2006 Nissan Maxima Car Review - Edmunds.com
With the introduction of the 2002 Nissan Altima, many were predicting the death of the Maxima. It never made sense that Nissan would kill a car with such name recognition, but at the same time, the Maxima seemed obsolete, overpriced and underwhelming when compared to the quick and spacious Altima. For the 2004 model year, a redesigned Maxima debuted, sharing a platform with the Altima. This sort of begs another question - isn't the Nissan Maxima now little more than a fully loaded Altima? With its spacious interior, superb V6, balanced ride and handling and wide array of features and options, the 2006 Nissan Maxima offers solid value for its $30,000 price tag. However, there are plenty of good sedans in this price range, not the least of which is the Passat, which now has a big V6 of its own and a luxurious interior that makes the Maxima's cockpit seem a little cheap. Every Maxima comes with four-wheel antilock disc brakes with BrakeAssist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. Front-seat side airbags and full-length head curtain airbags are also standard, as are foglights and cornering lights. Maximas with an automatic transmission can be equipped with an optional stability and traction control system. A torque-sensitive limited-slip differential is optional when you select the six-speed manual. In NHTSA tests, the Nissan Maxima earned five stars (out of a possible five) for driver protection in frontal impacts. Front-passenger protection is rated at four stars in frontal impacts, as is front- and rear-occupant protection in side impacts.