2004 Maxima SE Review

I am impressed and disappointed with this car at the same time. There are many good qualities to this car, but there are many things wrong with this car as well.

First, the positives. The engine is fantastic. Power delivery is smooth, loads of torque off the line and in the midrange. It is an extremely powerful 6 cylinder.

Secondly, the transmission is smooth and is a 5-speed model, giving you better gearing and keeping the car in the powerband.

The car also handles quite well around the corners for such a heavy car. Wide, low profile tires come standard on the SE model (245/45/18 size).

But there are some faults with this car. First, torque steer is a major problem. Off the line or at 80 mph, the car will want to go where it wants. You really have to pay attention if you're trying to give it the beans. I was driving the car at about 80mph on the highway, gave it some more gas to pass someone, and it didn't want to move the direction I turned the steering wheel. That was a bit scary. Gas mileage on this car around town is a bit on the low side. The car also feels out of breath when it starts revving higher. Keep it in the middle of the powerband.

Secondly, if you're using the manumatic feature of the transmission, the only way to make it smooth on a downshift is to give it a little gas like a normal manual. A lot of cars with this feature will do this for you to smooth it out.

Third, the suspension is rock solid. While this is great on a track or around hard corners, around town driving makes it a bit rough on your lower back.

Fourth, the turning radius is absolutely horrible. I've driven trucks and vans with a better turning radius. Plan a very wide turn if you're trying to make it into a tight parking spot.

Overall, the car looks great and is fast but does have a lot of annoying problems.