1997 Nissan Maxima Sports 190 HP of Luxury Driving

11/25/96

Nissan hasn't made too many changes to the 1997 flagship of their fleet, the four-door Maxima sedan, but the subtle updates make the car very desireable. IF a luxury car with performance and seats for five are in your new car buying plans, then give Nissan a nod. It's fun to drive, as the V6 motor has just the right twang to give you a racy outlook. Instead of referring to the car as a pure luxury car ($25,000 as tested), Nissan positions it in the upper middle import sedan segment, but once you sample the leather seats, you may think otherwise. The luxo version is called the GLE, the performance version SE, and the high value one is the GXE. New styling cues for 1997 are a new front grille design and new wheel covers for the GXE and for the GLE. The V6 DOHC 3-liter motor churns out 190 hp at 5,600 rpm. The Maxima delivers an EPA estimated fuel economy of 22 city, 27 highway.

Safety features include dual airbags, front and rear crumple zones, energy absorbing steering column, child safety rear door locks, and steel side-door guard beams. The car has 4-wheel disc brakes and ABS is optional. There are four new exterior colors available: Neptune Blue, Sage Mist Green, Concord Mist, Rosewood. The Rosewood is unique in that it's not maroon, it's not light red, it's an entirely new hue.

If you want to test drive a four door with real neat performance, lots of room, and road trips are on your agenda, stop at a Nissan dealer and give the Maxima a whirl.

Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel