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> Nissan Maxima (2009)
Nissan Maxima (2009)
Cool?
Beijing Opening Ceremonies cool [ 1 ] ** [4.35%]
Cool [ 6 ] ** [26.09%]
Uncool [ 15 ] ** [65.22%]
Bob Costas uncool [ 1 ] ** [4.35%]
Total Votes: 23
  
Mitlov
post Aug 9 2008, 08:12 PM
Post #1


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The new Maxima is the first Maxima to bear the "4DSC" label in a while. Built off of a stiffened version of the new Altima platform, it's smaller, more powerful, and far more refined than the previous Maxima. It offers excellent interior materials and build quality, less torque steer than you'd expect, and sharp handling for a midsize front-driver. But at the end of the day, it's still a midsize front driver with a CVT trying to play sport sedan. And it's pricing makes it only marginally less expensive than more focused RWD sport sedans like the G8 V8 and Nissan's own G35. The "4 Door Sports Car" label seems to be more marketing than truth.

What you do get, though, is a refined and luxurious, but unpretentious, flagship sedan with some pretty athletic moves. The consensus over at CS is that it's a good car. But is it cool?

FWD, transverse-mounted engine
3.5L V6
CVT automatic with shift paddles
290 horsepower
0-60 in 5.8 seconds.
3669 lbs
Starts at US$29,290.

Reviews:
http://www.caranddriver.com/buying_guide/n...ma_sv_road_test
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drive...rticleId=126520











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clarkma5
post Aug 9 2008, 08:25 PM
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It's a big front-wheel drive pseudo-luxury sedan, which isn't cool, but it's got a niche appeal and an executive ambiance that edges it just barely to cool for me.
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Zenix13
post Aug 10 2008, 11:08 AM
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uncool. its trying to be too many things but isn't all that good at being a "luxuruy" sedan or a sporty sedan. i find it kind of an odd car.
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Razor
post Aug 10 2008, 11:12 AM
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Optional AWD and a good transmission would have made it cool. Whoops.
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moe
post Aug 10 2008, 02:38 PM
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It's a big FWD sedan. Uncool by default. Styling could edge it into cool if it weren't for the generic rear.
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fiber optic
post Aug 10 2008, 05:57 PM
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They exterior styling has gone horribly wrong but the interior looks like a step up. My wife's sister has the previous generation and it's not a bad ride. I don't think there's anything cool about this WWD luxobarge. Uncool vote.
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Mitlov
post Aug 10 2008, 06:58 PM
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What kills it for me is the "4DSC" (Four Door Sports Car) badge. It's a relatively large, FWD sedan with a CVT, and it's claiming to be something it's not. That's uncool. A G35 Sport 6MT could wear a 4DSC badge without embarrassing itself, but a Maxima can't.
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clarkma5
post Aug 10 2008, 07:08 PM
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4DSC is nothing more than bad marketing. I'm not inclined to let bad marketing count for much when it comes to cool/uncool.
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Phix
post Aug 10 2008, 07:27 PM
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It looks cool.
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Mitlov
post Aug 10 2008, 07:51 PM
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QUOTE(clarkma5 @ Aug 10 2008, 08:08 PM) *
4DSC is nothing more than bad marketing. I'm not inclined to let bad marketing count for much when it comes to cool/uncool.


Bad marketing, in general, may not always be relevant. For example, the "Subaru is love" ad campaign, while annoying, doesn't change my opinion of the WRX or STI. But when a car is trying to be something it's not (a pleasant flagship sedan trying to pass itself off as a "four door sports car"), that's kind of different.

Besides, I think the fact that this is a FWD midsize sedan with a CVT would always doom it to "uncool" for me, regardless of what it tried to pass itself off as.
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moe
post Aug 11 2008, 02:47 AM
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^ You mean like a Saab trying to pass itself off as a jet?
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Mitlov
post Aug 11 2008, 06:39 AM
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QUOTE(moethepaki @ Aug 11 2008, 03:47 AM) *
^ You mean like a Saab trying to pass itself off as a jet?


