2009 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV

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Extra padding in the bolsters provides superior lateral support during high-performance driving. During distance driving, I used the manual thigh support extension design to help reduce fatigue. However, once again I felt the bucket seats were too small. It is not that my rear is extra large, but I drove in a “pucker” because the seat was just too small for me.

The smaller sport steering wheel gives you a better grip on the wheel, leading to better handling on the road. Within easy reach, the paddle shifters allowing manual control were available. The shifter is offset, situated closer to the driver, for improved engagement. I rarely use the paddle shifter, but my oldest son loves to use it. “Where else can you get a sedan ride with the feel of a sports car?” he asked.

The engine is an award-winning 3.5-liter V6 that unleashes 290 horsepower, and rules the road powerfully. The intake valve design coupled with variable valve timing on the 12 exhaust valves helps the power plant generate incredible torque for off-the-line acceleration, improves power at higher engine speeds, and provides more thrills than you ever thought possible. Yet, the week I drove the Maxima I got just a little better in mileage than the official 19 city mpg and highway 26 mpg.

The 2009 Maxima sells for right at $37,000. All the extra items like: trunk chassis reinforcement, XM satellite radio, memory system, rear spoiler, 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, and parallel-seamed heated wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifts are additional expenses that add about $2300 to the base price of $31,990.

The power-sliding moon roof, leather-appointed seats, 60/40 split fold-down rear bench seat, and 4-wheel anti-lock braking system are just a few features in comparison to the dozens of other features that are part of the standard package

My Maxima had the Ipod friendly feature, and the compact flash card slot. This feature allows you to download your MP3 music files onto a flash card, insert the card into the card slot, and play away. My favorite was the satellite radio. I was able to scroll through the channel lineup to find the programs I wanted, whether it was sports or talk radio, and just enjoy. There are 170 channels of music and radio shows, most are commercial free.

In the auto literature they talk about the Nissan Safety Shield. Advanced air bags that include dual-stage supplemental front air bags equipped with seat belt sensors and an occupant-classification system are part of this system. In Maxima, six standard air bags, including roof-mounted curtain side-impact air bags and front-seat Activated Head Restraints are just some of the examples mentioned in the literature. Front seat belts utilize pretensioners to help tighten the belt when the front airbags deploy. And if your body puts to much force on the belt, load limiters give a bit. Front-seat active head restraints help reduce the chance of whiplash injuries to front-seat occupants by moving up and forward during certain rear-end collisions.

The 2009 Maxima drives like a sports car but is as roomy as a sedan. It’s comfortable to drive, has great energy, is robust in attitude, slick in design, and affordably priced. It kind of made me want to ask the manufacturer if I could drive it a little longer. They wouldn’t agree; apparently my trick wouldn’t work. Too many others had tried.

Durhl Caussey writes an automobile column read around the world. He may be reached at this paper or dcaussey@sbcglobal.net .