I'll admit - the Accord over Maxima thing was to further my argument. That's definitely the closest margin there is of the comparisons I laid out. I do like the Maxima a good bit, but the Accord is offered with a third pedal. It's also a hell of a nice vehicle optioned out, and is very close to the Maxima. I also consider the Accord to be in the premium area the Maxima occupies, but not the Camry. The CVT torpedoed my potential Maxima purchase when life dictated that I needed four doors and a back seat - one of the first things I drove was the new Maxima... hated the transmission. Like all CVTs, it felt like it was watering down the engine. The Q50 felt like an entirely different animal when it was only slightly different on paper due to its 7AT.
That said, I know I'm not using a third pedal now (and life is making is less of a priority for me), but the second Infiniti offers a Q50 in a stick, I will order one. I'm not holding my breath, however.
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