The 2020 Nissan Maxima Platinum is optimized for family comfort with a more than a soupçon of driving thrills. For me, the V6 is the star of the show; 300 horsepower is just right, and while the CVT isn't the most exciting choice, it doesn't unduly call attention to itself. Ironically, it lets the V6 sing its song without much interference, which is welcome.
I transported five people on a four-hour, roundtrip jaunt to Long Island from Business Insider's suburban test center, and there were no fistfights, so chalk one up to Nissan there for selling a family car that actually makes good on the designation.
While the Maxima is sort of fun to drive, it's no BMW, and it isn't really even a Mazda, a brand noted for adding some pizzazz to staid sedans. But applying throttle and letting the motor do its thing is rather rewarding, and the power delivery is so syrupy that it keeps you coming back for more.
In fact, the Maxima is such a capable and calming freeway cruiser that I didn't much sample the adaptive cruise control, not did I gorge myself on the many driver-assist features, ranging from lane-departure warning to cross-traffic alert. (They're good to have, don't get me wrong.)
Refreshingly, the Maxima has but two modes, Normal and Sport. In Sport, which does compel the CVT to demand more from the V6, I gave the paddle shifters a shot, but quickly gave up. Some drivers might dig 'em, but I ain't one.
So what about corners? Well, when I did give the Maxima a toss, it's moderately taut suspension was able to counteract physics somewhat, but this isn't a car I'd like to test in a curve. I could feel the ballast shifting and outside rubber straining.
The bottom line here is that the well-appointed 2020 Nissan Maxima Premium is a genuinely decent sedan with a fantastic engine and a transmission that doesn't get in the way, even if it isn't groomed for performance.
The price isn't exactly a deal-closer, unfortunately. It's steep at $41,540, and even steeper at $45,865 with a few grand in extras. (Other well-equipped mid-market sedans can also get pricey, of course.) That said, Nissan has been selling the Maxima nameplate in the US since the first Reagan administration, so it has some loyalists.
They should be pleased to consider the 2020 edition, and they'll probably share their sentiments with other buyers in the market.