Drove the 16 Maxima SR today and was blown away !!! AMAZING You nailed it on everything. The CVT isn't nearly as bad as you make it out to be, but I agree that an 8 or 9 speed automatic would better for performance. This newer CVT simulates shifts and feels more responsive than the older version but NIssan needs to get away from using CVT's. Traditional automatics can deliver the same MPG's !! I didn't care that there wasn't a sunroof in it as I think that all they are good for in the long run is squeaking and rattling. Look for a NISMO version in the future. From someone that works at the plant in Smyrna where this car is built.... thanks for the great review !!

I just traded in my 2013 mustang to 2017 Maxima S model and it awesome..powerful engine..x tronic cvt is smooth..maintain the power up to 6800 rpm..i love this car..firstime i owned maxima..but this 2017 maxima is light and easy to drive..acceleration is very smooth..the Suspension is sporty and flawless in cornering..inside and out maxima is stand out..and yes its 4 door sports car..4dsc..great job nissan..

I have a 2014 and for now tbe CVT is not an issue. I purposefully bought the 2014 because it was heavily discounted. I would have not paid 34k for my Maxima but i paid 25k and it is a great car. Based on my drving patterns, i am fine with CVT. i think the biggest issue with this new model is the price.

Even when you're reviewing cars that I could care less about, you still manage to keep me entertained. Good job once again, keep up the great work!

I agree, Nissan knocked it out of the park with the interior... I like the "Inspired By Blue Angels' F\A18 cockpit" design & layout ... The diamondish pattern on the "Metal" trim is very very cool, can't emphasis that enough! The center console is nice too ... Ain't no XC90 but still cool ... I wish the cup holders had a cover (or whatever its called) though. The low seating position with the raised fenders & lowered hood is very cool ... Very Viperish ;) the exterior started to grow on me ... I really like the rear end (perhaps because it reminds me of my ex lol), the side profile is cool too, but I have to see the front in person first. the added stiffness made a lot of welcome improvements ! Regarding your question... I think I'll go with : 1- 8Spd. 2- Panoramic roof for the SR. 3- AWD ... The kind that can sends 100% power to the back . . . ;) ________ according to MotorTrend, the new maxima will top out at 40k ... A Nismo Maxima will be over 40k ... Not only you can get an Infiniti Q50, but also that's SRT territory ... 40k+ Maxima is a tough pill to swallow. my question, if you to buy a 30-40k new sedan, what would you pick? as always, excellent video M

Awesome video review, thanks

Although I agree that this new Max would be perfect if it had RWD/AWD, no CVT (although IMO it's a lot better than the previous generation Max) , and add more power, the problem then is you change the target market and start to cannabilize sales from the Infiniti Q50. Nissan will not make this car too much of a true sports car for that reason as far as I see it...Doing so also changes the pricing. For what it is it's a nice sporty premium package. Perhaps Nissan should do away with the 4DSC claim but I can see why they decided to call it a 4DSC. It's striking and is getting attention as we can see based on all the reviews and comments. If nothing else it's a marketing ploy that some love or hate, nevertheless people will either love or hate the new Max and I think most will appreciate it to some extent. I will say it looks more beautiful in person..drives better than I thought...and really the CVT is not all bad as most are making it out to be.

Still thinking about getting one; might wait a year for 2017 model to work out any first model year kinks, etc

Great review!

Awesome Review. Ur one of the best.

1. awd 2. nismo 3. sunroof, just sat in the SR today and it is an amazing feel!

You have to choose between sunroof and paddle shifters? There is a version that unites the two things?

Does anyone know if a 2017 version of the maxima will be released? I dont if if to get this one or wait for a 2017?

MotoManTV I have a 2011 Maxima SV and the most options you can get on a Maxima. Why not combine the SR and Platinum so you can have all the options and sportiness you can possibly get on the Maxima? To pin point on the Platinum version, be able to get 19 inch wheels (more rim designs) and the whole sport package? Also why not make the engine larger as an option on the Maxima like the Infiniti, make it a 3.7L/325hp? Keep the CVT around but allow people the option to get a manual transmission on SR and Platinum versions. AWD and 8 speed transmission are a great option for the SR and Platinum versions.

I wanted the SR.. Yeah but I like sunroofs

You really can't compare auto's to manuals, I know in today's age automatics are faster in shifting, and that's fine, but if you haven't driven a CVT from Nissan try it, they are good.

Great show. 1. All wheel drive, 1a. sunroof is a must (I love stogies), 2. 8 speed trans. 3. 4 seater pkg option (to officially make it a sport sedan interior). Now that I think about it, sunroof goes to the #1 slot (leaving Chicago & moving to Vegas).

