2012 Nissan Maxima XR

The 2012 Nissan Maxima gets slightly freshened exterior styling. Otherwise, Nissan's sporty midsize sedan sees only minor trim changes. Two versions are available: 3.5 S and 3.5 SV. 3.5 SVs can further be equipped with a Sport Package that features equipment such as 19-inch wheels, sport suspension, metallic interior trim, heated leather seats, and power tilt and telescopic heated steering wheel. Also offered on the 3.5 SV is a Premium Package, which includes a heated and cooled driver seat, rearview camera, and power rear sunshade. New for 2012 is a Limited Edition Package, which is optional on the 3.5S. It includes xenon headlights, 18-inch wheels, rear spoiler, outside mirrors with turn signals, dark-colored front grille, and metallic interior trim accents. All Maximas are powered by a 290-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that behaves much like an automatic. A manual shift gate is standard; paddle shifters are optional. Safety features include ABS, traction control, an antiskid system, front-side airbags, and curtain-side airbags. Keyless entry/engine start and a wireless cell-phone link are standard. Available equipment includes satellite radio with real-time traffic information and a 9.3-gigabyte hard drive for storing digital-music files.