Test drive Nissan Maxima 2000 - 2004 sedan

Maximal pleasure

Maximal pleasure // Nissan Maxima
 
Probably, for many it will be a surprise, but the Nissan Maxima, who came to us for a test, is a representative of the third generation of this model. The first appeared back in the mid -eighties, but not even very popular even among the hungry to all the big Russian motorists. But the second model - QX, which appeared in 1994, on the contrary, appealed to European and Russian motorists. It got to the point that in the Russian market the Maxima QX took one of the leading places, bypassing its eminent European and even overseas competitors, and this despite the fact that other Japanese of this class in our parts are not more common than Cadillac, or even less often. But whatever one may say, and six years for a Japanese, even a very good car, this is already a significant age, so rumors about the imminent appearance of a new model stubbornly crawled a couple of years ago. Given the high renom of the model, as well as its popularity, it was possible to predict a successful career to the new Nissan Maxima in advance. Perhaps that is why everyone was looking forward to the appearance of the third generation of the Maxima model with the idea that it will become exactly the car that will finally and for all change the opinion of our compatriots about Japanese cars, and especially about prestigious models.

 
It would seem a strange thing - in the entire automotive world, a design type of New Edge is gaining popularity, and Japanese designers are betting on a half -forgotten bio -design. True, we must pay tribute to them, it turned out to them somehow very unobtrusively and modernly, moreover, against the background of some modern works with a very controversial design, Maxima looks somewhere even a little aristocratic. Unlike other Japanese cars of this class, outwardly Nissan Maxima looks very muscular, and most importantly, it is original, although it is possible to call the body design outstanding or at least one hundred percent recognizable only with a stretch. Recently, the branded nostrils of the false radiator grille to some extent identify the car just as Nissan, but it is only in front, and in other angles of Maxima it resembles the prestigious sedans of such European marks as Jaguar or, at worst, Rover, which is also very good . It can also be said that the new model in terms of design has much in common with the previous QX - the shape of the rear lights, the body contours, in general, as they say, the continuity of generations is felt. The only thing that our customers may not like is almost a five -meter length of the car, thanks to the efforts of designers, very successfully lost in the soft contours of the body. If a person decided to buy a business class car, he probably wants his car to look quite massive. Outwardly, Maxima looks like that, she is much more significant than some of her competitors. The waves on the hood formed by headlights of head lighting deserve separate praise. The last car on which such, in my opinion, was used, was an unfairly forgotten solution, was a twelve -cylinder Jaguar, produced in the seventies.

 
Today, Maxima is one of the most affordable cars in its class. True, at one time German competitors tried to challenge his price advantage, but recently everything returned to his own circles: Mark restored its position, and the prices of the Germans crawled up again. In principle, Maxima is not limited to one price of dignity - it is also the youngest, because the debut of this generation took place last year at the Geneva Motor Show. But affordable - does not mean cheap. Even in the basic configuration, Maxima already has much of the equipment that competitors are offered only for a very solid surcharge. And even if Nissan does not yet have such a recognizable corporate identity, like, say, BMW, but in everything else - in terms of decoration or convenience, Maxima is made at the same highest level. In general, excellent quality is the horse of Japanese automotive traders, but in this case they surpassed themselves. One gets the impression that the special department is responsible for the clarity of all switches, toothproilors and even door handles - their moves and even efforts on them are so verified. True, we went on the most expensive version, but, I think, the quality does not depend on this, especially since the simplest modification, if I may call it, is also equipped in the highest category. Generally speaking, the concept of the base model against Nissan Maxima is only applicable with a big stretch. To begin with, despite the attractive cost, this model is not offered with small four -cylinder engines. The buyer in any case receives a prestigious B6, only its volume, depending on the version, is either 2.0 or 3.0 liters. But the run in power is not as significant as the difference in volumes is 140 and 200 hp. respectively. The catalog also indicates a 2.5-liter version that develops 209 hp, but this version seems to be intended only for the Japanese market, where this model is sold under the name CEFIRO.

 
Thanks to the long base in the Maxima salon, the tightness as a phenomenon is completely absent. Ergonomics experts clearly expected that the main passenger would ride in the back seat, so the main space of the cabin was allocated specifically to ensure the highest comfort of the rear passengers. But it’s a sin to complain to the driver - even the driver of a thoroughbred limousine can envy such a workplace. The driver's seat and the steering column have several adjustments, including in height. But the most bewitching sight, for which you can even abandon the personal driver, is the dashboard, or rather, the devices themselves. In the usual state, the driver’s very blackening emptiness appears to be a clear view of the driver, but it is worth turning the ignition key, and begins ... colorful numbers and arrows slowly appear from the darkness, as if hanging in space. Spectacle, I will tell you, amazing. This is called a vacuum-luminescent panel, and before only super-expensive limousines could boast of such a bunny, and now it appeared on Nissan Maxima.

 
The car is amazingly rabbits on the go, and it is very pleasant and even somewhat surprising, especially if you recall the quality of the coverage of our roads. True, this test was very fleeting, and it was not possible to fully evaluate all the advantages of Maxima. But all the same, even at the dispersal, the engine does not try to shout out the music sounding in the cabin or something like that - only the noise from the rolling tires and winds. I am generally silent about movement in normal speed mode - the feeling is that a silent electric motor is hiding under the hood. The same can be said about the traction - not all engines, including more powerful ones, can boast of such a smooth and uniform recoil of power. To match him and the machine gun - soft, almost imperceptible switching clearly do not contribute to reducing the acceleration time, but even if our newly -minted aristocrats will drink coffee in the car, it obviously does not spill.

 
What else can we say about the new Nisan Maxima? Although annoying television advertising claims that the image is nothing, in the world of cars it is he who sometimes decides much more than all the possibilities and advantages of the car itself. The headache of all Japanese automakers, namely the absence of a clear image, in this case prevents this car, worthy of its place in a car hit parade. True, recently, our buyers who are not spoiled by the presence of unnecessary funds are increasingly paying attention to prestigious Japanese - for the same money that they ask for a small but thoroughbred European, now you can purchase a less prestigious, but a larger, reliable and sophisticated representative Business class that has a stigma Made in Japan.

 
Pavel Kozlovsky

 

A source: Autogazet / N 11 (314) dated 11.04.01