I have a 2009 maxima and would definitely buy another maxima very happy with it!

I love my 2016 Nissan maxima platinum!

great review, thanks!

In the SR with the stiffer suspension and sporty ride it makes the flex tougher than on the other models like the s, sv, sl, and platinum. If there was a moonroof in this car it would flex too much and possibly damage the vehicle.. make sense?

Sweet looking Ride-- Nissan is a design master- looks stunning

Im not a car guy but have owned sedans with CVTs, I never understood the dislikes. I never had a problem with my cars and they work amazing for me.

Nice looking car..WOW.

I have a feeling if they do the nismo that will get the 8 speed manual, but for me dont ditch the cvt just give the option of both for the SR

Yes, there is tons of criticism about the CVT but what about the 8 speed transmissions that failed in quite a few C7 Stingrays that had to be replaced?

So, I've driven a Honda CRV w/CVT transmission & there was no upshift or downshift.. How is it that the new Maxima here has this upshift & downshift when CVT transmission have no gears? (Correct me if I'm wrong on CVTs not having gears). Love the new looks inside & out!

I have a 2017 SR Midnight and I really like it. Nissan did a great job emulating an automatic trans while keeping the fuel efficiency of the CVT. I don't care for CVT's, but this iteration works well for this car. Plenty of power, handles well with an interior that's top shelf and comfortable. I especially like the ventilated seats. I've had that option on 3 Mercedes, but they were all significantly higher in price. Overall, a great car that should have pretty good reliability with very distinct styling. I don't regret my decision at all.

Great review love ur work but i have a question am from Australia and just wondering if u have any info about this car or the new murano if the gna be released downunder thax

I cant believe this channel only has 51k subscribers, I have a feeling MotoMan's sub count is about to go 0-100 real quick

What a beauty!

300 Horsepower is probably the best option for family sedans. 200 horsepower is good for a Civic and 400 horsepower is good for sportscars. The best bet is 280~380hp for sedans. I hope the next gen Z will hit the 450hp to compete with others. Maybe an engine based on the GTR? idk.

LOVE THIS CAR CANT WAIT TO GO GET MINE! a nismo version with sunroof would be phenomenal

Did you get to drive the Platinum & the other trims as well? Or just the SR?

I would like to see a top of the line model with paddle shifters and a dual sunroof. I have a 2010 max ima sv and I am looking to upgrade to a new one but I want one with a dual sunroof and paddle shifters

I never liked Nissan vehicles, but this one in particular stands out among its competition.

Sun roof is a must. Especially in a such luxurious interior. It would be an amazing addition. And of course a great manual trans.

I'd love to have a Maxima which drivetrain is rear wheel drive.

1) AWD 2) Ditch CVT in SR 3) Add sunroof in SR

Order of important for me Since I do plan on getting a maxima in the 2019 model year: 1) AWD, Automatic transmission, and then nismo

I like cvts. FE gains are awesome compaired to slushboxes. And there are 'simulated' gears with the paddle shifters

I hate it when reviews are done and people bash the cvt and say it's sluggish and has no performance but they don't actually put the vehicle into sport mode and use the paddle shifters. If you put it in sport mode and manually control the cvt ratios it will pull way harder because you can control the rpms as well.

I love that interior man! I have a fully loaded 2010 Maxima and I love the interior, but that giant screen just crushes the screen i have in mine. Sick car, but my next car will be a Lexus GS or BMW 5 series. Still love the Maxima though!

MotorMan, Just found your channel and watched most of your videos. Great Show, Already a fan! Rank: 1.4WD 2.8 Speed Tran 3.breaks Alternate-Sunroof

AWD and a different transmission are tied for the top of my list. As for a Nismo, well, I don't see the point. It might be cool, but I imagine that the price would end up putting it in the same league as the Q50 which, thanks to its RWD architecture, would probably still be the better driver's car.

Wants:1. All wheel drive2. NISMO Edition3. Manual TransSUNROOF on SRJust had one of these for a rental and I was throughly impressed with the motor and that CVT was the best CVT i've driven.

You've showed us how amazing this new Maxima. I have a question : Is there any differences between the cars who specially designed for USA and the cars sent to the Middle East countries , because the weather right here is too hot?? In addition, some people said to me there were some difference !! I'm not sure? Will you give me some explanation? Also, can i build a new Maxima 2016 by myself on the US website?

i have it its epic

love the New angles in the #shooting #format talk to you about the rest in person

this is my dream car

MotoMan, my pick would be and SR AWD, 8 speed Auto or 6 manual, and the panorama sun roof, the Brakes I can get them cheaper in the after market. A Nismo would only make sense if they ad a turbo charge to the V6, other than that, the SR with the above package would be awesome for me.

what color this interior is?

