Safety

The Maxima failed to impress me when it came to its Latch connectors and child-safety-seat fit. The backseat has bolsters that interfered with the fit of my sons' booster seats. The result? The booster seats sat slightly crooked. Sounds safe, doesn't it? The Latch connecters were difficult to access, so it looks like some kid-friendly renovations are in order in the Maxima.

The Maxima has all the standard safety features we look for, including side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags for both rows of seats, antilock brakes, traction control and an electronic stability system.

I also like that the emergency trunk release handle is easily visible in the trunk. It made me feel secure knowing it's in there in case I ever find myself stuck in the trunk for whatever reason. I should really watch less "Law and Order."

FAMILY LIFESTAGE

In Diapers: There's plenty of room for a rear-facing infant-safety seat.

In School: My sons' booster seats didn't fit well in the backseat because of the bolsters.

Teens: This is a distinctive-looking sedan that any teen would happily drive.

    See also:

    Starting the vehicle
    1. After starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal before moving the selector lever out of the P (Park) position. This CVT is designed so that the foot brake pedal must be depress ...

    Upper half
    Pull up on the driver’s side latch to open the upper half of the console box. The mat may be removed for cleaning. The upper half of the console box may be used for storage of cellular phones. ...

    Safety
    Standard safety features include antilock brakes, side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags. V-6 models add an electronic stability system. For a full list of safety featu ...