2020 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 Nissan Maxima

2020 Hyundai Sonata
2020 Hyundai Sonata
$23,600MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Nissan Maxima
2021 Nissan Maxima
$37,090MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2020 Hyundai Sonata
$23,600MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Nissan Maxima
$37,090MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now

Overview

MSRP

$23,600

MSRP

$37,090

Average price

$22,218

Average price

$28,066

Listings

37

Listings

9

Ratings & Reviews

User Reviews
User Reviews

Expert reviews

Expert reviews

7.3 out of 10

2020 Hyundai Sonata Reviews Summary

2021 Nissan Maxima Reviews Summary

The 2021 Nissan Maxima celebrates 40 years on sale, making it one of the oldest Japanese automotive nameplates in continuous use. While it’s impressive for any model to survive four decades, the Maxima has spent most of its history mired in mediocrity.

The Nissan Maxima name first appeared in 1981 as a rebranding of the Datsun 810 sedan. The original Maxima/810 was a true enthusiast’s car, boasting rear-wheel drive (RWD) and a sporty character that led Nissan to declare it a “four-door sports car.” However, that only lasted for a few years.

With its first redesign for the 1985 model year, the Maxima switched to front-wheel drive (FWD) and was positioned as Nissan’s flagship sedan. It’s been that way ever since. Nissan has continued to gesture in the direction of that original RWD model, but for most of its 40 years, the Maxima has been a slightly sportier alternative to full-size sedans like the Toyota Avalon, rather than a BMW beater.

So it is with the current, eighth-generation, Maxima, which debuted for the 2016 model year. It enters the 2021 model year with few changes. We drove the Nissan Maxima Platinum trim level for this review.

No video found
No video found

Popular Features & Specs

Engine

2.5L 191 hp I4

Engine

3.5L 300 hp V6

Drive Train

FWD

Drive Train

FWD

Seating Capacity

5

Seating Capacity

5

Horsepower

191 hp @ 6100 rpm

Horsepower

300 hp @ 6400 rpm

MPG City

27

MPG City

20

MPG Highway

37

MPG Highway

30
2020 Hyundai Sonata
2020 Hyundai Sonata
$23,600MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Nissan Maxima
2021 Nissan Maxima
$37,090MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2020 Hyundai Sonata
$23,600MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Nissan Maxima
$37,090MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now

Overview

MSRP
$23,600
$37,090
Average price
$22,218
$28,066
Listings

Ratings & Reviews

User reviews
4.8
4.9
Expert reviews

7.3 out of 10

Read full review
Pros & cons
Summary

The 2021 Nissan Maxima celebrates 40 years on sale, making it one of the oldest Japanese automotive nameplates in continuous use. While it’s impressive for any model to survive four decades, the Maxima has spent most of its history mired in mediocrity.

The Nissan Maxima name first appeared in 1981 as a rebranding of the Datsun 810 sedan. The original Maxima/810 was a true enthusiast’s car, boasting rear-wheel drive (RWD) and a sporty character that led Nissan to declare it a “four-door sports car.” However, that only lasted for a few years.

With its first redesign for the 1985 model year, the Maxima switched to front-wheel drive (FWD) and was positioned as Nissan’s flagship sedan. It’s been that way ever since. Nissan has continued to gesture in the direction of that original RWD model, but for most of its 40 years, the Maxima has been a slightly sportier alternative to full-size sedans like the Toyota Avalon, rather than a BMW beater.

So it is with the current, eighth-generation, Maxima, which debuted for the 2016 model year. It enters the 2021 model year with few changes. We drove the Nissan Maxima Platinum trim level for this review.

Video
No video found
No video found

Popular Features & Specs

Engine
2.5L 191 hp I4
3.5L 300 hp V6
Drive Train
FWD
FWD
Seating Capacity
5
5
Horsepower
191 hp @ 6100 rpm
300 hp @ 6400 rpm
MPG City
27
20
MPG Highway
37
30
CarGurus logo

By: CarGurus + AI

At CarGurus, our team of experienced automotive writers remain at the heart of our content operation, conducting hands-on car tests and writing insightful guides that are backed by years of industry experience. To complement this, we are harnessing AI to make our content offering more diverse and more helpful to shoppers than ever. To achieve this, our AI systems are based exclusively on CarGurus content, ratings and data, so that what we produce is both unique to CarGurus, and uniquely helpful to car shoppers.

Popular vehicle comparisons

2022 MINI Cooper vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Chrysler 300 vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Honda Civic vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Hyundai Elantra vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Toyota Prius vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 MINI Cooper vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Hyundai Elantra vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Toyota Prius vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Honda Civic vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Chrysler 300 vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Subaru Impreza vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2021 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2022 Hyundai Sonata2021 Hyundai Elantra vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Honda Civic vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Lexus ES vs 2022 Hyundai Sonata2021 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Chevrolet Malibu vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2021 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Hyundai Sonata2021 Honda Accord vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 MINI Cooper vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 Honda Accord2021 MINI Cooper vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 Honda Civic2021 Subaru Impreza vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Lexus ES2020 Chevrolet Malibu vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2020 Chevrolet Impala vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Honda Civic2020 Subaru Impreza vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2020 Chrysler 300 vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2020 Audi A4 vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Volkswagen Jetta2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Chrysler 3002020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Chevrolet Malibu2020 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Honda Civic Hatchback2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 MINI Cooper2020 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2019 Chevrolet Impala vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2019 Nissan Maxima2019 Hyundai Sonata vs 2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2019 Hyundai Sonata vs 2020 Honda Civic2019 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2019 BMW 5 Series vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2019 Lexus ES vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2019 Subaru Impreza vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2019 Hyundai Sonata vs 2020 Audi A42019 MINI Cooper vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2019 Chrysler 300 vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2019 Kia Optima vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2019 Hyundai Sonata vs 2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class2019 Hyundai Sonata vs 2020 BMW 5 Series2019 Chrysler 300 vs 2019 Nissan Maxima2019 Lexus ES vs 2019 Nissan Maxima