After four decades on the road, Nissan’s Maxima has a lot to offer as the automaker’s sporty flagship sedan. We review its reliability and reputation to find the best years for pre-owned options.
As domestic brands Ford and GM pull away from traditional cars in favor of SUVs and trucks, Japan-based automakers like Honda, Toyota, and Nissan have doubled down on their sedan efforts in recent years. It was done with the aim of attracting buyers to the now smaller, but still competitive sedan market.
Nissan’s flagship sedan, the Maxima, dates back all the way back to its 1981 debut. Fast forward 40 years and eight generations, and the model now stands as the longest-running continuous Nissan nameplate in the U.S.
This article will cover the best and worst years for the Nissan Maxima, factoring in things like specs, safety, reliability, tech features, fuel economy, and more.
To best assist you, the in-market car buyer, we’ll start with the sixth generation onwards, as anything older is not something you’ll likely find at your local dealer.
Sixth-generation Nissan Maxima (2004-2008)
With over 20 years on America’s roadways, Nissan not only was designing its vehicles in the U.S., but it also moved the assembly of its flagship Maxima from Japan to Tennessee for its sixth generation. The 2004 Maxima moved the sedan onto a slightly stretched Altima platform. The bigger platform and bigger engine repositioned the sedan to be a more premium vehicle, albeit with a more premium price tag.
The exterior design strayed the sedan some from its aggressive sport appearance of model years past, however, the automaker continued to make the Maxima to represent both sporty and luxury by offering only two trim levels: the sporty SE and luxury SL.
A larger 3.5-liter VQ-series Nissan power plant is the standard engine on both Maxima trim levels. Carrying over from the 2002+ Maxima’s, but power gets bumped to 265 horsepower and 255 lb.-ft. of torque.
For the 2004-2006 model years, the Maxima uses a standard four-speed automatic on the SL model and a five-speed automative on the SE trim, with a six-speed manual gearbox available as an option on the SE trim.
After 2007, the only transmission option available on the Maxima for this generation is Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) designed for smoother acceleration and improved fuel efficiency.
The sixth-generation Maxima received a swath of new tech and safety features. Electronic driving aids like Nissan’s Vehicle Dynamic Control for improved handling and Electronic Brake Force Distribution, which optimizes brake force and maximum braking capacity, became standard.
Other standard features include:
- 18-inch, six-spoke alloy wheels (SE trim) or 17-inch wheels (SL trim)
- Front to rear SkyView smoked glass roof panel
- Eight-way power and four-way power-adjustable seats (standard on SL, optional on SE)
- Bose audio system (standard on SL, option on SE)
- Dual-stage supplemental front and airbags with seat belt sensors, front-seat; side-impact supplemental airbags and curtain side-impact supplemental airbags
- Four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock braking
Seventh-generation Nissan Maxima (2009-2014)
The updated seventh-generation Maxima saw significant changes to the sedan’s interior and exterior design. An increase in Maxima’s dimensions for this generation moved the sedan up-market to the full-size segment. Emulating the luxury language found on Nissan’s luxury brand, Infiniti, the automaker describes the new design as “liquid motion.”
Pushing Maxima’s performance further is Nissan’s revised 3.5-liter V6 that uses a new intake, reshaped pistons, and a less-restrictive exhaust to deliver 290 horsepower and 261 lb.-ft. of torque.
The sport-tuned exhaust and intake roar combine to emit a throaty engine note when under full throttle. A refined Nissan Xtronic CVT with manual shifting and paddle shifters is the only transmission option on this generation Maxima.
Nissan revamped and expanded the trim lineup for Maxima during this generation; the new trim lineup included the 3.5 S, 3.5 SV, 3.5 SV w/Premium Package, and 3.5 SV w/Sport Package. This allowed the automaker to offer more variety between its luxury and performance features.
The 2009 Maxima feature updated hard-drive navigation interface with XM traffic, optional USB interface, retractable panoramic sunroof, and optional Bose audio system.
Nissan refreshed the seventh-generation Maxima in 2012 with several updates, including:
- New front grille design
- New 18-inch and 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels
- Improved ergonomics
- 7.0-inch touch-screen display with DVD playback capability
Eighth-generation Nissan Maxima (2016-Present)
As the current-generation Nissan Maxima hits six years on the road, a full redesign is likely in the sedan’s near future (if Nissan doesn’t plan to discontinue it).
When first revealed for the 2016 model year, the new Maxima showed off Nissan’s new company-wide, futuristic-inspired “V-motion” front-end design language, flanked by new boomerang lights and unique floating roofline take the Maxima’s luxury and performance to new heights.
