are optional on the Q50. An equivalent Q50 is a $9k more.

Let's not pretend that these things are the same price.

^^^

I'll add heated steering wheel and remote start to that.  However, the point being is that Nissan Canada is letting these unit go at .9% leases and 0%/60.  It's amazing inexpensive.

Acceleration reports are a difficult area, but according to Car and Drive which usually reports the fastest times, they have the Max and 5.8/  0-60.  It's friggin fast in a straight line.  If you're passing full out better have the wheel perfectly straight or you might be visiting the ditch.  Torque steer is BRUTAL.  http://www.caranddriver.com/nissan/maxima

In summary, this is not a "sports" sedan.  Putting 19 inch wheels does not make it so.  All that does is make the ride rougher.

For a front driver sedan in auto it's unbeatable for content/price.


Correction for Editor:  Not a biggie, but no "S" version in Canada.  Base is "SV"

[CanuckS2K]

I didn't think of that. I suppose a Nissan dealer can sell an Infiniti car and service it too. We should ask Artic.

NO.  Wouldn't be a problem changing the oil, etc., but zero warranty work.

Not true at all, had a front sensor on mine replaced under warranty at my local Nissan dealership.