RicerX's 2016 Nissan Maxima Review

UNKNOWN_370

The only reason why the Maxima is getting so much flack, is because... It has 4DSC everywhere and we all know it's not!! But if this car was marketed as entry level luxury with performance for those who enjoy driving. People wouldn't be disappointed with it...
It's not even the FWD, that doesn't push it out of the running. It's the CVT. They should've figured out how to run the 7at in the Max. Second thing, it can still be lighter. A car like this if marketed as 4DSC should have Altima weight. Which the 2016 Altima's refresh is very nicely done.

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Favorite Quote.
"I'm not gonna kill you... I'm just gonna Bash Your Face In" Jack Nicholson-"The Shining". 1980

RicerX

No joke man - I'm in a Q50S because of the Maxima's CVT. I drove a 2016 and the CVT killed the car. (The FWD part did a little bit too, but my Z had spoiled me with RWD to the point that I don't think I'll ever drive another FWD again for my primary car).

There was something about the cheap plastic paddles that were exceptionally fitting - the cheap "sports" driving experience brought by the transmission that they control. They spent so much in fit and finish with the interior and gave it the same paddles you get in the Altima in the SR trim instead of the magnesium paddles in the Infinitis, the 370, and the GT-R.

Ultimately, I agree - if they didn't push this as a sports car in their marketing, this would be a fantastic premium level sedan and I wouldn't have jacked up expectations going into the test drive. It's far nicer than the Altima (it should be for the money) and it fits in Nissan's premium offerings (Murano and Max look like the belong with each other). It's just not a sports car.

The Q50 is a luxury sports sedan, however, as long as you get the hydraulic steering and the performance wheel package and avoid the horrendous run-flats.

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Davey

I'm curious, I recall when you picked up yours you said it had the electronic steering stuff and it was "OK" - have you changed your mind?

I'm one of those people who really doesn't like electronic racks due to the lack of feedback, so I would probably prefer hydraulic steering anyway, but I was doing the build thing on their web site and it seems like to get a lot of the premium options you have to get the electronic rack.

RicerX

My car is a fairly rare bird - it's a stripped out Sport model. No Nav or Tech packages - basically zero options other than the brakes, aero bits, and wheels/tires that are the default on an S model. (It even has a CD player, whereas the teched-out models don't have a CD player anymore!) My car was a special order and the guy ended up backing out on it. However, there are plenty of Q50S models out there that are fairly light on options.

To get the steer-by-wire (called Direct Adaptive Steering), you must opt for the "Deluxe Touring Package" in whichever trim Q50 you're after. Otherwise, you get hydraulic steering, so mine is a good ol' hydraulic rack.

I did test drive a model that had the DAS option equipped, and while it's complete culture shock to a guy like me that drove a 370Z for four years, the system isn't anywhere near as bad as most people paint it to be on the auto blogs. Adjusting it to your preference is crucial, however - there are up to nine different configurations for it IIRC.

I drove my Q50 pretty hard on tail of the dragon, and found the feedback in the tight corners to be enough. It's nothing like the Z, but it still offered the right amount of feedback and felt precise enough for me to feel comfortable.

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Davey

Ah, that's it.

Apparently, I remember reading your thoughts after the car that you test drove - NOT the one you bought.

Thanks for the info!