RicerX's 2016 Nissan Maxima Review

Originally Posted by 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.