The 2022 Nissan Maxima delivers good road manners and a sleek shape, but its energy gets sapped by its CVT. It’s pretty and drives well enough, and crash-test scores are great.
With the Maxima, Nissan upgrades the Altima driving experience with a V-6 engine and more enthusiastic chassis tuning. It’s a competitor for cars like the Acura TLX, the Honda Accord, and the Toyota Camry.
The 2022 Nissan Maxima offers few changes this year, with the exceptions of heated rear seats in the top Platinum trim and a new red paint called Scarlet Ember Tintcoat. Besides those minor additions, this year’s Maxima is basically the same as last year’s.
The Maxima Platinum adds standard heated rear seats for 2022, but that’s all for changes. The Maxima still emerges from the tailoring ship differently from the related Nissan Altima; they share a cat-eyed look that uses black trim to make the roof appear to float, but Maxima’s bulked-up fenders and wedgy stance set it apart from its cousin.
Inside, the 2022 Nissan Maxima’s unexciting dash design has a large touchscreen that doesn’t swallow its ancillary controls, and fit and finish suit its price.
ENGINE AND IMPLEMENTATION
The 2022 Nissan Maxima is one of the quicker full-size sedans, and its V-6 engine sounds good when it’s pushed hard. The 3.5-liter V-6 makes 300 horsepower and moves the Maxima along with purpose.
The continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), however, detracts from Maxima’s sports-sedan mission. In our testing, a Maxima Platinum sprinted from zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, out accelerating rivals such as the Volkswagen Arteon and V-6-powered models of the Dodge Charger.
The 2022 Nissan Maxima handles well for its size. The suspension is nicely damped and firm to the point of being perhaps too stiff for the class. The Maxima exhibits little body lean in aggressive cornering maneuvers, and in our testing, the Maxima SR easily outhandled its rivals.
ENERGY AND REAL-WORLD MPG
With good fuel-economy ratings of 20 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, as well as above-average results in our real-world testing, Maxima’s powertrain proves itself adept at blending performance and efficiency.
Its long highway cruising range also makes it a perfect long-distance companion. During our 200-mile highway fuel-economy test route, we exceeded the Maxima’s EPA rating, achieving an impressive 32 mpg. For more information about the 2022 Nissan Maxima’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
INTERIOR, CONVENIENCE, AND BOOTH
The 2022 Nissan Maxima offers room for five in a well-executed cabin that’s full of soft-touch materials, simple controls, and tons of high-end features. Front-seat legroom is among the best in the class, while headroom is average.
Rear-seat space is not as generous as it is in larger rivals such as the now-discontinued Toyota Avalon. Power-adjustable driver and front-passenger seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, dual-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and push-button start are standard across the board.
One of the smallest trunks in the category means the Maxima starts with a disadvantage in cargo hauling, however, its larger cubbies are convenient places to stash everyday items, and its rear seatbacks fold down to accommodate larger items.
IN-VEHICLE INFOTAINMENT NAD INTERCONNECTIONS
An 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system is standard across the Maxima range, and we found it easy to use. The infotainment system can be used as a touchscreen, but there also are redundant buttons on the center stack for quick access to common adjustments such as audio volume and climate control.
The system also provides vehicle monitoring, remote access, and emergency services. Parents of teenage drivers may appreciate the speed, boundary, and curfew alerts, and the system automatically contacts emergency services when the airbags deploy after an accident.
Being able to track the 2022 Nissan Maxima‘s location in the event of theft is handy, as are the remote start and door-lock access.
PROTECTION AND DRIVER-ASSISTANCE ASPECTS
Basic driver-assistance features are standard; more advanced tech is available on the SR and Platinum models. For more information about the 2022 Nissan Maxima’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.
PHOTOS
FULL SPECIFICATIONS
2019 Nissan Maxima Platinum
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED
$44,040 (base price: $42,335)
ENGINE TYPE
DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement
214 cu in, 3498 cc
Power
300 hp @ 6400 rpm
Torque
261 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
TRANSMISSION
continuously variable automatic with manual shifting mode
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 12.6-in vented disc/12.1-in vented disc
Tires: Goodyear Eagle Touring, 245/40R-19 94W M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 109.3 in
Length: 192.8 in
Width: 73.2 in
Height: 56.5 in
Passenger volume: 96 cu ft
Trunk volume: 14 cu ft
Curb weight: 3665 lb
C/D
TEST RESULTS
Zero to 60 mph: 5.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 14.1 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 27.4 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 6.0 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.3 sec @ 101 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 133 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 168 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.89 g
C/D
FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 21 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 24/20/30 mpg