I wouldn't mind it so much if it was just a TV campaign. But saying "ready for takeoff" when the car starts up is over the line. Somehow, though, it doesn't seem as bad to me, because a 9-3 clearly isn't a jet, whereas you're inevitably going to get some tool who claims his Maxima really is a sports car.

Another big offender is Aston Martin saying "power, beauty, soul" when it starts off. There's nothing quite so uncool as vocally repeating that you're cool.

That said, this sort of thing is just one piece in the puzzle, and I think both the 9-3 and DBS are fucking frozen overall. So bad marketing alone couldn't drop them all the way to uncool.
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Bjorn
post Aug 11 2008, 07:55 AM
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In my eyes, it went from being something unique looking in the market place (I was a huge fan of the previous generation's bold styling) to something which I would mistake for a Camry at first glance. In this segment, as far as I'm concerned, driving dynamics take a back seat to styling...and this car is a major disappointment for me in that regard.

Uncool.
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RIDEwithG
post Aug 11 2008, 11:28 AM
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Then there's Cadillac "Life. Liberty. And the Pursuit"....I still like the older "Breakthrough" slogan.
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Mitlov
post Aug 11 2008, 12:06 PM
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QUOTE(RIDEwithG @ Aug 11 2008, 12:28 PM) *
Then there's Cadillac "Life. Liberty. And the Pursuit"....I still like the older "Breakthrough" slogan.


What does that have to do with anything? That's not a slogan claiming that a Caddy is something it isn't.
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maxima302
post Dec 5 2008, 01:56 AM
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QUOTE(Razor @ Aug 10 2008, 11:12 AM) *
Optional AWD and a good transmission would have made it cool. Whoops.


My sentiments exactly. I think there might be an AWD model coming over, as well as a diesel model, which unfortunately, would even further diminish the price point of this car considering the G35.

QUOTE(clarkma5 @ Aug 10 2008, 07:08 PM) *
4DSC is nothing more than bad marketing.


Agreed. One of the worst marketing ploys in recent memory. In all honesty, there is no longer a place for the Maxima in the lineup. Its priced in G35 territory, and will never be the performer that the G is. I hate to see the Maxima go, but they essentially killed this brand when they made the Altima so competitive.
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moe
post Dec 5 2008, 02:14 AM
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I was at dinner at a friend's house last night, and he bought a Maxima many, many years ago (he no longer has it, as he ran it into the ground). He cross-shopped it with the BMW 3-series of the time, and ultimately went with the Maxima. He's not much of an enthusiast, and figured for the same money as a stripper 3-series, he was getting a fully-loaded Maxima. I suppose the G35 fills that space now without any compromise in performance, but here's another thought. What if Nissan dropped the 6-cylinder Altima, and had the Maxima fill up that space?

Also, as far as mainstream sedans go, the Maxima is pretty cool. I only wish they sold it here. Somebody change my vote.
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clarkma5
post Dec 5 2008, 03:09 AM
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QUOTE(moethepaki @ Dec 5 2008, 02:14 AM) *
Somebody change my vote.


From what to what?
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moe
post Dec 5 2008, 03:50 AM
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Uncool to cool. Sorry about that.
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Mitlov
post Dec 5 2008, 08:10 AM
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QUOTE(moethepaki @ Dec 5 2008, 02:14 AM) *
I was at dinner at a friend's house last night, and he bought a Maxima many, many years ago (he no longer has it, as he ran it into the ground). He cross-shopped it with the BMW 3-series of the time, and ultimately went with the Maxima. He's not much of an enthusiast, and figured for the same money as a stripper 3-series, he was getting a fully-loaded Maxima. I suppose the G35 fills that space now without any compromise in performance, but here's another thought. What if Nissan dropped the 6-cylinder Altima, and had the Maxima fill up that space?


An Altima V6 offers a 6MT and costs nearly $5,000 less. I'd only be okay with that plan if they offered a MT Maxima and had a base-model Maxima with fewer electronic gadgets pushing the price up.
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