Will you be reviewing the interior (gauges, console interface, sunroof, etc.) at all? 1) SR with the sun roof. Really a shame that's not an option.

Just test drove one today. 1) AWD. Must have. 2) Real transmission. Manual or at least 8-Speed auto Test drove 2 Lexuses and Acura TLX today as well. Picking the Acura over the Maxima would be silly, as the Maxima trumps the the TLX in almost every category, sometimes dramatically so. Lexus RC350 and IS350 different kind of animal but the Maxima is objectively much better as well. This is a great car, and would not mind having it. I normally drive an Audi S4, so take that as a huge compliment (but the S4 still murders all of them dynamically).

Yes there must put in a sunroof in the SR, but I want an old school 6 speed manual offered

Whats the deal with cvt?

Nissan has done a fantastic job on the new Maxima, and I'm happy to see they are staying true to the CVT transmission, always been a big fan of it. Those new 8 speeds tend to have shit longevity and they aren't and never will be anywhere near as smooth and seamless as a CVT to drive. There is a reason most car manufacturers have copied Nissan and introduced CVTs into their lineups. Bitch about them all you want, they aren't going anywhere.

How does it ride on really broken roads?

It needs an 8 speed ZF gear box. Which i believe is used by several automakers now and is by far one of the best of the best.

love the sunny front :P

wish my 2016 maxima had AWD, the CVT takes some getting used to and it sounds horrible, but the 300 hp sure feels real nice

I drive a 13 Maxima. When shopping the car, I was put off by the cvt, right up until I drove one. The cvt in my car does a great job of keeping you in the power while returning good fuel economy and smooth operation. Truth is, unless I tell non-car geeks like me about the cvt, no one notices. I don't think the problem with this car is the transmission. I think the problem with this car is that Nissan doesn't offer a manual. Make that an option on an SR and it'll have a reasonably good take rate.

Mr. Moto, my choices are AWD, 7 speed auto, and then NISMO Edition. No need for a sunroof in the SR when you are trying to maintain body rigidity. Also the Brembos would be a part of the NISMO Edition

Really late here.. but I’m a Single mom out car shopping for a good midsize sedan.. I have been looking at 2016 -2017 Nissan Altima‘s and Toyota Camry’s. But I love the look of the Maxima and always have. My priorities are to have something reliable, safe, and decent gas mileage. Pre-kids I had a sports car, and I will again later in life. But for now I have to be practical. Need something financially smart, a car easy to maneuver, having two teenagers starting to drive...I’m also curious how much more my insurance would increase between say the Ultima to the maxima? Anyways I need to research the CVT transmission more, my last vehicle was a GMC Sierra that gave me no problems until the transmission went at 240 K. From what I understand the CVT is what gives these vehicles such amazing gas mileage, so I’m not understanding why so many dislike them? Is the overall lifespan of the transmission less? Anyways, any advice/input is greatly appreciated! Take care

I have the SL model. My problem with it is the brake. I really don't like the brake in car. A car with 300 hp needs to have a strong brake. Some many time I'm going 100mpg on the highway I feel the wheel is kinda shaking. When I pressed the brake the car tends the not stop well.

Hey great review once again. 1) The CVT is most necessary. I'm shocked that Nissan is so stubborn about using CVTs. My wife had 3 generations of Sentra's and everytime I drove the CVTs I became very sad :-( 2) Nismo w/Brembo brakes. A little combo there for you. I haven't drove the car but there does seem to be some room for additional driving flare with a Nismo package and if a Buick Regal GS can have brembo brakes, surely the "4 dr sports car" can benefit from it. 3) AWD. Not as important. If this were a rear wheel drive car then that could be the #1 thing to change. Lets face it, this isn't the most competitive sedan when it comes to pricing and adding an AWD option could put in BMW 5 series territory

I own a 2003 (YES! 2003) Maxima SE w/ ~135k miles. I personally drive my cars into the ground and I have to say I've had a great experience with my Maxima. This Maxima is only my 2nd car. First was a '92 Acura Integra...which was laid to rest by my college boy about 8 months ago with well over 320k miles. I was hoping to get 2 more years out of this Maxima and then it happened....I spotted a 2016 on the road last weekend and have been obsessed with it. Visually, I am in LOVE and I'm hoping to take one for a test drive tomorrow. Have to go for the Platinum if I'm gonna get one. So much for holding out for my Tesla :-( LOL. I would love for the Max to come with AWD....don't think I could care less about CVT--I just want a reliable, sporty looking car to get my family from point A to point B safely and not break the bank. I've seen comments here knocking Maxima's reliability---well my Max obviously didn't get that memo. And, we're going to still keep her around as she'll be invaluable for winter weather....yes, even though she's only FWD.

