Tested - 2010 Nissan Maxima

By Kevin Ransom in Detroit

Not for nothing has the venerable Nissan Maxima always been a popular entry.

First of all, the Maxima - Nissan's flagship vehicle - has always been great-looking - one that's also lured buyers with a plethora of high-line features. But in '09, it received a ground-up re-design that gave it an even sexier and more dashing appearance, one that ccentuated its performance capabilities and further underscored its status as a premium sports sedan.

For the '10 model year, the Maxima builds on that winning re-design with several new touches that will appeal to those who covet fine road machines and advanced-tech features.

The Maxima again offers up two generously-equipped models - the Maxima 3.5 S and Maxima 3.5 SV, which are both powered by the punchy 3.5-liter 290-horsepower V6 engine and Xtronic CVT transmission.

New for the '10 Maxima Revisions are new wheel finishes for the 18-inch "Fine Silver" and 19-inch "Hyper Silver" wheels; making the Bluetooth hands-free phone system standard instead of optional; a 7-inch color monitor, RearView camera, auxiliary audio/video input jack; a new Monitor Package that comes with iPod net and 2GB Music Server; DVD playback capability and adding streaming audio via Bluetooth and XM NavWeather to the Technology Package.

Also, XM Satellite Radio becomes standard on the Maxima 3.5 SV; and the previous iPod connectivity is changed to USB connectivity.

Nissan designers came up with the phrase "liquid motion" to describe the Maxima's dynamic body design. Fair enough, because the handsomely sculpted body lines are indeed flowing, in a way that conjures images of its aerodynamic form cutting through the wind as it flies down an open country road.

That visual impression starts up front, with the Maxima's wide grille, wraparound L-shaped headlamps, expansive fenders and contoured "catamaran-style" hood. All of these touches - along with its aggressive stance -- imply burly, sports-car performance, as do the aluminum-alloy wheels and low-profile performance tires.

In the rear, the body lines are highlighted by the "deep-waisted" rear fenders, high trunk lid and new 12-LED L-shaped taillight design. And on the functional front, a pair of side marker bulbs have been added to increase visibility for night driving.

Another nice design touch is the optional Dual Panel Moonroof. The front section slides like a typical moonroof, although it is positioned farther forward than most. But the moonroof's stationary rear section is translucent, better to shed more light on the back-seat area. The synergy of these two design elements give the visual impression that the whole roof is made out of dark-colored glass.

Given the Maxima's status as Nissan's flagship sport-sedan, when the time came for the '09 re-design, Nissan's design team focused on developing a ride experience that felt secure even as it made the hearts of performance heads go pitter-patter. The goal was to virtually eliminate torque steer during acceleration - even as it delivered nimble road manners when being put through its paces. To do that, designers cooked up various improvements - not the least of which were increasing body rigidity and adjusting the wheelbase and track dimensions.

To that end, Nissan came up with the advanced "D platform" as the vehicle's foundation - and then introduced a six-point engine mounting system that includes upper and lower torque rods, high rigidity front and rear aluminum brackets and front and rear switchable control mounts - all at the service of improving NVH performance in high- engine situations

The engine also employs microfinished crank journals and cam lobes, molybdenum coated lightweight pistons, a resin intake collector, digital knock control, six individual coils (one per spark plug) and a cross-flow coolant pattern.

Then, this engine was hitched to the CVT tranny that has a manual mode, which can be gleefully used by sport-minded drivers to ratchet up the Maxima's performance. Such sportster types can drop the tranny into the more aggressive "Ds mode" ("Ds" stands for 'drive sport') - which leads in the electronically-controlled "logic" feature to deliver a whooshier acceleration feel - along with higher engine revolutions, automatic engine braking and the ability to retain revved-up engine speed when taking those hard corners.

And, if you really want to let 'er rip, you can get the optional paddle shifters, which are mounted on the steering column - and which let you work the tranny with manual-like shift changes. And, you can do it while keep your hands on the steering wheel.

With the Ds mode at your disposal, the Maxima delivers very impressive acceleration in all situations. My Maxima test model was great fun to drive, and those 290 ponies were put to exciting use when I blew past other cars on the freeway while merging - and also when I put it through its paces on the rural, winding roads out in Detroit's exurbs. When navigating those curves, the handling was extremely crisp and responsive, with negligible body roll.

I suppose I have the Maxima's suspension to thank for that, and it's a well-crafted one - one that had this kind of driving experience in mind. The subframe-mounted strut/coil spring front suspension liberally employs lightweight aluminum parts, while a X-type upper cowl structure assists in maintaining front body rigidity.

In the rear, the suspension uses a multi-link independent suspension design, and is also also subframe-mounted. Which would explain the silky handling when taking those corners. Plus, the rear shock absorbers and springs are separated: The shocks are lined up with the center of the rear wheels, which translates into superior damping and comfortably insulating the driver from the effects of most road harshness. The front and rear stabilizer bars are standard.

Maxima's designers evidently had a propensity for dreaming up catchy expressions, because when designing the cabin, they worked from a concept they dubbed "Super Cockpit, but with Space." Which means it imbues the vibe of a sports car - with the controls all within easy reach - but also provides sufficient leg and headroom.

The instrument panel is a nice fusion of form and function, with "daytime illumination" electroluminescent meters and a rotated tachometer -- which means that the engine redline is conveniently situated at the 12 o'clock position. The gauges, vent rings, vent knobs and audio switches are liberally accented with sparkly chrome surrounds, and the diameter of the sport-designed, three-spoke steering wheel has been reduced in size, compared to the previous generation.

Heated / cooled premium leather seats are available, as are power lower lumbar and memory functions. Other very fine interior features are the AM/FM/CD6/MP3 audio system with 8 speakers, Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone System and available USB connectivity - not to mention standard features like dual-zone automatic temperature control, cruise control with illuminated steering wheel mounted controls and an occupant classification sensor.

A car company always counts on its flagship model to be its standard-bearer, and with the Maxima, Nissan is putting its finest vehicle out there on the front lines.