The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Good handling
- Impressive ride
- Still looks good
- Lots of safety tech
Dislikes
- Fun-sapping CVT
- Small back seat
- Small trunk
- Boring interior
Buying tip
features & specs
The 2023 Nissan Maxima soldiers on at the curious intersection between sporty moves, big-sedan space, and overt style, without nailing any of them.
What kind of vehicle is the 2023 Nissan Maxima? What does it compare to?
A four-door sedan that gives off premium-car vibes, the 2023 Maxima compares best with the Lexus ES, VW Arteon, and the related Nissan Altima.
Is the 2023 Nissan Maxima a good car?
This full-size sedan has sporty styling and a big V-6 engine, though its mission seems muddy. We like its safety record and its ride quality, though we suggest looking closely at its rivals with better-behaved transmissions and bigger back seats. It gets a TCC Rating of 6.2 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2023 Nissan Maxima?
The Maxima carries into 2023 with few notable tweaks.
This full-size sedan wears muscular styling with a few bold touches outside. Its V-shape grille and complex headlights give way to big fenders and a roof that appears to float above the rest of the body.
It’s less thrilling inside, though the 8.0-inch touchscreen carries easy-to-use software and standard Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility.
The 300-hp 3.5-liter V-6 is refined and fairly powerful, but it’s connected to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) at odds with the sedan’s sporty positioning. It’s never all that quick, and more power is more than a stab or two at the throttle away. At 24 mpg combined, the CVT doesn’t exactly dole out spectacular fuel economy gains, either.
The comfortable ride quality and good handling are big-sedan standouts, though.
Inside, the cabin has nice front seats but limited rear-seat room and a small trunk.
There’s plenty of standard safety tech, though, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warnings, and blind-spot monitors, while top-line versions also offer a surround-view camera system.
How much does the 2023 Nissan Maxima cost?
The Maxima starts just south of $40,000 this year, with standard leather seats, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a few other niceties. The step-up SR trim may be tempting with its interior upgrades and more buttoned-down chassis.
Where is the 2023 Nissan Maxima made?
In Smyrna, Tennessee.
2023 Nissan Maxima Styling
The 2023 Nissan Maxima is a flamboyant big car.
Is the Nissan Maxima a good-looking car?
It’s a striking, attention-grabbing choice, if not a classically beautiful one.
The Maxima set the tone for Nissan’s other sedan models when it was introduced a few years back, and it still looks pretty good today. We give it a 7 out of 10, with most of those two points allocated to its exterior.
Up front, the V-shape grille dives deep down the front bumper. It’s surrounded by busy LED accent lighting. It’s even more interesting from the side, where a chunk of black trim separates the roof from the body on the C-pillar, an almost BMW-like look that works well as its most distinctive point. Rather conventional taillights connected by a chrome brow above the license plate round out the tail, though the big chrome exhaust pipe finishers are a nice touch.
The Maxima’s cockpit lacks any real styling verve. Sure, there’s a flat-bottom steering wheel and some aluminum-looking touches on most versions, but the buttons and switchgear lack the special feel expected from an automaker’s range-topping sedan.
2023 Nissan Maxima Performance
Think of the 2023 Nissan Maxima as a big sedan with a moderate amount of cush and you’re going down the right road.
It may have been a four-door sports car once upon a time, but the 2023 Nissan Maxima would rather sit in a rocking chair and reminisce about the past.
That’s not to say it’s a bad sedan, but it lacks the sporty verve its styling promises.
We rate it at 7 out of 10, with points each for ride quality and handling.
Is the Nissan Maxima 4WD?
No, these sedans come only with front-wheel drive.
How fast is the Nissan Maxima?
The 300-hp 3.5-liter V-6 furnishes impressive oomph, but it’s teamed with a fun-sucking CVT. The transmission struggles to keep up with throttle inputs, which results in an annoying surging sensation and occasional power drop-offs. It would be nice to see Nissan jettison the CVT for the 9-speed automatic Nissan pairs with this same engine in its Pathfinder crossover.
The paddle shifters fitted to the Maxima SR are more of a gimmick than a performance-enhancer, though they can be handy on hilly roads.
The Maxima dials up 60 mph in about seven seconds, which really isn’t all that quick for an allegedly performance-oriented machine.
The long wheelbase gives the Maxima a comfortable ride, and its dampers are tuned to take big bumps in stride. SR versions are slightly firmer, but even they lack the agility expected from a performance-oriented sedan.
2023 Nissan Maxima Comfort & Quality
It may be a big sedan, but the 2023 Nissan Maxima does not have a full-size interior.
The 2023 Nissan Maxima’s positioning as a driver-oriented model may be more obvious in its interior than anywhere else. Its front seats are comfy and supportive, but rear-seat passengers will find limited head room and a scant amount of leg room. Even the shorter Nissan Altima has more second-row leg room.
Standard leather is a nice touch, however, and the front seats include a good range of power adjustments.
The 14.3 cubic-foot trunk is small for a big sedan, too. Just how poorly did Nissan use all of its allotted interior space?
2023 Nissan Maxima Safety
A great set of crash-test scores works in the 2023 Nissan Maxima’s favor.
How safe is the Nissan Maxima?
It’s well-equipped to avoid crashes, and testing indicates it’ll hold up well if all else fails.
For its Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, its NHTSA five-star rating, and its excellent standard tech, we rate the 2023 Nissan Maxima at 8 out of 10.
Every model comes with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, and active lane control. A surround-view camera system is relegated to the Platinum trim only, though the tricky rearward vision caused by the big roof pillars suggests to us that the tech should be standard across the line.
2023 Nissan Maxima Features
The 2023 Nissan Maxima makes the most sense in sport-ish SR trim.
The 2023 Nissan Maxima is offered in three trim levels starting at $39,235. That money buys a wide array of crash-avoidance and driver-assistance tech, plus leather seats, 18-inch wheels, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Android Auto, Apple Carplay, and navigation.
Its big screen and good standard fare elevate it to a 7 on the TCC scale.
One bummer? The basic 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.
Which Nissan Maxima should I buy?
The SV is good enough, but the SR with its stiffer suspension is more fun to drive. It also includes nicer leather with suede-like inserts and a memory system for the driver’s seat. At $44,395, it’s not cheap, but we feel it may be worth the upspend if you’re after a sporty sedan.
How much is a fully loaded Nissan Maxima?
The range-topping Platinum costs another $950 and it adds even swankier leather, a rear window sunshade, and wood-like interior trim.
2023 Nissan Maxima Fuel Economy
The 2023 Nissan Maxima is fairly thirsty.
Is the Nissan Maxima good on gas?
It’s a big, heavy sedan with a large V-6 engine. All things considered, 20 mpg city, 30 highway, 24 combined isn’t that bad.
The 2023 Nissan Maxima rates a 2 on the TCC scale.
