2021 Nissan Maxima

Nissan created a schtick that stuck to the Maxima back in 1989. The car was marketed and sold in North America as the 4DSC, which is an abbreviation for “four-door sports car.” There was a 4DSC sticker on the window and everything. Whether it lived up to the name is up for considerable debate. For some historical perspective, MotorWeek’s review of the car when it was new saw it hit 60 mph in 8.2 seconds. The car’s propensity for significant body roll was brought up more than once. Neither of those sound like laudable sports car qualities, but regardless, the 4DSC branding inevitably comes up in any Maxima discussion. One reason for that is Nissan’s continued use of the four-door sports car slogan. It hasn't been around as long as BMW’s “Ultimate Driving Machine,” but it’s definitely one of the older ones at this point, with more than 30 years spanning its first and most recent usage. That said, the Maxima name itself is even older.  “Maxima” was first spelled out on the back of a Datsun 810 for the 1981 model year, with the model’s full name being the Datsun 810 Maxima. This model transitioned into being named the Datsun Maxima one year later, and then Nissan Maxima after the official Datsun-to-Nissan switchover. Nissan’s second-gen Maxima hit the road in 1985, lasting four years. It was the third generation in 1989 that was crowned the 4DSC Maxima. Throughout the '90s, it saw its greatest success as Nissan's midsize sedan entry, but when the Altima started to fill that slot, the Maxima was pushed upmarket. Each generation of this century went on to adopt a slightly different concept than the one that came before.  So that’s 40 years of Maxima, distilled, and now there’s a car to ring in the culmination and celebration of those decades: the 2021 Nissan Maxima 40th Anniversary Edition. It’s a sharp-looking sedan in modern sheetmetal. Sharp enough (and perhaps intriguing enough) that the car’s reveal was one of Autoblog's most-read stories last fall. We're not entirely sure why. Just know that the internet isn’t always logical. Seeing the rabid interest, we figured we'd better get one of these into the fleet for testing to satisfy all of our apparently Maxima-hungry readers. You’re welcome. The 40th Anniversary Edition model essentially boils down to a comprehensive appearance package. Like most special-edition cars these days, this one leans heavily into the dark trim theme. Its stealthy and exclusive Ruby Slate Gray Pearl paint is combined with a black roof and black 19-inch wheels. The two shades of darkness play well off each other, and they work with the Maxima’s general design aesthetic. Black trim is used where gaudy chrome was before, though there is curiously still a single strip of shiny trim used to mark the bottom window line. A 40th Anniversary badge finishes the exterior job up nicely. It’s an upgrade over the standard Maxima as a whole, which is a stylish car from the outset. This package …
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