The eighth-generation Maxima is a four doors sports sedan with rousing performance.

From Outside

V-themes dominate the face, the roof floats on blacked-out pillars, and brightly illuminated boomerangs mark the front and rear corners.

Inside

An interior that’s beautifully detailed, lavishly finished, and sensibly configured.

Most of the parts comprising Nissan’s venerable VQ35 3.5-liter V-6 are new, upping power a touch (to 300 horsepower at 6400 rpm, a 10-hp gain), without changing the torque peak of 261 lb-ft at 4400 rpm.

Advanced safety technologies make this Maxima one of the most secure cars. The top three trim levels pack intelligent cruise control, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, forward-collision warning, and automatic emergency braking when a crash is imminent.