2004 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SE Review

2004 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SE
If the A4 is the Peter Jennings of sports sedans, the new Maxima is the roadgoing equivalent of Dennis Rodman. You're the shy, retiring type? Get outta da way. The Maxima is brassy, brash--and proud of it.

The key letter here is "Z." Nissan has clearly penned the Maxima to shadow the shape of its dramatic new 350Z sports car. The Maxima isn't a four-door clone of its two-door sibling, but there's an unmistakable family resemblance: the smooth Tylenol-caplet front end, the sharp bell curve of the roofline, the plumped-up wheel arches, the familiar look of the headlights and the wheels. The Maxima shares the Z's muscular stance, too--especially the SE, which is equipped with standard 18-inch wheels and 245/45R18 tires (17-inchers are standard on the Maxima 3.5 SL).

In back sit designer taillights, a high rear deck, and a trunklid that carves dramatically into the rear bodywork. Equally dramatic, if less successful, is the dark-chrome grille and huge Nissan badge up front--a combination that looks somewhat like a cheese grater with a silver tooth.

Inside the new Maxima, you'll find unexpected roominess and coupelike flair. An optional Elite Package treats interior occupants to four business-class bucket seats and a full-length console.

At its estimated $34,000 price, the Maxima 3.5 SE undercuts a similarly equipped A4 3.0 by several thou. Yet it actually plays in a bigger league. Measuring 193.5 inches nose to tail and 58.3 inches in height, the Maxima is longer and taller than Audi's next-step sedan, the A6. Inside, the Maxima matches or tops the A4 in roominess, and it also bests the A6 in front head- and legroom. Indeed, the '04 Maxima is significantly roomier than the '03 model, thanks in part to a 2.9-inch wheelbase stretch and increased width. But the size doesn't mean porkiness. Even with its big-car presence and room, the Maxima tips the scales a few pounds under the A4 quattro.

Compared with the A4's gentlemen's-club cockpit, the Maxima's cabin is a Mardi Gras parade. Our test car was swathed in optional Burnt Orange leather with black suede-like trim, and whatever wasn't Halloween-colored was trimmed in simulated brushed metal--a good pair of sunglasses should come standard with this interior option. Squint your eyes, though, and you'll notice cool innovations. An optional Elite Package (fitted to our test car) replaces the traditional rear bench with two sporty bucket seats and a large center console. For many buyers who would never dream of forcing a fifth passenger to squeeze into a rear-center "seat," being able to treat just two passengers to superior back-seat accommodations should prove a welcome option.

Look up--whether you're sitting in front or in back--and you'll spot another novel feature: the standard Skyview Roof. A long rectangle of fixed glass that runs like a Mohawk haircut along the Maxima's head, the Skyview permits front and rear passengers to bask in the glow. A conventional, open-air front sunroof is available as an option, but the early adopters who'll likely make up the Maxima's customer base are undoubtedly going to find the Skyview too inventive to ignore.

The occupant of the pilot's seat faces an instrument array of three large circular gauges and centrally integrated controls for the automatic climate system, audio system (our car had the optional 320-watt Bose unit), and trip computer. Also on our test car were such options as a memory driver's seat, a heated power tilt/telescopic steering wheel with memory, and a DVD navigation system with seven-inch color display.

As with the exterior, Nissan has pushed the styling envelope here. The cabin is full of eye-catching details--some that work better than others. The entire dash, for instance, looks as if it's sunk a few inches from its intended position. And the driver's seat cushion--no matter how much you fiddle with the power controls--seems to sit too high off the floor. We admit, however, that one person's nits might be another person's picks. For sure, this cockpit isn't dull.