Used 2017 Nissan Maxima SL for sale 

The 2017 Nissan Maxima is available in 5 trims, namely S, SV, SL, SR, and Platinum. Each successive variant introducing expansive features while offering the same powertrain. All the models are powered by a 3.0L V6 engine with a CVT automatic transmission and come standard as a front-wheel drive. The base trim, S, starts at $32,910 while the top-end Premium costs $40,340. Features like bigger wheels, high-quality speakers, LED lights, high-quality upholstery, and seating, etc., are found as you go higher up the trims.

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For the ultimate luxury, the Nissan Maxima Platinum is the one to buy. It features a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a moonroof, a power rear-window sunshade, mahogany wood-tone accents, premium leather seats, and memory settings for the driver’s seat and side-view mirrors, as well as a few more advanced safety features.

The 2017 Nissan Maxima is powered by a 3.5L V6 engine with a CVT automatic transmission which drives it through the front-wheels. The powertrain produces 300 hp and 261 lb-ft of torque. The performance is great for a sedan with CVT transmission. The Maxima runs with no complaints and thus is one of the most reliable sedans out there. Nissan has tweaked the CVT transmission so it doesn't stay at higher revs most of the time, hence saving precious fuel and money in the process. 

The V6 engine in the Maxima is a new offshoot for a relatively old engine family for Nissan, and one that we've found comes with its drawbacks. It's not particularly pleasant to listen to at higher revs, and at full throttle it can venture into the too-loud zone. The 3.5-liter V6 engine in the Nissan Maxima is reworked for more power and its continuously variable transmission (CVT) has a higher final drive ratio to keep the engine on song.

The Nissan Maxima is the most powerful in this comparision, and is closely followed by the 2017 Chrysler 300 Limited with 292 hp. There Kia Cadenza and the Ford Taurus is not further either, with a power output of 290 hp and 288 hp respectively. The Maxima is the only one supporting a CVT transmission, while all the other sedans in comparision gets a 8-speed automatic transmission, expect the Ford Taurus which gets a 6-speed automatic transmission. 

2017 Nissan Maxima Sedan Acceleration

Powered by a 3.5L V6 and CVT transmission, the 2017 Nissan Maxima accelerates from 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds, while a quarter-mile is done in 14.3s. This is quite good for a sedan with a V6 while the other cars in the field are slower in comparison but take around the same time when pitted against each other. In the quarter-mile, only the Kia is under 15s while the Chrysler 300 Limited and the Ford Taurus SE take a shy more than 15s. 

The 3.5-liter V6 provides ready and willing power across the rev range, and it works well with the CVT, although torque steer (the feeling of the car pulling left or right as you accelerate) is noticeable during hard acceleration. Nissan is the clear winner in this field whereas the Kia Cadenza and Ford Taurus comes second to it with 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds. The Chrysler is the slowest in the field.

2017 Nissan Maxima Sedan Handling and steering

The 2017 Nissan Maxima handles quite well when on the road while the steering is a tad too stiff and slow when slow-rolling the car. But the suspension and chassis are a testament to Nissan; they are well-grounded while offering good amount of grip. 

Weirdly, when quickly accelerated, the torque steer, i.e., car weaves a bit from left to right, is noticeable although this doesn't seem to be that dramatic a problem yet worth noting. Yet, the Maxima responds to the input of the driver, steers with precision, and drives very balanced. It hugs the corners when cornering and comfortable and agile while on the highway.

2017 Nissan Maxima Sedan Braking

The 2017 Nissan Maxima provides a decent braking as it takes a tad too long to come to a standstill, compared to the other cars in this comparision. Its front brakes measure 12.6-in while the rear measure 12.1-in. The car weighs 3478 pounds, not too light yet not too heavy. Under the 60-0 mph brake test, the Maxima takes 125-ft to come to a standstill, which is less than the average of cars of this segment.

The 2017 Chrysler 300 and the Kia cadenza take around 120-ft to come to a standstill from 60 mph, which is a bit better than the Maxima. The Ford has the biggest brake measurements of all the cars in the field. Comparing curb weight, the heaviest is the Chrysler while the Maxima takes the crown for being the lightest.

The 2017 Nissan Maxima's powertrain is pretty fuel-efficient. It provides a milegae of 21 mpg in the city and around 30 mpg on the highway. Thus we get a combined mileage of 25 mpg from the Maxima. These numbers are better than the rest of the field, where the cars are quite similar in their efficiency but the Nissan performs just a tad better than the rest. What is more satisfying to know is that Nissan uses a CVT transmission, which is not known to be fuel-friendly, yet has been tweaked it to provides better fuel-efficiency.

Both the 2017 Chrysler 300 and the Kia Cadenz provides a similar com bined fuel economy og around 23 mpg, while the 2017 Ford Taurus is the least fuel efficient with a combined fuel economy of 21 mpg. Even if the Maxima provides a better mileage, it requires premium fuel. So you should factor that extra expense into your buying decision.

The 2017 Nissan Maxima may not have the brand name of a luxury car, but it has the interior of one. Passengers are surrounded by quality materials, including soft-touch surfaces on most of the major touchpoints. Nissan's Zero Gravity seats are present as well. They are supportive, though we haven't found these to be as superbly comfortable as the ones in the Nissan Altima.

The dual tone finish of the interior is quitye attractive, while the design is ergonomic to provide easy accessibility to all the control switches. As we move towrds the higher trims, the Maxima adds in better interior features like leather upholstery, automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, power adjustments and many more. The Nissan Maxima provides considerable spacing to all the passengers in the front as well as the rear. 