I haven't figured out the paddle shifters yet, Nissan should have a separate brochure how to operate it. Tinted windows would have been nice on the rear and front sides. For those who say this isn't a sport car can't convince me, this is fast (especially in sport mode) takes corners easily and slows down gently. All these safety features would have saved me many accidents in past cars. This car checks off everything I want in a car.

I really like this Maxima, but it doesn't fit in my garage and the start price could be lower in a more rough version. But really nice beautiful car.

They need to make two options either fwd or awd, awd would be amazing

Forget an 8AT I'd love a 6 speed manual, probably never happen but if it did I would buy it.

Beautiful car! 1. Awd 2. Conventional tranny. 3. Nismo. Alternate would be the sunroof. Like I said before. I need a sunroof in my cars. Great review Motoman!

What exactly is " CVT "?

Please do the review of its upper level sibling, Infiniti Q50

Great review!! Dope ride but that CVT just kills it for me...

Stick, Sunroof and HUD especially with the angle of the view out of that beautiful seat and seating position!

How does a colder engine run more efficiently? Warmer intake air results in better efficiency and less power. And your car runs more efficiently when warmed up...just curious as to what you meant.

I've been a honda/acura guy the last decade or so, but i really like this car. I'm driving my second Civic Si but would get this new Maxima only if it came with a manual. The design, both exterior and interior is great. I can live with the same 3.5 (with sodium filled valves lol), but not with that horrible cvt.

I wish this came in a coupe. I would love to upgrade from my altima coupe Sr to a maxima coupe Sr lol!

1. Ditch CVT - Possibly a variation (cheaper version) of the GT-R's 6-speed dual-clutch so that its in-house and no need for development of an 8 or 9-speed. But only make that an option for the SR so as to keep the efficiency for the lower models. 2. BREMBO brakes. 3. AWD.

Im looking to buy a new car soon. I really like the Chrysler 300 but this car looks so nice!

can we please get a NISMO version, i own an Altima se r this would be a great addition

What a beauty

That seat looks SUPER UNCOMFORTABLE. You need a hunch on your back like Mr. Burns to fit comfortably in there.

The guy reviewing this car did a great job...few things: the new car definitely is "bold" and makes a statement. this generation i believe is going to be an ultimate success i believe, unless the camry and accord become something more than just a complete family sedan and change it up from now... to me, this is where i believe the maxima succeeds in; it was always the sportier, better looking, and felt better to drive than a v6 camry, avalon, accord v6 or coupe.. and even at times an Acura TL. The maxima was always advertised as the family sports sedan and the last generation when it switched to being the cvt, the car was beleived to be too big. I definitely believe all the extras with the technology researched to make the car more stiffer and the suspension better proved that size in this car doesnt mean anything. I'd compare this segment to being equivalent to the lower priced version of an executive luxury saloon like the E class, A6, and 5 series. Very difficult segement, always competiing, and having the best of the best. Like the 90's and to the end of the 2010's, the 5 series was more sportier and fun to drive than its rivals. Im hoping the maxima gets AWD because a person like me would get this while having an 535 now.. FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

Nice video! But...... I'm a little confused as why people are still complaining about the CVT. I know there were quality issues at first, but I think they have it under control. I currently have a CVT, and would never go back to something less than a dual-clutch in an automatic variant. Hear me out for a second: have you ever been in an automatic that is too high for it to be in first, but just annoying enough to be very weak in second gear- and had to wait until the revs climbed before anything fruitful happened? Or better yet, accelerating off of a ramp, but the cars third gear isn't what you want because it's too tall for the kick you need? I constantly ran into that problem with an Accord 3.5 V6, and trying to manually shift the car was AMAZINGLY sluggish!!! Well, with the CVT, there is no hunting. There's always a perfect ratio to be had. I recently tested a Q50, and found it to have the same annoying dead spot when accelerating that most automatics have. It felt perfectly fine around town until you wanted to step on the pedal around 27mph or so. Sometimes it would go into first gear, most of the time it would stay in second. Annoying! I guess every person has their preference, but until you spent some time in a CVT... please don't knock it. -and these editors all say the same thing, as if they can't be original and form an opinion of their own. To me: the only transmission that is sportier is a dual-clutch - and even those can be caught out of the power-band/ratio. -just remember, it's the same editors that took most of the fun out of performance cars... always complaining about cars being too stiff. Duh, springs and shocks make the stiffness!!!! Now most cars drive like Camry's and Town cars. No emotion and fun at all. To me, a perfect riding sports car is a 350z. Maybe too stiff for our diaper wearing editors, but just right for a sporting nature! It's just an opinion.

