Exterior

The Maxima was redesigned for 2009, and I noticed quite a few design elements that appear to have been pulled from the Infiniti line. From the outside, the hood looks bowed toward the center and flares up a bit on the outer edges; I've noticed the same molding on Infinitis. As you buckle in and look over the hood you notice these large, sculpted bulges - muscular, really - which add to the sporty ambience of this not-so-ordinary sedan.

Likewise, the Maxima's profile is accented with chrome door handles and chrome trim around the windows. I like chrome for the added sparkle it delivers. A girl needs to feel glamorous, and you'd be surprised how quickly a little chrome can brighten the day.

All too often, a car's rear end gets short-changed on design and style. This isn't the case with the Maxima. Dual exhaust pipes, a sharply clipped booty, a spoiler and - of course - a little more chrome work tie the entire car together perfectly; there are no loose ends.

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Groove On

    See also:

    Compact Disc (CD) player operation
    Place the ignition switch in the ACC or ON position and insert the Compact Disc (CD) into the slot with the label side facing up. The CD will be guided automatically into the slot and start pl ...

    Control buttons
    The control buttons for the Bluetooth Hands- Free Phone System are located on the steering wheel. PHONE/SEND Press the button to initiate a VR session or answer an incoming call. You ca ...

    Backing up on a steep downhill
    When backing up the vehicle down a hill, the distance guide lines and the vehicle width guide lines are shown farther than the actual distance. For example, the display shows 3 ft (1.0 m) to the ...