Nissan Maxima Ti 2006 Review

7-day Test

In the mid-sized prestige market Nissan's Maxima has long had mixed receptions. It has never been a hugely popular model but has managed to sell consistently in smallish numbers.

One of the attractions for buyers in this $40,000 - $60,000 segment is styling and prior to the current generation Maxima launched in early 2004, the four-door sedan was downright bland. Indeed, it may have had one of the best drivetrains and offered particularly good value, but when it came to the visuals it simply blended into the background.

That all changed when the current model arrived with its distinctive sweeping profile, strong front and rear ends and positively dramatic interior. Underneath was an even better 3.5-litre version of the venerable VQ V6 ( shared with the 350Z ) and improved but still soggy driving dynamics.

Now for 2006, Maxima has had a mild upgrade with front and rear cosmetic tweaks and interior enhancements. But the big news is the replacement of the old and dated four-speed automatic with a new continuously variable transmission (CVT).

CVTs have traditionally been mated to small four-cylinder econoboxes, but Nissan and Audi are two companies that have been persevering with the technology for larger capacity engines. Nissan now offers it in both the Murano SUV and the Maxima.

And it works a treat, but more on that later.

As part of the minor upgrade Nissan has dropped the feature laden top spec Ti-L and now runs just a two model lineup -- entry level ST-L and Ti. It was the latter that CarPoint tested.

With a sticker of just $44,990, it remains seriously good value. First thing you notice on the equipment front is the keyless entry. The traditional looking remote fob can be used to lock and unlock the doors but you need not get it out of your pocket as a simple press on the small the button above the door handle allows you access.

Once inside, it's all leather, power assistance for everything including the front seats and sunroof, dual climate control, cruise control and a six-stack CD player in the glovebox.

There is plenty of space inside for big adults, in the rear too, but on first impressions, the seats themselves feel overstuffed. They are not uncomfortable, but you feel like you are sitting on rather than in them.

Firing up the engine, the key again can stay put in the pocket as you simply need to turn a dial where the ignition barrel is on the steering column, and there is a slight purr from beneath the bonnet. Slip the transmission shifter into D and the car moves off smoothly and quietly with a great deal of refinement.

When mated to small four-cylinder engines, CVTs usually scream through to the redline under a decent prod of the accelerator pedal but in the Maxima, the needle on the tacho rarely ventures beyond about 4500rpm with plenty of urge on tap right through the rev range. Plant the right foot firmly and there is strong linear delivery of power. Quoted output figures are 170kW at 5600rpm and 333Nm at 2800rpm – delivered through the front wheels.

For cruising around town with a lighter touch on the throttle, you can easily maintain urban speeds and keep up with the traffic without the engine spinning higher than 2000rpm, resulting in significant conservation of fuel.

Fuel economy is one of the selling points of the CVT and Nissan claims a 3.5 per cent improvement over the previous four-speed auto. For our test over 470kms of mixed urban/country driving at an average speed of 45kmh, we returned a commendable 11.3lt/100km.

The other big benefit of the CVT is smooth acceleration as its very design means that there are no actual gear ratios to change. Together with the refined V6, the CVT transmission makes the Maxima one of the smoothest midsizers on the road as far as driveline refinement goes.

The CVT also offers a sports mode with six electronically controlled 'gears'. In use gearbox is slow to react to movements of the lever so it's probably best to simply leave it to its own devices in drive.

Around town the Maxima's ride quality is good with the compliant (read: soft) suspension easily soaking up the worst urban roads. Head out on the highway and there is more of the same.

Despite the soft setup tuned for comfort, the car feels reasonably controlled in rebound and doesn't exhibit any great deal of float or pitch over undulating roads. But enter a tight corner at anything other than a moderate speed and the Maxima's greatest flaw quickly becomes evident. There is a considerable degree of body roll and it doesn't take much to get the 215/55 17-inch Dunlops scrabbling for grip.

There is a full complement of electronic active safety aids in the form of ESP and traction control and they do their best to aid recovery but given the ease with which the car will understeer and push wide through corners, there is enough of a lag before they kick in to get the heart jumping a few beats.

At the same time, the flat leather seats don't offer any great side support or grip, which combined with the body roll means you have to have a very firm grip on the steering wheel to maintain personal stability. The steering itself is also fairly lifeless which doesn't help the Maxima's handling quotient.

With its smarter looks and the smooth refined propulsion offered by the lusty V6 and CVT transmission, the Maxima makes for a comfortable cruiser. Just don't expect to be able to really work the engine on a challenging country road -- the chassis simply isn't up to the task.