Wow. You need to host American Top Gear, and find two more guys with your talent. You're so good.

Very nicely done and well spoken! I love the look of the new Maxima and its styling, interior, etc...but that transmission just kill the whole package for me. I might even go as far as not even considering it because of the CVT. I understand all of the benefits of a CVT, but I would totally prefer the "purist" (for a sedan anyways) feel of a real transmission - especially in a "sports" version. Paddle shifters on a CVT? Come on guys... It's like the transmission guys got stuck in their text books rather than what consumers actually want.

Needs an option for a 6-7 speed manual, awd to make it useful for anywhere, NISMO version

In your opinion how would you compare the 2016 Nissan Maxima to that of a 2015 Dodge Charger. I'm honestly torn btwn the two. I know completely different drive trains, transmissions, etc....but I would still appreciate your honest feedback if you were choosing btwn the two. Lastly...is there ANY talk from Nissan about FINALLY ditching the CVT in the Maxima in the coming years???

Hi Motoman and Vishnu (if he's reading this)! Thanks for your review. For the items you've listed, I would say AWD third, Nismo second, and in first place... drumroll... ditch the CVT and replace it with a CVT. Surprise! Why CVT you may be wondering? Well the bean counters at Nissan aren't gonna swallow their pride and give us a DCT or 8-9 speed or whatever. So work them. Tell them, this CVT isn't up to par for our applications and we don''t think the improvements are adequate enough. Since Nissan is going to buy a lot of CVTs in the future anyway from JATCO, use that excuse to get access to the next (next next?) generation CVT that they're working on and beef that up and then drop that one in the next year's Maxima (bean counters will say wait for the refresh so twist their arms). This dovetails nicely with CVT R&D and they might even grant you a bigger budget for that. Say pretty things, like a much more robust CVT will save us on warranty repairs in the long run while improving our reputation among the car buying public. We can use them in larger vehicles and improve our CAFE average, thus spreading the cost of development. They'll think it's money well invested. Like I said, work them. This then makes it easier for Nismo to add more power, which they will definitely need, to offset the weight of adding AWD. Alternates: Nismo will most likely use Brembo brakes so check that off. The sunroof is a surprise to me since you would think buyers of the sporty variant would want a lower center of gravity. But hey, if you sunroof lovers want it and Nissan introduces a SR with a sunroof, be sure to buy it or you'll be even lamer than the manual transmission beggars who only buy 2nd or 3rd hand vehicles and never new. I would add more but Nissan bean counters want the Maxima to be profitable and will hate me even more. Take it easy!

All that power to the front wheels ? Not sure if that's a good idea calling it a "sports car" the only car that could do that was the prelude back in the day. Not even the eclipse could pull it and it went under for that very same reason. Granted is a 4dr sedan and looks really good but I don't know about the "sr" version.

Awd would be cool if added to maxima. If I am going to shell out 45k then I want an Awd especially when I live in Canada!!

hmmm for me i would love to see 1) nismo edition with AWD that has Brembo brakes. 2) ditch CVT 3) moonroof on SR edition. Please and thank you and all delivered to my house this weekend... :-)

Car manufacturers are in a tough spot - hit Gov mandated MPG marks AND produce a vehicle that is thrilling to drive. However, those two criteria are naturally opposing and fail either you get hit with a massive fine or risk going out of business. Obviously the Maxima is Nissan's attempt to peel that onion. I think demand is going to push manufacturers to increase transmission cogs and in most cases, save for Eco oriented vehicles, most will eventually end up ditching the CVT; at least, this is my hope. The broad consumer disdain for the CVT has been persistent and I don't see it going away. It'll be interesting to see who wins, the government or the market's demand for engaging vehicles. Great review btw.

Delay in acceleration? It is a N/A car, right?

1. Ditch the cvt at least in the SR give a trans option. Or nismo with 7 speed rwd unit. 2. All wheel drive. 3.nismo with a refined 3.7 unit from the q50. Rwd, sunroof option, brembo breaks.the could keep the q50 output of 328 and take the q50 higher by dropping the nismo z engine in the q50. I believe if nissan/infiniti were to move the q cars up scale that it would make room for both cars to exist. To do a 3.7 option in the maxima would take away from the q50 unless they upscale the q50 both with the nismo z enjine and with a turbo option and rework the intake, exhaust and trans.

Maxima for life

10:13 dont try this at home? wtf? like im gonna drive a car inside my house

Vents above centre console. Are we living in the 80's ?