3.5 S 4dr Sedan
2009 Nissan Maxima

2009 Nissan Maxima – Click above for high-res image gallery The latest Nissan out of the gate - the sixth model to wear the "Maxima" designation - gets a significant redesign for 2009. Launched in 1985, the first Maxima was a praised departure from its predecessor, the rear-wheel-drive Datsun 810. Reconfigured as front-wheel-drive, the newly-named sedan foreshadowed the arrival of Nissan's "4-Door Sports Car" or "4DSC", a name aptly-coined for the 1989 model. While each subsequent generation seemed to soften (much to the lament of enthusiasts), the automaker claims this ground-up remake once-again earns the 4DSC moniker. Follow the jump to see if Nissan succeeded. %Gallery-25550% Photos Copyright ©2008 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc. Compared to the outgoing model, the new Maxima is shorter (in height and length) and wider (in both track and width) with a wheelbase reduced by two inches. Built on the D-platform that's shared with the Altima and Murano, the Maxima's styling is designed to exude sport over luxury-and it does so with more than a hint of the Nissan GT-R in the front end. The most controversial styling element is found on the headlamps with their quirky trailing hook. In person, they are hardly noticeable as your eyes are instead immediately drawn to the muscular rear flanks that make the greenhouse appear much smaller than it truly is. With a subtle power-bulge in the hood and just enough chrome to soften the rough edges, the Maxima maintains an aggressive, if not polarizing, posture. Nissan is offering the Maxima with several different packages and a treasure chest of options oriented toward both sport and luxury. You can seriously load it up with enough fluff to compete head-to-head with the Infiniti M. Without hesitation, we grabbed the keys to a Sport Package model, visually differentiated by its 19-inch wheels and rear spoiler. Justifying the claim as a reincarnated 4DSC, Nissan fits the Maxima with a powerful adaptation of the now-familiar VQ powerplant. Still displacing 3.5-liters, the engine is now rated at 290 horsepower and 261 lb-ft of torque. Horsepower is up 35 over the last model, while torque increases 9 lb-ft. Even with the boost in power, Nissan is claiming fuel economy of 19 mpg in the city. On the highway, the new sedan is rated at 26 mpg (1 mpg better than before). Nissan's Xtronic S-CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), the automaker's alternative to the traditional stepped transmission, is again the only transmission available on the Maxima. In addition to the standard "D" mode, Nissan is now touting a new "drive sport" ("Ds") mode for enthusiasts designed to increase acceleration feel and maintain engine speed during cornering. From a driver's standpoint, Nissan nailed the cockpit (let's hope the same team is putting the final touches on the next-gen Z due due out in November). The adjustable steering wheel offers the proper diameter, the perfect thickness, and a pleasantly tactile texture and grip. The HVAC primary controls are round dials, and the NAV screen is easy-to-read. Settling …
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