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NISSAN’S FLAGSHIP SEDAN — THE MAXIMA — ATTEMPTS TO RIDE ON THAT 4- DOOR SPORTS CAR THEME AGAIN BY INTRODUCING NEW LEVELS OF STYLING SOPHISTICATION AND DYNAMIC MERIT

Nissan’s flagship sedan — the Maxima — attempts to ride on that 4- door sports car theme again

This week, judgment is on the Nissan Maxima, or what the Japanese manufacturer calls 4DSC — short for 4- Door Sports Car. People in the Middle East have shared a raging love for Nissan’s popular sedan since the early 80s. Key attributes like affordability, respect for family responsibilities and potent power made this a ‘ People’s Car’ of choice. In the last 35 years, we have seen the coming and going of almost all generations of the car. And, now, for 2016, comes a reengineered and redesigned all- new Maxima — so we had no other option but to take it out for a spin. Here is our word on the car!

DESIGN & AESTHETICS

The all- new Nissan Maxima is the production twin of Nissan’s Sport Sedan Concept which debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in 2015. It was not one to be missed. The new Maxima rides in with hot- blooded muscularity, visual velocity and distinc-

tion. The 4- door family sedan format is also lower by 1.3 inches, longer by 2.2 inches and leaner by some 40 kgs than the previous generation.

The new Maxima’s face is dominated by a V- Motion front end, which constitutes a chrome V- shaped grille to which all of the front bodylines converge, giving it some form of unison. You also have a graduated version of the signature boomerang lights that we have been familiarised with by the last generation. It comes with day- time LEDS; “4DSC” is embossed in the lamp housings, both front and rear. This is not an aggressive front end — it’s a brutal one, yet elegant enough to challenge the aesthetic appeal of premium vehicles, even its own cousin, the Infiniti Q50.

Nissan has created a sporty silhouette, seamlessly integrating the hood to roof and roof to boot deck; pronounced door panel details that protrude like muscles off a bouncer in a tight T- shirt; and slim window outlets that write a graphic novel on speed, putting a stamp on the ‘ 4DSC’ moniker. The painted black parts on the C- pillar gives a floating roof visual, which is something we have seen work on the Lexus RX too.

The base model gets 18- inch wheels, but the SR model adds a host of mechanical upgrades to go with 19- inch diamond- cut machined aluminum- alloy wheels. They fill up those wheel wells real nice! Nissan has also managed to tie in the rear- end design with the front and sides. The rear lamps also share that boomerang shape, and the large oval exhaust tips are aptly designed for that throaty V6.

In terms of pure aesthetics, the Maxima takes the middle aged man’s acceptance of mediocrity and throws it out of the window, offering customers a bold and daring style statement instead. Even younger buyers will have a right to buy without feeling like the ‘ dad tag’ is upon them.

If ever you do choose to get one, do note that red and bronze paint schemes feature a new nano- pigment technology, which uses pigments that are ground 10 times finer than those found in traditional paints giving it a very smooth, fluid finish. That is, maybe, one reason to choose one of those shades.

The interiors are a new high for the new Maxima. The jet- inspired cockpit has been designed with such verve, it outdoes the exterior styling in our eyes. The D- shaped, i. e. flat bottom, steering wheel is joy to steer; the 8- inch infotainment screen, with its arrangement of hard buttons that surrounds it, is stacked on a centre console angled 7 degrees towards the driver — it may or may not indulge your dual personality as a jet fighter squadron leader. The infotainment screen has tablet- like touch screen functionality to go with the idrive- like controller which Nissan calls Display Commander Switch; it allows for fingertip control of the centre display information screens, just like it those more expensive German cars. Do note that the push button start for the intelligent key has been moved to the console itself and it pulsates when the driver enters the cabin.

There is a certain ‘ je ne sais quoi’ to the interiors. It is a magic that is spread further by quilted leather and alcantara on the surfaces where you rest your elbow and body. And along with that hide comes more double stitching than a denim factory.

But clearly the ghost of its unfriendly past catches up as I came across a quality issue or two: like the wobbly shift lever. It didn’t have a well- dampened feel on activation either.

Nissan’s zero gravity seats makes its attendees relieved, thanks to good spine support and, in the front row, occupants have more space than what one needs. Even in the rear end, there is no dearth of space with adequate legroom or headroom for regular folks.