What's New For the 2020 Nissan Maxima?

For the 2020 model year, the Maxima receives substantial changes. Its manufacturer, Nissan, made Safety Shield 360 standard on the sporty midsize sedan to bolster its active safety capabilities. The chassis is tweaked for an improvement in overall handling and ride quality, and one of the trims is significantly upgraded.

2020 Nissan Maxima is Impressive No Matter Which Trim You Chooses

Designed as a five-seater, the 2020 Nissan Maxima is available in S, SV, SL, SR, Platinum, and Platinum Reserve trims. Cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, an 8-way power driver's seat, a 4-way front passenger seat, and 60/40 split-folding ability on the rear seats for expanding cargo volume when needed are standard. The SV trim level provides leather upholstery, steering wheel, and front-seat heating and power lumbar on the driver's seat - front-seat heating debuts on the SL, which is the only trim with a driver-side memory system.

For comfort and convenience, the 2020 Maxima starts with features such as cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, a smart key system with push-button ignition, remote engine start, a driver-assist display screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for smartphone integration, auto-dimming ability on the rearview mirror, Bluetooth connectivity, hands-free text messaging, eight-speaker audio, AM/FM radio, a single-disc CD player, a three-month trial subscription to the SiriusXM All Access package, two USB ports and an auxiliary audio jack, and NissanConnect infotainment integration with an 8-inch touchscreen display.

HD Radio, 8-inch touchscreen navigation, two additional USB ports, and three-month trial subscriptions to the SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link appear at the SV level. The SL introduces a garage-door opener and an 11-speaker Bose premium audio system. Only the Platinum and Platinum Reserve have three-year Select and six-month Premium Plus NissanConnect Service subscriptions.

How Well does the 2020 Maxima Perform?

Under the hood of the 2020 Nissan Maxima is a 3.5-liter V6 engine, which supplies 300 horsepower and 261 lb-ft of torque. Hooked up to the V6 engine is a continuously variable transmission.

2020 Nissan Maxima has an Abundance of Safety Features

For restraint and cushioning in the event of a crash, the 2020 Nissan Maxima provides two front impact airbags, knee airbags for the driver and front passenger, two side-impact airbags, and two side curtain airbags. There's also the previously mentioned Safety Shield 360, which combines blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic rear braking, high beam assist, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

Also standard are features such as a rearview camera with rear parking sensors, electronic vehicle stability control, traction control, a rear door alert, all-wheel, anti-lock disc brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, and a theft-deterrent system. Upper-level trims are more likely to have enhancements such as front parking sensors, traffic sign recognition, driver attention alert, intelligent cruise control, and lane intervention.