Since the Maxima's birth in 1981, this flagship from Nissan has consistently offered better than average performance, superior build quality, and some of best bang for the family man's buck. While the Maxima has almost always been on my list of
best affordable family cars, my time spent with both the 2002 and 2003 models had me thinking twice. The 2002/2003 Maxima's chassis felt dated, the sheetmetal looked awkward, and the less expensive Altima 3.5 SE offered a much more desirable package. So how does the totally redesigned 2004 Maxima stack up against the competition? Better yet, does it finally upstage the less expensive Altima 3.5 SE and reclaim its thrown as Nissan's flagship?
Under the hood:
For the 2004 model year the Maxima is available in 2 trim levels;
SL and the sportier
SE. Both trim levels carry the same 265 horsepower DOHC 3.5 liter V6, however the SE comes with a stiffer suspension and an all new standard 5-speed automatic transmission (a 6-speed manual is optional on SE); the SL trim is only available with a 4-speed automatic. One should note that the SL's gated 4-speed automatic
does not come equipped with a manual shift mode.
Driving Impressions:
One of the Maxima's best performance assets has always been its ability to blow away the competition in the acceleration department; the new 2004 Maxima does not disappoint. From a standing start the 2004 Nissan Maxima offers some of the best acceleration in its class. Even with its sketchy 4-speed automatic, my SL could scoot from the light with the oomph that most family cars in the Maxima's price range could only dream of. The 3.5 liter V6 offers a generous amount of torque (255 LB-ft). This high torque output aids in powerful takeoffs at both high and low engine revs. To help the Maxima stop as good as it can go, Nissan equips the SL with 4-wheel disc brakes coupled with 4-wheel ABS. These brakes work wonderfully.
Beings that the Maxima has a relatively small multi valve engine, one might be concerned about engine noise on takeoff; don't be. The Maxima may not be the next Japanese MB, however it does an amazing job keeping engine noise to a minimum under both partial and full throttle takeoffs. If you are not familiar with Nissan's VQ V6, this engine sounds extremely refined for a small V6, especially since we are talking about an engine that is equipped in a car that starts out at only $29,000.
So what about torque steer? Like many high powered front-wheel-drive automobiles, the Maxima has a very hard time controlling torque steer when putting the pedal to the metal or when accelerating around sharp turns in the road. This has been a problem to plague most FWD Nissan cars I have driven since the millennium. I especially had my major gripes with the current generation Nissan Altima's torque steer; it seems as though the new version of the Maxima is even worse.
Cruising on the highway is where you will find the Maxima's most desirable attributes. The Maxima SL offers neither a soft nor harsh ride, though it is an unquestionably solid sedan. The Maxima SL does an excellent job absorbing bumps and keeping its occupants in a relatively hushed environment when cruising over rough terrain. If I have any gripes in this department they would have to do with the slight road noise at high speeds (post 80 MPH). Before driving the Maxima SL I had been with a 2003 VW Passat. The Passat W8 seemed significantly quieter during high speed cruising, though the Passat also felt much slower, even with its more powerful W8 engine.
As with every vehicle I have driven with Nissan's 3.5 liter VQ V6 (also found in cars like the Nissan Murano, Altima, 350Z, Quest, etc.) the Maxima is one of the best hill climbers I have come to know. Even when attempting to cross over 7% grades, the Maxima's 4-speed automatic never needed to downshift. In-fact the Maxima's engine is more than happy to accommodate your acceleration needs when climbing hills or when quick passing maneuvers are needed. This luxury of great hill climbing should be especially appreciated by those who live in mountainous terrain.
The new Maxima was not exactly what I had expected in the
handling department. Since I found the current generation Nissan Altima to be a fairly nimble family sedan, I was expecting pretty much the same driving experience from the 2004 Maxima on twisty roads. Unfortunately the Maxima did not impress. Similar to the most recent predecessor, the new 2004 Maxima feels large in turns and body roll is noticeable even on slight bends in the road. If you want to take handling up a few notches you may want to try the SE trim levels which offers a stiffer suspension and larger 18" tires.
Fuel economy is about average for a midsize family sedan. The EPA rates the 2004 Maxima SL at 20/27. This puts the Maxima on par with most cars in its class. One should note that the SE, with its 5-speed automatic, receives 1 MPG better on the highway and the optional 6-speed for the SE bumps highway fuel economy to an estimated 29 MPG.
