Kevin Mawhinney 
2016 Nissan Maxima Sedan Platinum 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT)
Revisited Nissan Maxima 2016/2017 in a nutshell
 With obvious reason, purchasing a car can be a big deal, after all it is the second largest purchase an average person will make. Most people going onto the lot are thinking two main things, price and look. If they did their research, a list of requirements will fall into place. With Nissan not releasing a 2015 model of the Maxima, it is for very good reason and the results are spectacular.  Unlike some reviews where they review the low end and work up, I'm going to start with the high end and work down hoping to matriculate the perspective of the other trim models of the vehicle. When I test drove the 2017 version of the Maxima, I was immediately awed by the look of it. It looked very aching to the 2015 concept car that Nissan was going to release, with some minor changes. The body shape is a much more sleek, and arrow dynamic design with the impression that it means business compared to its 2014 predecessor. Opening the door gave me the first impression of the "cockpit" that is one step out of the future. Sitting in the "cockpit" felt like I was being wrapped up in luxury, with all the electronics smiling back at me, ready to get on the road. Of course I had to take some time soaking it all in, and I took my time going through every detail from the comfortable D-shaped steering wheel that is wrapped up in soft, stitched leather to the center column. Turning on the car brought the steering column to me and the seat to it, adjusted previously to my body size and comfort. And the lights, dazzling displays of all manner of things from sensor read outs, to a very sophisticated control center. Leather stitching all over the place, with accent lighting makes this first experience rather nice. The seating with its exceptional "zero-gravity" seats felt like it completely hugged my back, which is very important to me due to my condition. The center console seems complex but I was able to easily navigate and understand it. The sound system with it's 11 speaker Bose surround sound system, auto speed sensing and the "Driver Studio" mode that quite literally makes you feel like you are sitting in the front row of a concert. Unfortunately the "Driver Studio" mode is turned off by default. Looking up, I find myself once again in awe at the large panoramic dual moon roof. Looking in the back seat, it looks rather comfortable, but I cannot tell because I am currently in the front seat. Perhaps I'll get in the back seat later. After a bit of ooh and awing at the interior, its time to see what the rave is about the other aspect of this car, the performance.  Revving the engine tells you this vehicle is definitely a 6 cylinder and it is ready to go. Upon first applying the accelerator, people will be mildly surprised at the jump into motion as the V6 300 horse power engine spurs the car forward, and man did it move. In "Sports Mode," the maxima was very responsive with the applying of the brakes, accelerating into high speeds, switching lanes and turns. In Manual mode, the shift needs some getting used to as the Gear ratio doesn't really account for much in way of torque at the higher 6000-7500 RPM range, resulting in the necessity of faster gear change in order to keep up with the speed increase to plateau. I'm not terribly technically minded, but basically, I am losing about 3-4 gears of acceleration in order to continue increasing speeds at the higher RPMs.  It isn't until I get to 6th gear do I actually feel the car moving again. If someone can present me with what each gear represents in torque and RPM, I might be able to see why this is the case. Overall the handling and performance was relatively nice, and I let off the gas to ease into cruising mode. This car felt very solid and luxurious and should be considered as the sports sedan, meeting both luxury and sport requirements.