Nissan Maxima vs Chevrolet Cruze

2021 Nissan Maxima
2021 Nissan Maxima
$37,090MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2018 Chevrolet Cruze
2018 Chevrolet Cruze
$16,975MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Nissan Maxima
$37,090MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2018 Chevrolet Cruze
$16,975MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
Overview

Years produced

1980-2014

Years produced

2011-2019

MSRP

$37,090

MSRP

$16,975

Average price

Average price

$11,494

Listings

138

Listings

934
Ratings & Reviews
User Reviews
User Reviews

Expert reviews

7.3 out of 10

Expert reviews

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.

Reviews Summary

No video found
No video found
Popular Features & Specs

Engine

3.5L 300 hp V6

Engine

1.4L 153 hp I4

Drive Train

FWD

Drive Train

FWD

Seating Capacity

5

Seating Capacity

5

Horsepower

300 hp @ 6400 rpm

Horsepower

153 hp @ 5600 rpm

MPG City

20

MPG City

27

MPG Highway

30

MPG Highway

40
2021 Nissan Maxima
2021 Nissan Maxima
$37,090MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2018 Chevrolet Cruze
2018 Chevrolet Cruze
$16,975MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Nissan Maxima
$37,090MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2018 Chevrolet Cruze
$16,975MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
Overview
Years produced
1980-2014
2011-2019
MSRP
$37,090
$16,975
Average price
$11,494
Listings
Ratings & Reviews
User reviews
4.4
4.3
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
3.5L 300 hp V6
1.4L 153 hp I4
Drive Train
FWD
FWD
Seating Capacity
5
5
Horsepower
300 hp @ 6400 rpm
153 hp @ 5600 rpm
MPG City
20
27
MPG Highway
30
40
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

2023 Acura Integra vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2023 Subaru Impreza vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2023 Acura Integra vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2023 Nissan Maxima vs 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback2023 Honda Civic vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2023 Kia K5 vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Nissan Maxima vs 2023 Kia K52022 Kia K5 vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 MINI Cooper vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Honda Civic vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 MINI Cooper vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Nissan Maxima vs 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2022 Nissan Maxima vs 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback2022 Nissan Maxima vs 2023 Subaru Impreza2022 Subaru Impreza vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Toyota Prius vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Honda Accord vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Subaru Impreza vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Toyota Prius vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Kia K5 vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Hyundai Elantra vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2023 Nissan Maxima2022 Nissan Maxima vs 2023 Honda Civic2021 Nissan Maxima vs 2022 Subaru Impreza2021 Honda Civic vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2021 Toyota Prius vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2021 Toyota Prius vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Nissan Maxima vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2021 Honda Civic vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Nissan Maxima vs 2022 MINI Cooper2021 MINI Cooper vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2021 Nissan Maxima vs 2022 Honda Civic2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Honda Accord vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Nissan Maxima vs 2022 Honda Accord2021 Hyundai Elantra vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2022 Nissan Maxima2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2021 Nissan Maxima vs 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback2021 Nissan Maxima vs 2022 Kia K52021 Kia K5 vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2020 Honda Accord vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2020 Subaru Impreza vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Hyundai Elantra2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Kia K52020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Chevrolet Malibu2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 BMW 5 Series2020 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Honda Civic2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Toyota Prius2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2020 Hyundai Elantra vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2020 Chevrolet Impala vs 2020 Nissan Maxima2020 Subaru Impreza vs 2021 Nissan Maxima2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2020 Nissan Maxima vs 2020 Audi A4