Segment: Medium
Production years: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
Nissan released the fourth generation of the Maxima in May 1994, just in time to catch the Forrest Gump movie on the silver screen and earn the top spot in Ward's Best Engine.
Just like Forrest Gump, the Maxima was a long-distance runner with a strong, fuel-efficient engine. Nissan built it on a new platform and dropped the previously used rear independent suspension, which affected the rear-seat comfort. It was within the same price range as its main competitors, Honda Accord and Toyota Avalon, but slightly cheaper. With some help from the Cray supercomputer, Nissan's engineers found better solutions to stretch the 1995 Maxima and make it lighter.
Its exterior design featured a front fascia with sharp inner corners and softened edges for the headlights and a grille that mimicked angel wings (that's what Nissan said). The wrapped-around plastic bumper sported a black rubber strip to prevent scratches in the parking lot. It worked well against dumpsters as well. The cab-rearward design hid the front-wheel-drive transmission, while the optional rear wing spoiler warned the bystanders that the Maxima could run quite fast for its segment.
Inside, the base trim level featured cloth upholstery, a cassette player, power windows, and air-conditioning, but the leather seats, the Bose sound system, and the sunroof were on the options list. Its long wheelbase allowed comfortable seating for four, with a raised center tunnel to reinforce the bodywork.
The platform was the one that stood apart from the crowd. It featured urethane bushings at the front suspension and stiffer suspension, transforming the Maxima into a swift cornering machine. It's 0 to 60 mph (0-97 kph) in seven seconds flat was on the hot-hatch territory.
ENGINE SPECS - 2.0L 5MT FWD (90 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 1974 cm3 |
Power: | 66.2 KW @ 4400 RPM 90 HP @ 4400 RPM 89 BHP @ 4400 RPM |
Torque: | 131 lb-ft @ 2400 RPM 177 Nm @ 2400 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 18.5 gallons (70.0 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 125 mph (201 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 11.3 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 5-speed manual |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Ventilated Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 195/65/R15 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 187.8 in (4770 mm) |
Width: | 69.7 in (1770 mm) |
Height: | 55.9 in (1420 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 59.8/59 in (1,519/1,499 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 106.3 in (2700 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 14.5 cuFT (411 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.31 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2888 lbs (1310 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 4420.3 lbs (2005 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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City: | 17.8 mpg US (13.2 L/100Km) |
Highway: | 29.4 mpg US (8 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 2.0L V6 4AT FWD (140 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | V6 |
Displacement: | 1997 cm3 |
Power: | 103 KW @ 6400 RPM 140 HP @ 6400 RPM 138 BHP @ 6400 RPM |
Torque: | 131 lb-ft @ 4400 RPM 177 Nm @ 4400 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 18.5 gallons (70.0 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 114 mph (183 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 14.1 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 4-speed automatic |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Ventilated Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 195/65/R15 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 187.8 in (4770 mm) |
Width: | 69.7 in (1770 mm) |
Height: | 55.9 in (1420 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 59.8/59 in (1,519/1,499 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 106.3 in (2700 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 14.5 cuFT (411 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.31 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 3155 lbs (1431 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 4420.3 lbs (2005 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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City: | 17.4 mpg US (13.5 L/100Km) |
Highway: | 31.4 mpg US (7.5 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 2.0L V6 5MT FWD (140 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | V6 |
Displacement: | 1997 cm3 |
Power: | 103 KW @ 6400 RPM 140 HP @ 6400 RPM 138 BHP @ 6400 RPM |
Torque: | 131 lb-ft @ 4400 RPM 177 Nm @ 4400 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 18.5 gallons (70.0 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 124.3 mph (200 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 11.3 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 5-Speed manual |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Ventilated Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 195/65/R15 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 187.8 in (4770 mm) |
Width: | 69.7 in (1770 mm) |
Height: | 55.9 in (1420 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 59.8/59 in (1,519/1,499 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 106.3 in (2700 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 14.5 cuFT (411 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.31 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2976.2 lbs (1350 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 4420.3 lbs (2005 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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City: | 17.8 mpg US (13.2 L/100Km) |
Highway: | 29.4 mpg US (8 L/100Km) |
Combined: | 23.7 mpg US (9.9 L/100Km) |
CO2 Emissions: | 236 g/km |
ENGINE SPECS - 3.0L V6 4AT FWD (193 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | V6 |
Displacement: | 2988 cm3 |
Power: | 142 KW @ 6400 RPM 193 HP @ 6400 RPM 190 BHP @ 6400 RPM |
Torque: | 188 lb-ft @ 4000 RPM 255 Nm @ 4000 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 18.5 gallons (70.0 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 130 mph (209 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 9.6 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 4-speed automatic |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Ventilated Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 205/65/R15 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 187.8 in (4770 mm) |
Width: | 69.7 in (1770 mm) |
Height: | 55.9 in (1420 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 59.8/59 in (1,519/1,499 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 106.3 in (2700 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 14.5 cuFT (411 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.31 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 3236 lbs (1468 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 4420.3 lbs (2005 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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City: | 19.4 mpg US (12.1 L/100Km) |
Highway: | 31.8 mpg US (7.4 L/100Km) |
Combined: | 25 mpg US (9.4 L/100Km) |
CO2 Emissions: | 246 g/km |
ENGINE SPECS - 3.0L V6 5MT FWD (193 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | V6 |
Displacement: | 2988 cm3 |
Power: | 142 KW @ 6400 RPM 193 HP @ 6400 RPM 190 BHP @ 6400 RPM |
Torque: | 188 lb-ft @ 4000 RPM 255 Nm @ 4000 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 18.5 gallons (70.0 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 142.9 mph (230 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 8.3 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 5-Speed manual |
BRAKES SPECS | |
---|---|
Front: | Ventilated Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
---|---|
Tire Size: | 205/65/R15 |
DIMENSIONS | |
---|---|
Length: | 187.8 in (4770 mm) |
Width: | 69.7 in (1770 mm) |
Height: | 55.9 in (1420 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 59.8/59 in (1,519/1,499 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 106.3 in (2700 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 14.5 cuFT (411 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.31 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 3009.3 lbs (1365 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 4420.3 lbs (2005 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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City: | 16.4 mpg US (14.3 L/100Km) |
Highway: | 29.4 mpg US (8 L/100Km) |
Combined: | 22.8 mpg US (10.3 L/100Km) |
CO2 Emissions: | 246 g/km |