2009 Nissan Maxima Revives The 4-Door Sports Car
... Plus, How To Buy A New Maxima At Or Below Invoice
Some say that the Nissan Maxima has gotten away from its "sporty" roots over the years and become more of a typical upscale family design. "Not so", says Nissan. To prove it, they say just take a good hard look at the seventh-generation 2009 Maxima.
The new Maxima is powered by an athletic 3.5 liter V6 engine that has been upgraded to 290-horsepower from 255, along with 9 additional foot-pounds of torque. And even with the increase in power, gas mileage has actually ticked up by 1 mpg to 19 city and 27 highway.
It's also got a new CVT (continuously variable transmission) with quicker shifting. In fact, Nissan says its 700 shifting algorithms can shift 30% faster than a human, although it's also available with a manual transmission for those who'd like to do this themselves.
The chasis and suspension also received upgrades. With six engine mounts instead of four, the engine is mounted lower for a lower center of gravity that improves handling. The all-new suspension uses aluminum components and there's new shock absorbers and front and rear stabilizer bars as well.
And borrowed from the 350Z is speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering. The ABS disc brakes have also been upgraded and the rear brakes are now ventilated, as well as the front.
(Update: Bad Economy Leads To Lower Maxima Prices:
Despite the appeal and track record of the Nissan Maxima, the current economic crisis poses high risks for all automakers. There's no doubt that the car industry is in an extremely challenging selling environment. Very simply, vehicle sales have been plunging.
And Nissan hasn't been immune. In fact, Nissan sales plunged a whopping 37.1% last month, following steep drops in each of the previous three months.
On the plus side, however, is the fact that this presents a very good opportunity for consumers to do some very effective internet negotiating in terms of price. And there are some extremely good deals to be had right now on the Maxima, no question about it ... often below invoice, sometimes far below.
For those interested, towards the bottom of this article is a link to information on the best bargaining technique for getting the lowest price on a new Maxima.)
There's no question that the power boost and new equipment has literally transformed the Maxima into a sort of larger 350Z. Its agile performance and smooth maneuverability have indeed made it sportier than most other vehicles in its class.
The interior boasts high build quality, roominess and clear instrumentation, yet still has a "cockpit" feel. It's simply very well laid out.
Price:
2009 Nissan Maxima:
Maxima 3.5 S 4-door sedan: listed retail price: $30,160, invoice price: $27,628
Maxima 3.5 SV 4-door sedanc: listed retail price: $32,860, invoice price: $30,097
The premium package adds $3,450; the sport package adds $2,300, and the tech Package adds between $1,850 or $2,400 depending on the model.
Nissan will also be producing a clean diesel version of the Maxima in 2010.
How To Buy A New Maxima At The Best Price: Here's an article about the best new car negotiating tactic, especially given the current slow economic environment.