The Kia Cadenza provides better headspace and legroom than the Maxima while the Chrysler 300 is comparatively less spacious. One particularly thoughtful feature is the bin mounted forward of the shifter that contains two USB ports, space for all but the biggest phones on the market, and a slot to mount a phone vertically so you can see messages as they pop up.

2017 Nissan Maxima Sedan Infotainment

The 2017 Nissan Maxima infotainment system comes standard with Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, dual-zone automatic climate control, a proximity key, and push-button start. Also standard is the NissanConnect infotainment system, which includes an 8-inch touch screen, HD Radio, satellite radio, navigation, Bluetooth, a pair of USB ports, and voice and gesture commands. Available features also include an 11-speaker Bose stereo.

The infotainment system features sharp graphics, a straightforward interface, and user-friendly controls. It may not be the best looking, but is quite intuitive and seasy to use. Here are the infotianment features avaiable with the 2017 Nissan Maxima:

• 8-inch touchscreen
• CD Player
• Satellite Radio
• Apple CarPlay
• Navigation System
• 11-speaker Bose audio system

2017 Nissan Maxima Sedan Cargo Volume

The 2017 Nissan Maxima allows 14.3 cubic feet of cargo volume while the Ford Taurus offers a generous 20.1 cubic feet. The Kia Cadenza and the Chrysler offer almost the same, at 16 cubic feet and 16.3 cubic feet respectively. Nissan, along with the 300 Limited and the Cadenza, offers just adequate boot space compared to the cars in this price range. The Ford has the best cargo volume when compared to its rivals.

At just 14.3 cubic feet, the Maxima has one of the smallest trunks in the class. Only the Toyota Avalon Hybrid and Buick Lacrosse have less trunk space and of course the competitors having more. Still, Maxima’s trunk has a wide opening and folding rear seats that make the space easy to load.

The 2017 Nissan Maxima exterior has not changes much as compared to the previous iteration. It still sports a well-designed look, while remaining sporty and elegant. It is still based on the design of the 2016 model. The long hood, slightly sloping roof and the mirror finish exterior paint makes the Nissan Maxima look like a premium vehicle. It hets sleek LED headlamps, heated and power ORVM on the higher trims, a sunroof on some of the trims and sport tuned suspension on the SR trim. 

The 2017 Nissan Maxima may look like a long vehicle, but it is the shortest in length in this comparision. It also has a smaller wheelbase and sits quite close to the ground with a ground clearance of 5.3-in. The Maxima is the lightest in this comparision with a curb weight of 3478 pounds which assists it in better acceleration.

The 2017 Chrysler 300 weighs the heaviest is this comparision at 4029 pounds. The Ford Taurus is the longest of the lot while also have the shorest groudn clearance of 5.1-in. The Chreysler 300 may not be the longest in length, but has the longest wheelbase of them all, making it difficult to maneuever. 

• 18 alloy wheels
• Keyless ignition
• LED running lights
• Automatic headlights
• Fog Lights
• Rear spoiler
• Splash or mudguards

The NHTSA has given the 2017 Nissan Maxima a perfect 5-star safety rating, while the IIHS has also given the Maxima overall 'Good' rating in almost all the test segments. Along with that, the IIHS has also given the Nissan Maxima a Top Safety Pick+ award for the year 2017 in the midsize sedan segment.

Along with that, the Maxima gets multiple active safety features which incldes blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with emergency braking, a driver alertness monitor, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and a 360-degree camera. Here are the other safety features that the sedan includes:

• Nissan Advanced Airbag System 
• Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
• Traction Control System (TCS)
• RearView Monitor Back-Up Camera
• Forward Emergency Braking (FEB) Forward Collision
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

2017 Chrysler 300 Limited vs Nissan Maxima

The new Chrysler 300 starts at $32,340 and is powered by a 3.6L V6 and 8-speed automatic transmission boasting a performance of 292 hp and a torque of 260 lb-ft. It comes with an optional V8 and is a quiet, comfortable family sedan which although may not boast as good looks as compared to the Nissan, still is a decent alternative to it. Packed with a good performance, good drivability, and considerable spacing, the Chrysler can give the Nissan a good run for its money.

2017 Kia Cadenza Premium vs Nissan Maxima

At a price tag of $31,990, the 2017 Kia Cadenza is powered by a 3.3L V6 and 8-speed automatic transmission with a performance of 290 hp and 253 lb-ft torque. It has better braking, cargo volume, better seating and space, good fuel efficiency, excellent ride quality, a variety of advanced safety features, and a premium interior design.

The Kia Cadenza is an excellent alternative to the Maxima and should be on the buyer. Let's at least give it a try list when considering the Nissan.

2017 Ford Taurus vs Nissan Maxima

The American bred 2017 Ford Taurus costs almost $6,000 less than the Maxima, which has taken a toll on some of the important aspects of the car. The Ford Taurus has a few horsepower less than the Nissan and also the Taurus is slow compared to the Maxima.

The fuel economy also takes a dig at the American sedan, where the Maxima outshines the Taurus again. If you are ready to spare some more bucks then the Taurus would be a good choice.

Right from the base model, the 2017 Nissan Maxima offers good performance with its 3.5-liter V6 engine which is efficent in terms of the fuel econmy it provides. The Maxima is highly rated by safety standards along with an excellent build quality. It gets great features as standard that can further be upgraded with few available optional features. Avaiable at a starting price of around $32,910, the Nissan Maxima will not disappoint buyers for what it's worth.