OC NISSAN IRVINE

Styling: The 2011 Nissan Maxima returns in two levels of trim – 3.5 S and 3.5 SV – and this year’s minor revisions apply to SV models with the available Sport Package, which are the most popular Maximas by far. The 2011 Maxima 3.5 SV Sport Package versions gain a newly chromed grille, chrome door handles, and smoked headlight lenses. Every 2011 Maxima gets a new finish on the exhaust tip, and three new exterior paint colors are available.

The 2011 Nissan Maxima is a handsome car, square-shouldered and distinctive. Only the tail styling could be said to lack self-assurance. The cabin is sophisticated and sporty and carries elements of Nissan’s premium Infiniti brand, particularly in its arrangement of certain controls on a horizontal shelf mid-dashboard. In addition to their exterior tweaks, 2011 Maxima 3.5 SV models with the Sport package get a few interior changes: unique gray stitching on the seats and a new metallic finish for the central dashboard “stack” and center console.

The 2011 Maxima again shares its platform and 109.3 inch wheelbase (the distance between front and rear axles) with the less expensive Nissan Altima sedan. The 2011 Maxima, however, looks nothing like its down-market sibling. And while Altima’s audience stretches from four-cylinder family-car buyers to V-6 sport-sedan strivers, Maxima more tightly focuses on older, more affluent drivers interested in personal expression. Thus, Maxima sacrifices some rear-seat and trunk room to indulge the driver and front passenger.      

Mechanical: The 2011 Nissan Maxima is more than a styling exercise; it’s a midsize car with plenty of available power. Its only engine is again a 3.5-liter V-6 that puts out a healthy 290 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque (think of torque as the force that gets you moving, horsepower as the energy that sustains momentum).

Every 2011 Maxima comes with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that does the job of a conventional automatic transmission but with a rheostat-like delivery of power rather than with a set of stepped gears. CVTs are designed to keep the engine at its most efficient rpm for any given driving condition, balancing the demand for power with the need to conserve fuel. CVT drivetrains generally deliver better fuel economy than comparable automatic-transmission powertrains, but also tend to trigger the unconventional sensation of engine rpm racing ahead of actual vehicle speed during rapid acceleration. Maxima’s 3.5 V-6 and CVT work together better than most such setups, delivering seamless thrust without undue mismatches between rpm and vehicle speed.   

The 2011 Maxima continues exclusively with a front-wheel-drive layout, which puts the weight of the engine over the wheels that drive the car. Front-wheel drive helps with traction in slippery weather, though it can’t match the better weight and steering balance of rear-wheel drive for sporty handling. Nonetheless, Maxima is grippy and capable by any reasonable standard, and it doesn’t suffer from torque steer. (An affliction of many powerful front-wheel-drive cars, torque steer sends the front end pulling to one side or another in rapid acceleration). Maxima’s suspension offers a nice trade between a comfortable ride and sure-footed handling.

Features: Nissan keeps the 2011 Maxima simple with just two trim levels: the 3.5 S and the uplevel 3.5 SV.  Both come standard with power front seats, tilt-telescope leather-wrapped steering wheel with illuminated audio controls, keyless access and starting, automatic dual-zone climate control, and a power sunroof. Each uses 18-inch alloy wheels and has traction control for surer bite on take-offs and an antiskid system to minimize chances of sideways slides in turns.

As before, the 2011 Maxima 3.5 SV is clearly the top dog in terms of content. It adds to the 3.5 S standard leather upholstery, Bose audio, mirror-mounted turn signals, and other features.

Exclusive to the 3.5 SV is the Sport Package, which adds paddle shifters that help the CVT simulate manual gear changes, a sport-tuned suspension, front-end bracing, 19-inch alloys,  xenon headlights, and heated mirrors front seats and steering wheel.

Similarly, the 2011 Maxima SV with Premium Package includes the dual panel moonroof, xenon headlights, premium leather-appointed seats, simulated Eucalyptus wood-tone cabin trim, and a 7 inch color dashboard monitor with rearview camera.

Finally, 3.5 SV Tech Package adds Bluetooth connectivity and a USB iPod interface, a rearview camera, a navigation system with voice recognition, and a 9.3GB audio hard drive.