Nissan’s venerable 3.5-liter V6 received updates where more than 60% new parts resulted in a power boost to 300 horsepower and 261 lb.-ft. of torque. In addition, the engine is not only more powerful but is 15% more efficient in highway fuel economy. The current Maxima uses a new performance-oriented Xtronic CVT, which garners praise for being more responsive and quieter than its predecessors.
The most impressive improvements to the Maxima nameplate come in the form of safety and technology. As the automaker moves to improve overall vehicle safety across its entire lineup, the Nissan Maxima’s safety and tech offerings move the sedan further into premium territory with standard advanced driver-assist features, including:
- Predictive Forward Collision Warning
- Intelligent Cruise Control Forward Emergency Braking
- Rear Cross-traffic Alert and Blind Spot Warning
- 360-degree Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection
Other standard items found on the latest Maxima include NissanConnectSM with navigation, an 8.0-inch touch-screen infotainment display, and remote engine start.
In 2019, Nissan refreshed the Maxima with updated exterior styling, including a more aggressive grille, standard LED headlamps and taillamps, new chrome accents, and quad-exhaust outlets. Most notably of this refresh, the 2019 Maxima now offers Nissan Safety Shield 360, which is Nissan’s suite of six advanced driver-assist systems, including:
- Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection
- Blind Spot Warning
- Rear Cross-traffic Alert
- Lane Departure Warning
- High Beam Assist and Rear Automatic Braking
For 2019, Nissan Safety Shield 360 comes standard on Maxima Platinum and as part of the SR Premium Package. As of 2021, every Maxima trim level offers Nissan Safety Shield 360 as standard equipment.
The consensus among the automotive community is that while the new Maxima offers a lot of value for buyers, especially in the dwindling sedan segment, and is sporty enough while backed by its premium amenities, it is not so much the “four-door sports car” Nissan continues to market it as.
However, with the future of the Nissan Maxima still up in the air, a new generation should be expected to integrate Nissan’s ProPilot driver assist technology as well as move toward an electrified or all-electric platform should Nissan decide not to part way with its sedans just yet.
Nissan Maxima Problem Areas
While the Maxima has overall been praised for its value as a reliable and affordable sedan that overall blends luxury and performance pretty well, there have been certain model years that saw significant issues.
Repair Pal reports five issues consumers have submitted complaints about, including:
- Low-pressure AC hose may leak at crimped connection (2004-2012)
- Check engine light on due to failed ignition coil (2004, 2007, 2009)
- Camshaft sensor leaking oil into the connector (2004-2010, 2014)
- Leaking power steering pump can cause noise or steering problems (2004-2009, 2012, 2013)
- Timing chain rattle and tapping noise (2004-2014, 2016)
Based on Repair Pal, the 2004 and 2005 model years received the most complaints. As noted by YouTube Channel 1A Auto, the sixth-generation Maxima is notorious for specific issues with AC lines, camshaft position sensors, power steering pump, crankshaft position sensor, and timing chain.
What are the Worst Years for Nissan Maxima?
Given the mechanical issues noted with the sixth-generation Nissan Maxima, we consider model years 2004 and 2005 to be the worst. You should also note that the 2016 model year has the most recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Based on design and performance, the seventh-generation Maxima (2009-2014) is the one where Nissan really lost touch with the “four-door sports car” spirit. The bland interior and exterior styling and lackluster powertrain disappointed long-time Maxima loyalists. Critics agree the CVT hampered Maxima’s performance and was ultimately unpleasant to drive.
While some of these issues noted could have been isolated incidents, it’s important to research any used car’s Vehicle History, and ensure routine maintenance schedules are followed as recommended by Nissan for any new or used models.
What are the Best Years for Nissan Maxima?
For the current-generation Maxima, thanks to the addition of its standard safety features and driver-assist technologies, the Maxima has earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick award in the mid-size car segment every year since 2016. If you are looking for the newest and safest Maxima, consider any model year of the current generation, with the exception of the 2016 model due to its large number of recalls.
From an enthusiast standpoint, 2004 to 2006 models that did not utilize a CVT transmission would probably be a more engaging and enjoyable driving experience if you are in the market for a cheap yet reliable high-mileage vehicle.
For those that really appreciate driving, opting for a sixth-generation Maxima, specifically with a manual transmission, takes the experience even further due to Nissan’s infamous VQ-series engines.
However, the current-generation Maxima CVT transmission is much improved over its predecessors. So, if buyers are looking for a newer vehicle that’s still fun to drive despite utilizing a CVT, consider any 2017 or newer Maxima to be the best of the bunch.
Photos: Nissan
