The Best Year For The Nissan Maxima
2020 Nissan Maxima by Kevauto — CC BY-SA 4.0
There are not a lot of four-door sedans out there that we think look more edgy and smooth at the same time. The best year for the Nissan Maxima is the 2018 year because you can start saving some coin on the technology-driven sports-sedan.
The Maxima is the older and bigger sibling to the Altama, Sentra, and Versa. Its big body design seats five and hosts a V6 engine powerful enough to haul it around town and kick it with ease on the expressway.
And contrary to its big-body look, you’d be pretty impressed with the way it handles itself around corners and at higher speeds.
The 2018 Nissan Maxima Compeition
The Toyota Avalon, Chevrolet Impala, Hyundai Azera, and the Kia Cadenza are all close competitors to the Maxima but don’t really hold the luxurious status that the Maxima does.
As luck would have it, it’s one of its little brothers, the Nissan Altima, that might give the Maxima the most competition. There is one other competitor in this class, that really puts out a vibe that everyone seems to like, and that’s the Dodge Challenger. With its V8, it does kind of push the envelope towards bigger things.
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2018 Nissan Maxima Trims Levels/Power/Gas/Mileage
The best year for the Nissan Maxima comes in four different trim levels: the SV, SL, SR, and Platinum. Each trim comes with the same powertrain: a 3.5-liter V6 that pushes 300 horsepower and creates 261 Ib.-ft. of torque.
With that engine connected to a very efficient 2-speed Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), you can get from 0-60 in 5.7-seconds and back to 0 in a 122-feet.
With those impressive numbers comes along a decent EPA-Estimated 21 city / 30 highway mpg. That’s one of the better fuel economy ratings in its class, especially with the extra weight it’s carries compared to competitors.
2018 Nissan Maxima Technology and Amenities
Some of what you pay for when you purchase a luxury sports-sedan is comfort and technology, and the Maxima offers you all of that. Coming standard on the inside is an 8.0-inch center display screen with navigation and Andriod Auto and Apple CarPlay.
You’ll also receive two USB ports, dual-zone climate control, an 8-way power driver’s seat, a 7.0-inch gauge cluster, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob.
The Platinum hands out a few extra amenities like a panoramic moonroof, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated climate control front seats, Premium Ascot leather-appointed seats with diamond-quilted leather inserts, and Mahogany wood-grain interior trim throughout the cabin.
To add to the luxury, you get a Bose Centerpoint 11-speaker premium audio system, road noise cancellation technology, a surround-view multi-camera system, adjustable interior ambient lighting, and a rear window power sunshade.
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2018 Nissan Maxima Exterior Styling
You won’t go unnoticed in the best year for the Nissan Maxima. Standard 18-inch wheels look great on the sharp curves of the 2018 Maxima. The LED headlights, dual chrome exhaust, and the deep body paint exterior colors are sure to shine in the sunlight or under the lights at night.
How Much Will I Save on a 2018 Nissan Maxima?
You’ll never know how much money you can save until you have found the one you like and you get down to the bottom line price. A brand new Maxima will run you a MSRP of about $37,000 to $42,000.
It’s not uncommon to find a 2018 Maxiam in good shape with low miles for about $20,000 to $31,000 depending on the trim model. So assume a $10,000 to $20,000 savings.
2018 Maxima Safety Features
Safety features like Automatic Emergency Braking and Intelligent Forward Collision Warning have helped it receive 5-star ratings from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), and Top Safety Picks from Insurance Institute Highway Safety (IISH).
Some of the advanced safety features include Blind-Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Adaptive Cruise Control. If you move up to the Platinum, you get standard Moving Object Detection, an Intelligent Driver Alertness Saftey system for long expressway drives, and front and rear parking sensors.
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Maxima’s Driver Mode Select
The 2018 Nissan Maxima comes with Driver Mode Select which allows you to change the way the car drives with the push of a button. If you engage into Sport mode, the sedan’s throttle response increases, the transmission will shift more aggressively according to the way you’re driving, the active sound enhancement technology will increase the volume of the car, and the steering wheel will tighten up for a better feel for aggressive driving.
What Will Insurance Cost for a 2018 Maxima?
Four-door or not, you probably won’t be looking at the cheapest premiums for a sedan that reads to insurance companies as a sports-sedan.
Location will be an issue because they are somewhere on the hot comity list for stolen vehicles. So we wouldn’t expect to pay Ferrari premiums, but we also wouldn’t expect to be super happy with premiums either.
Some Complaints About the Nissan Maxima
It has been said that for the money Nissan wants for a four-door, the interior second-row could feel more like a four-door sedan. Between the trunk and the rear seats, we wouldn’t be fooled by the size of the exterior.
Both the trunk and the rear seats are said to be a little more cramped than you would expect, even with the smaller Nissan Altima - people seem to be happier with the interior size.
2018 Maxima Recalls
Recall Number: 19V80700 Recall Date: 11/08/2019
Component
Antilock Brake System: The ABS pump could leak brake fluid onto a circuit board, increasing a risk of a fire hazard.
Recall Number: 19V65400 Recall Date: 09/12/2019
Component
Backup Sensing System Camera: The poor quality of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Last Words for the 2018 Nissan Maxima
Our pick for the best year for the Nissan Maxima is based on the fact that you won’t get much more from buying a brand new Maxima. The comfort and technology is there for the 2018 year, and according to U.S. News Cars, the reliability is above average for its class, so if you’re are looking for luxury and sport, this is where it’s at.
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