Interior:
Since both the 2003 Altima and 2004 Maxima are definitely outwardly similar in appearance I did have my fears that the interior theme of the Altima would also be presented inside the cabin of the Maxima. If you have read any of my reviews on the Altima then you know that one of my consistent gripes is the quality control issues with the interior of that car. The Maxima's interior is refreshingly nothing like the 2003 Altima, in-fact the interior of the Maxima feels very up-level; something I was not expecting.
Unlike anything I have seen from a Nissan product is the introduction of push button gadgetry. Instead of your typical twist knob controls, all the HVAC controls, radio controls, etc., are push button. All convenience controls are located at either the top of the center stack or on the steering wheel. If you are used to domestic vehicles this type of gadgetry may seem a little odd or even unnecessarily complicated when first using, however I guarantee these controls become a breeze to use with due time.
Nissan may claim that the Maxima is a luxury sports sedan, though you could never tell by the granny style seating surfaces. While there is such a thing as
too much bolstering, the Maxima's seats lack any type of bolstering supports for either the lower or upper body. I felt myself moving from one side of the leather bucket drivers seat to the other on even slight bends in the road. This is something that shouldn't happen in an economy car let alone a $30,000 sports sedan. Nissan desperately needs to update these seats with much more supports. On to a novel feature, all Maxima's come equipped with heated front leather seats which become quite toasty with only a minimal wait. While the standard rear seats are 60/40 split bench (which were equipped in my Maxima), there is the
Elite package option ($3,500) which comes with 2 rear bucket seats, a navigation system, and a plethora of other goodies. The only problem with the Elite package is it takes the standard seating capacity of 5 down to 4.
Speaking of goodies, the Nissan Maxima comes with plenty of them. Standard on the Maxima comes power everything, tilt, telescoping steering, adjustable seats (tilt, telescoping steering, and adjustable seating all are programed by memory so they swing into place when you start the ignition), a cool information center with compass, outside/inside temp gauges, etc. an excellent sounding 6-disc in-dash Bose CD sound system, and the most original feature; a Skyview (sunroof style) roof. For all optional and standard amenities you can visit
www.nissanUSA.com.
If you have not seen the Skyview feature, it is like a sun roof that extends lengthwise along the roof of the cabin, only it doesn't open and is separated into 2 sections; a small window in the front and one in the rear. I really like the Skyview feature, however the fact that the glass doesn't open really bothers me. I have many times looked up trying to find some sort of button to open the roof. To me, it seems like a big tease; I like fresh air! If the Skyview feature is not your bag of beans, The Maxima does offer a full retracting sunroof for $900.
Despite what my passengers had to say, I thought the Maxima offered more than enough creature room. I am 5'6" and had no problems stretching out without any problems. On the other hand, my passengers who were both over 6 ft. complained that the rear of the Maxima was cramped; I guess some people are even pickier than I am. Stowage is also excellent. The 2004 Maxima offers a large center console, a decent sized glove box, and a trunk that offers more than enough room for a family camping trip.
Price/Warranty:
The 2004 Maxima SL offers a decent starting price at close to $29,000 (about $2,000 more than last year's base price for the GLE). Considering the increased standard equipment I would say this is a fair increase in price. Like any car, however, the price can skyrocket with options. My SL, with only the Drivers Preferred Package ($700), came to a whopping $30,033 (No dealer markups). If anything does go haywire with your new 2004 Maxima, Nissan backs it up with a decent 3 year/36,000 mile bumper-bumper warranty and a 6 year/60,000 mile warranty on powertrain components.
Final Thoughts:
I do feel the Maxima is a slight improvement over last years model, although the Maxima still needs some work done. For example, the amount of torque steer generated on takeoff is totally unacceptable as is the road noise at high speeds. If you are in the market for a Maxima, I also highly suggest checking out some higher end luxury cars. Since you probably will not get out of the Nissan Dealership without spending 30 grand +, you may want to check out cars like the Volvo S60 R, or even the BMW 3 series, these cars are comparably priced, offer even better performance, yet provide a more refined ride. I am rating the Maxima at 3 stars and do recommend it, however I do strongly suggest shopping around before making a final purchase.
Want to read about a slightly more sophesticated car without paying that much more cash?
Click here for my review on the 300 horsepower 2004 Volvo S60 R
-Thanks for reading.
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