2012 Nissan Maxima SV Sport from North America

Summary:

Excellent

Faults:

CVT feels like it's going over a rumble strip when the RPMs are below 1500. Took it to dealer for a check. They changed the transmission fluid and did a CVT computer reprogram/software update. Although it's a tad better, it's still an annoying quirk of the way the CVT operates. I googled it and it's known as "CVT Drone".

Other than that, just the usual brakes and oil changes so far.

Update at 67K miles: The window rubber kit inside the driver's door had to be changed at 62K miles. The driver's window was scraping when I tried to open the window. This cost me $500 to repair. Also at 63K miles, the blower motor for the interior climate control started squealing and chirping. Had to have that motor replaced. That cost $500.

General Comments:

Very fast. Overall very comfortable interior. The reason I always go with Nissan/Infiniti cars is I love the ergonomics of all their cars. All the buttons and knobs, the center console and shifter are all laid out perfectly, in a way that's intuitive to any driver. I also HATE fat steering wheels. Nissan tends to have thinner, grippy steering wheels, not fat, slippery ones. This is much better when driving long distances. I don't get hand fatigue in these cars, nor butt or back fatigue because the seats are good.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 11th April, 2016

17th Apr 2016, 03:33

In the last several years, transmissions have been scrutinized as a neglected path to fuel economy that could yield significant results - if optimized.

The result has been the emergence of somewhat aggressive upgrades of the link between the engine and the drive wheels - the transmission.

No matter what new-age solution is chosen (dual-clutch, CVT, or stepped torque-converter transmission with more than 6 forward speeds), they all exhibit "unexpected" behavior.

If you follow transmission history, awkward transmission behavior was part-and-parcel with progress. More progress usually entails more awkwardness until the "bugs" are worked out. As long as they work out the bugs (instead of brand their way out of the bugs), and reliability is reasonable, I'm OK with it :)

2012 Nissan Maxima 3.5L V6 from North America

Summary:

Sleek, sexy and powerful

Faults:

The car feels solid.

At around 56k the power steering hydraulic system went out. Some people may get freaked out by that, and not drive at all. I kept driving for about 800 kilometers. It steered like a race car, although it was a workout in parking lots. The CVT sometimes shakes the steering wheel when the car is slowing down to a stop i.e. a red light. Hard to explain, but it feels like the car has a flat tire... probably due the power steering hydraulic system failure.

Otherwise, nothing else to report.

General Comments:

This car is awesome!

I was very skeptical about CVT, but once you "learn" it, this transmission is absolutely fabulous. It's all about knowing when to shift the stick around to Sport Automatic, Sport Manual mode or Normal Automatic mode. Heck, you can even engine brake by shifting to the Sport auto mode!

Nice distinctive design.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 22nd April, 2013

2012 Nissan Maxima ST-L 2.5 from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

This car may put the Nissan Service Centre out of business

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong.

General Comments:

The car is extremely comfortable to drive with the leather package. The ride is smooth and road noise is limited. The instrument panel is functional and the climate control / radio system sits on a slant on the dash, which takes some getting used to, but in the end - makes sense!

The auto climate feature is great, as well as the push button ignition system.

Overall, a really nice car that has needed nothing more than an oil / filter change.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 24th December, 2012

25th Mar 2013, 20:16

I fix and repair cars for a hobby and make some money on the side doing it. This car is my wife's, and I am the original poster.

This car is the most boring for me. NOTHING ever goes wrong with it. I service it myself using genuine Nissan filters, and it runs on Nulon Synthetic oil. The drive is very smooth.

When it comes time for the auto transmission service, I will be in the market to buy Genuine Nissan CVT fluid, as I am told that anything other than that will void the warranty.

This car is not so popular in Australia as it is in the USA. I am not sure why, because when we compared it to the Toyota Camry (Australian Build), the Holden Commodore and the Ford Falcon - it seemed a much better fit for the wife who wanted some style in her daily drive.

In reply to 25th Mar 2013, 20:16

27th Mar 2013, 07:08

To be fair, I wouldn't expect any 2012 car to have problems! But, then again, this is probably because my 2005 Volvo V70 hasn't got any problems - at 296,000 miles! Let's see what this car is like at those miles and report back then.

In reply to 27th Mar 2013, 07:08

13th Jun 2013, 23:16

My Nissan Maxima is one hell of automobile; it's the best vehicle I've ever owned.

Nothing has gone wrong in the past year of owning the Maxima; it's very reliable and I trust it for hopefully years. Just a couple of oil changes and services.

12th Jul 2016, 20:55

OP here with an update on the Maxima after 4 years and 50,000 km.

This car is still running like new and has had zero mechanical issues other than regular servicing items (oil and filter change, front brake pad change). My only complaint would be how fast these cars drop in value in Australia due to little demand or model recognition of them. On the other side of the coin - Australians can buy fantastic used Maximas for very cheap.

In reply to 12th Jul 2016, 20:55

11th Apr 2018, 09:59

OP here again. Two more years later and the Maxima still runs perfect with zero issues. 6 years on the road and it runs as good as new.

In reply to 11th Apr 2018, 09:59

24th Apr 2022, 16:00

OP here. After 10 years and 123,000 km I sold the Maxima for $13,000. During this time, this car gave us one minor mechanical issue (internal blower motor became noisy due to small debris getting in somehow). We only ever did the regular maintenance items. In other words - it was the perfect car.

From our actual experience, follow the maintenance routine and all will be good. Bye Bye Maxima!