The 2019 Nissan Maxima, the brand's flagship sedan, gets a mid-cycle refresh with emphasis on style and safety technology. The Maxima retains the sophisticated character that has always defined it as a premium offering.
What's New for 2019
The Maxima receives styling updates to the front and rear, standard LED exterior lighting, new wheel designs, and rear seat-mounted side airbags. Surround-view cameras and rear automatic braking are available for the first time. The sporty SR model gains an optional Premium Package, and the Platinum Reserve serves as the new top trim.
Choosing Your Nissan Maxima
Every Maxima runs with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that puts out 300 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque. A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) delivers power to the front wheels. The Sport driving mode heightens throttle, transmission, and steering response. The Maxima is EPA-rated at 20 miles per gallon city, 30 mpg highway, and 24 combined.
Buyers now have a choice of six trim levels:
CarsDirect Tip
If you can live without a sunroof, the 2019 Nissan Maxima SV provides the feel of a luxury car for the price of a loaded family sedan. Whether to upgrade from there is a matter of how much you're willing to spend on better trim and assorted high-end features.
Styling updates. Having gone through its last redesign back in 2016, the Nissan Maxima was due for a refresh, and that’s exactly what the 2019 model delivers. The 2019 Nissan Maxima rolls in with the same basic design it’s had since 2016, but it gets a new front end that includes a bolder grille, a larger V-Motion grille insert, and new jewel-like LED headlights. Around back, the Maxima gets all-new LED taillights with squared-off outer edges and a new, more squared-off bumper with new quad-tip exhaust outlets.
The interior has a few updates too, including new seat-insert pattern, and charcoal-colored headliner and A-pillars in the SR and Platinum Reserve Package. There's also a new Rakuda Tan semi-aniline leather treatment in the Platinum Reserve Package.
Class-disrupting style. The Nissan Maxima has never been one to bow to the masses and deliver the same ol’ vanilla sedan you see crowding the streets. This theme continued into its fifth generation and receives a shot in the arm with the 2019 refresh. Some may not appreciate this bold take on the family car segment, but that's obviously not the 2019 Nissan Maxima’s target market.
Inside, the Maxima’s refresh made its already sporty cabin feel just a touch more upscale – not that it needed the boost, as it already featured a sporty flat-bottomed steering wheel, a thick center console that creates a cockpit-like feeling, a stubby gear shifter, and just enough seat bolstering.
Not-so-family sedan. The 2019 Nissan Maxima falls short of pampering its front-seat occupants, but it does treat them to plenty of comfort. These seats also have a handful of material options, but the grippy synthetic suede inserts are our favorite for tackling a curvy country road. Plus, the front seats come standard with power adjustment, which isn't common in this class.
In the rear, your thoughts of this being a family sedan may fall apart. With just 34.2 inches of rear leg room, this space is tolerable for adults but not ideal. For larger families, the Toyota Camry and Chevrolet Malibu each offer 38 inches of rear leg room, while the Honda Accord delivers 40 inches.
Fully loaded with price tag to match. There's no stripped-down, econo-box version of the 2019 Nissan Maxima – every level comes loaded with all the goodies buyers want. In its base S trim, it includes a 300-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine, 18-inch wheels, power seats, Bluetooth, automatic emergency braking, and more.
The Maxima also has the latest in tech with a standard 8-inch touchscreen, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 2019 Malibu matches these features, but the Camry and Accord come up one inch short in screen size and lack the standard smartphone connectivity.
While all these premium standard features are great, they come with a serious price tag. The base 2019 Maxima starts at $34,845 (all prices include destination fees). The base Accord, Camry, and Malibu are all cheaper with starting prices of $24,615, $24,765, and $22,965, respectively.
Final thoughts. Tired of the plain family sedans you see every day on your commute? The 2019 Nissan Maxima is a way to stand out from the crowd in looks and performance. Plus, its sportier interior makes you feel like you’re driving a more premium sedan.
If you need room for adults in the rear seats, you can throw a dart at a list of mid-size sedans and hit one that has more leg room. If you're looking for serious fuel economy, the Camry and Accord excel beyond the Maxima.
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
Not Available
Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
3.5L V-6 / 300 HP / 261 ft.lbs.
Transmission
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
Xtronic 2-spd sequential shift control CVT w/OD
Drive Type
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
Front-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Highway/Combined
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
20 / 30 / 25 Mpg
Passenger Capacity
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
5
Bumper to Bumper Warranty
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.