Road Test: Nissan Maxima 250 ST-L

Review by Jay Williams - 24/March/2010

Since the shift in production of the Maxima from Japan to Thailand, Nissan has been able to take advantage of Australia's free-trade agreement with the South-East Asian country.

This shift has allowed Nissan to price the new Maxima more effectively than its Japanese-built predecessor. This reduction in price means that the Nissan Maxima is now firmly in the sights of Toyota Camry, Mazda6, Honda Accord V6 and local heroes Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.

Helping the Maxima stake its claim on the medium and large car market, is the addition of the new 2.5-litre V6, and the more traditional 3.5-litre V6 engine, making it appeal to both medium and large car buyers.

Attractively priced at $33,990, the base model 250 ST-L (model tested) comes with standard features like Xenon headlights, LED tail-lights, foglights, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather seats, electrically adjustable front seats, electrically folding door mirrors, dual-zone climate control, six-CD audio with iPod and MP3 compatibility, and trip computer.

The mid-range 350 ST-S also adds reverse-parking sensors, front heated seats, keyless-entry system, rear spoiler and illuminated vanity mirrors. As for the flagship model, the 350Ti, is added a Bose stereo, reverse-park camera, DVD player, 7" colour touch-screen display, electric glass sunroof, satellite navigation and driver's seat memory. 

Drive: 3.5/5

It is safe to say that the new Nissan Maxima is a very smooth vehicle to drive, due to its comfortable ride and quiet drivetrain.

The comfortable ride is accredited to the MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension system with specially designed shock absorbers, which also improves stability. 

This time around Nissan have dynamically tuned the Maxima to better suit Australian road conditions.

The hydraulic rack and pinion steering arrangement also help in keeping the Maxima feeling smooth and easy to drive.

But, in most part, the Xtronic Continually Variable Automatic Transmission (CVT) is what keeps cabin noise levels to a minimum. You see, unlike a manual car, the CVT is able to accelerate with smaller throttle applications at a sedate pace at a little over 1000rpm. 

This is better for fuel economy and smoother power delivery, while not making the engine sound over worked.

On the freeway, road noise was barely noticeable, this was surprising because the Maxima sits on 17" wheels, but improved insulation and better structural design play a part in ensuring a relaxing journey for all occupants.

Meanwhile, around town, the Xtronic CVT works seamlessly, taking the chore out of city driving as the automatic shifts through ratios smoothly.

The Xtronic CVT offers a 6-speed Manual Mode that allows the driver to manually shift ratios (gears), the shifts remain smooth and pretty quick - while it's not as quick as some currently on the market, it still works well.

In terms of a family car, the Nissan Maxima 250 St-L certainly ticks a lot of the right boxes - comfort, ride quality and standard equipment levels.

But, in terms of performance things start to unravel.

The comfortable suspension works against the vehicle, when pushed though corners at speed. The car becomes heavy and feels disconnected from the road.

All that weight gets transfered to the nose of the vehicle causing understeer, this can be rather disconcerting. 

In most part, for normal use, the Maxima appeals strongly to its family intended market.

Engine: 3.5/5

The Nissan Maxima range has two engines to choose from, the VQ25, 2.5-litre V6 petrol (model tested) and the VQ35 3.5-litre V6 petrol.

In terms of power, the economical 2.5-litre V6 with Continuously Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS) produces 134kW of power and 228Nm of torque. The engine is mated to the smooth Xtronic CVT with 6-speed Manual Mode which sends power to the front wheels.

As previously mentioned, the Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission delivers smoother performance and greater fuel efficiency.

Official fuel economy figures are stated as 9.5-litres per 100km as a combined average. The test vehicle with a 2.5-litre engine returned a fuel figure of 9.0-litres per 100km combined city and freeway driving, thats 0.5-litres less than the official listing - pretty impressive if you ask me.

Now, while the 250 ST-L is smaller than its 350 ST-T and Ti siblings, its not completely lacking in performance. It offers more than adequate performance for a family sedan  and has enough power to get the job done.

Exterior: 3/5

Taking a step back and looking at the new Maxima you can tell that Nissan has taken the initiative to give the Maxima a younger apperance, that is sleeker and sportier than previous models. 

The face of the new Maxima seems to flow and the aerodynamic lines of the vehicle give the sense of elegance, while the familiar six-window coupe-like profile continues.

Moving to the rear of the vehicle, the low slung roof line and sloping boot add to the fluidity of the Maxima, giving it a more sporty appearance, while the LED taillights fit snuggly into the rear of the vehicle.

Adding a touch of class, the Nissan 250 ST-L receives some chrome treatment with chromed body accents, window sills and door handles, while indicator door-mirrors give a cleaner appearance.

To complement the luxury styling of the Maxima, all models in the range receive a set of ten-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels.

One thing to note, the 350 ST and 350 TI are pretty much the same as the 250ST-L exterior wise, minus a rear boot lip and different badges. Both share the same 17-inch wheels, body shape and paint schemes.

One would have thought that Nissan would have designed a more aggressive body kit to reflect the more powerful engine - just a thought. 

Interior: 4/5

The thing we liked most about the Maxima 250 ST-L's interior was the very comfortable leather seats which come standard across the entire range. Both driver and passenger seats have electronic controls which is a nice touch, as most cars only offer electric controls on the driver's seat. 

The eight-way power adjustment on the drivers seat was great, it allows the driver to find an optimal driving position. Adjustable side bolsters were also good, especially for holding you securely through corners.

One thing that struck us as a little odd, is the steering wheel adjustment is restricted to tilt only and not reach, this could pose a problem for drivers with short arms or drivers carrying a little extra body weight.

We found the leather multi-function steering wheel bit to big for the vehicle, especially when tying to park or during three point turns. But, it is comfortable to grip and all steering wheel controls were nicely laid out and easy to use.

Overall interior space was impressive, with enough room to carry five adults comfortably. Boot space was also ample, with 506 litres of room to fit all the family's gear or the weekly shopping.

The 250 ST-L's centre console is uncomplicated and laid out in a logical way. The radio and climate control display reside in the top of the dash, I'm assuming where the 7-inch navigation system would sit in the 350 Ti model. The orange glow of the display is clear to read and easy on the eyes.

Standard features include, dual zone climate control air conditioning, a six-stacker CD player with AUX-in and MP3 compatibility, push button ignition, Bluetooth handsfree and, as mentioned before, - multi function steering wheel, 8-way adjustable driver seat and 4-way power adjustable passenger seat.

Overall: 3.5/5

Taking on brands such as Ford Falcon, Holden Commodore, Toyota Camry and Mazda6, the Maxima presents as a welcome alternative to the norm.

With it's long list of standard features like leather interior and electric seats, the Maxima 250 ST-L is great value for money and makes for a tough competitor in the medium and even the large car market.

Ample interior room for five adults or even the kids, comfortable ride and a fuel efficient 2.5-litre V6 engine. The Maxima 250 ST-L adds a touch of class that might just tip it in favor of it's competitors.