The Next-Gen 2023 Nissan Maxima Review

2023 Nissan Maxima You may know the Nissan Maxima as a bland sedan brand, destined to become a fleet car for rental companies or taxi services. Over the years, the car did have a few decent versions, among them the SR, which was supposed to be a sportier variant of the mediocre front-wheel-drive mid-size sedan.

To make matters worse, the Maxima dropped the manual option in 2008 and, since then, the powerful 3.5-liter V-6 has had to work with the crippled CVT unit. However, the Nissan Maxima 2023 has the potential to be an attractive proposition. This is the reason.

It was initially believed that the current eighth-generation Maxima would be discontinued sometime in the next two years. This belief was further strengthened by the decline in sales of large sedans, in response to increasing demand for crossovers and SUVs. However, the data shows that not all car owners join the SUV/crossover.

For example, 42 percent of Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze owners do not upgrade to a high-riding vehicle. Instead, they choose another similar vehicle from another automaker, which is often a Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic.

Despite the crossover/SIV craze, sedans, whether they’re compact, mid-size, or full-size, still make up a sizeable percentage of the automotive market. In addition, the sedan has become more versatile than ever. So, how is the Nissan Maxima related?

Maxima hasn’t been offered in Europe, for almost two decades, but this may change. Given that compact sedans have become bigger than ever, certain models have become obsolete.

For example, Toyota discontinued the Avensis, positioned above the Corolla, in favor of a smaller Corolla (not much smaller nowadays). This in turn leaves room for larger models, which is why the Toyota Camry returned to the European market in 2018, after a long absence.

This means that the 2023 Nissan Maxima could once again become a global model. Plus, the Maxima has already gone through a mid-cycle refresh, in 2019, so you can bet it’ll be around for a longer time. Hopefully not as long as the GT-R and 370Z.

According to the Motor1 article, 2022 could also spawn a fully electric version of the Nissan Maxima. However, that probably won’t happen until 2025, when the model is rumored to be undergoing a complete redesign.

The current generation Nissan Maxima looks a bit sportier and more distinctive than the previous generation, some of which have a very conservative styling. If the Maxima 2023 is indeed influenced by the Nissan V-Motion concept, this means a more futuristic and sporty interpretation of the current design.

The Maxima could also be a four-door coupe or liftback (hatchback) in some corners, similar to the Kia Stinger or Fastback Peugeot 508. However, this will most likely happen after 2025.

One thing is for sure, the Maxima has become a pretty fast car, even with a CVT. The 0 to 60 mph time of the current generation is 5.7 seconds and on a good day, the Maxima proves it can run with the Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R.

For the engine, the Maxima is expected to still use the 3.5-liter VQ35DE V-6 engine, which has the potential to produce a little power. A prize, the engine produces 300 horsepower and 261 pound-feet (354 Nm).

Maxima’s biggest weak point is the gearbox, which is a CVT. While it’s great for fuel economy, it doesn’t quite match the pretensions of a sportier car.

This is the bad news. While Nissan currently has options when it comes to automatic transmission options, the 2023 model could still feature a CVT gearbox. Nissan did come with a heavy-duty toroidal CVT that has a greater torque capacity, but it might only be featured on pick-up trucks and SUVs. We still think the Maxima should have a manual option or at least a proper automatic like the Mercedes-derived nine-speed automatic.

Now, more than ever, it makes sense for the Nissan Maxima to, once again, become a global model. With Nissan’s current pricing strategy, the Japanese sporty sedan has the potential to generate great value for money, not only in the North American market but globally as well.

However, the CVT had to go if the Maxima wanted to reenact its sporty character. While the Nissan Maxima 2023 is partly a mystery, we’ll likely get more of the same, until a complete redesign comes out, in 2025.