rkurlander

January, 2010 Consumer Reports just arrived.
They rate large/upscale sedans. Maxima finally has its "recommendation" check.
Here's how they rank:
1. Hyundai Genesis 92
2. Lexus ES 350 91
3. Toyota Avelon 87
4. Acura TL 85
5. NISSAN MAXIMA 83
6. Hyundai Azera 81
7. Lincoln MKZ 77
8 Buick LaCrosse 73 (no recommendation check)
9. Ford Taurus 73
10.Buick Lucerne 73

jc53

This car smokes the rest on the list! But of course, I'm biased.

smarty666

Damn right!!!

CT Maxima

The first three cars on the list are excellent vehicles and totally boring. But for some, excellence and boredom works real well.

After my test drive of the Lexus, I told my wife that upon startup, the car's voice prompt reminded me that oatmeal in one's diet is essential for regularity. Lexus looks out for its owners.

STARR

iTrader: (1)

Genesis is a sweet car, the underdog of 4 door sedans, completely overlooked for what it is, it's essentially a BMW/MB for substantially less

lightonthehill

Of the cars on that list, the only one besides the Maxima I might consider would be the 2010 Ford Taurus. All others listed have at least one shortcoming I would not be happy with.

Be aware CU also has not given the 7th gen Maxima any sort of reliability rating as yet, using the excuse that it was 'too new to have any info', while giving the more recently released new TL a good reliability rating based on 'previous experience with Acura.' For me, this is talking out of both sides of their mouth.

When CU released their official test reports of the Maxima about a year ago, many here on the ORG were upset with the clear prejudice shown by CU. They complained of several things nobody here on the ORG could find - such as exposed, rusting screws in the cabin.

Most importantly, CU makes no judgement on styling or general looks of a car, as is clearly evidenced in the ratings listed in the thread-starting post.

I am a 48 year CU subscriber, and use their ratings often. But I will be the first to admit CU totally blew their evaluation of the 7th gen Maxima.

Mreim769

How did that ugly bastard TL beat us yet again?!? Am I the only one that slightly vomits every time I see that car? What were they thinking.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

Oh my the Taurus, that thing is very bloated looking and huge and over priced for what it is (nothing sporty about it, had one as rental. most of us that like tha Max of all generations on here like it for its bit of sport.). Also talk about resale, that car will be much worse than any of the listed as most of its sells will be Fleet Sales! As far as styling goes the only other one that I like is the new Lacrosse, very sharp looking car.

rkurlander

Light -
Sorry, I forgot to mention that the latest CR does give the Maxima a "VERY GOOD" PREDICTED RELIABILITY score. All of the top 7 on the list get that rating, with the exception of the Lincoln - which gets an "excellent".

67whitegoat

iTrader: (4)

+1. I absolutely love the Acura TL, as long as I don't have to look at it. Can you say fugly?

bk2k3max

While Genesis is a nice car what I've been seeing out of most of the reviews is that they (mag/auto critics) have been testing the V8 version vs the Maxima V6, if we had a V8 version of the Max then I'd say it was fair game but doing a comparo of a 6 to an 8 is just assenine IMO. 6 for 6 the Maxima is a far better car than the Genesis, a better comparo would've been the Genesis to the M45.

Acura is fuggin ugly they should've shot the person who brought that design to them.

1. Hyundai Genesis 92 to weak to compete with our V6
2. Lexus ES 350 91-overpriced higher end Camry
3. Toyota Avalon 87-the Camry Lexus
4. Acura TL 85-the ugliest car on this list and the Maxima has better power
5. NISSAN MAXIMA 83-of course I'm biased but this is the best car on this list and it looks better and is more fun than all the rest too with it's great CVT
6. Hyundai Azera 81-sounds like what it is (*** Error) LOL
7. Lincoln MKZ 77-overpriced but luxuriously appointed
8 Buick LaCrosse 73 (no recommendation check)-it's a buick, give it 38K and it'll start breaking down, plus they are boring cars to drive and big like a boat.
9. Ford Taurus 73-the most overrated product coming out of the American line up and it isn't all what they portray it to be either/I'm not impressed with it.
10.Buick Lucerne 73-another Buick, see above review for my opinion on the other buick.

Sorry, hope I didn't offend anyone, if I did then please forgive me.

Glad to see that no BMW made the list, it's about time these critics and car mag people stopped sucking on BMW's exhaust pipe. LOL

BLACKNESS MONSTA

I dont think anyone will be offended by your post because it sounds like it was written by a 5 year old.

A Maxima owner calling a Lexus ES 350 or Avalon an overpriced Camry?

They share the same platform and same engine...just like oh i dont know a Maxima and an Altima

Also maybe you should try sitting in or even driving a new Hyundai Genesis or Buick LaCrosse...from your comments it doesnt sound like you've done either.

lightonthehill

The Maxima and Altima don't exactly share the same platform. Key components of the Altima platform were replaced with components from the M45, making the Maxima platform a cross between the (top rated by CU) Altima and M45 platforms.

The Hyundai V6 Genesis is definitely a step down from the V8 Genesis, and the reviews of each I saw last spring reflected that step down. The Maxima is absolutely a better car for the money than its rather plain looking Genesis V6 equivalent. Additionally, the name Hyundai still causes shudders in the minds of folks like my son, who bought the Excel back in the late 1980s. I still think the Excel was a rebadged Yugo. The V8 Genesis (or any V8 vehicle) will not be in the same class with the Maxima.

Buicks are one of the few bright spots in the GM lineup when it comes to reliability, and their styling has definitely improved. I guess I am just really down on GM from decades of unhappiness with everything about the way they have done business since around 1946. Also, from what is probably a prejudiced point of view, Buick has been known for the last forty years as an 'old person's car', and it will take many decades to change that image.

Lexus and Toyota currently have a MONSTROUS safety and public image problem. Their cars tend to accelerate wildly, at which point the brakes don't work. This happened with a friend of ours, and her car took her on a wild ride, hitting nine other cars before impaling itself into a wall. A California Highway Patrolman had his Lexus do this, and was unable to find anything to stop his car. Four people died in that firey crash at 120 MPH. I think the death toll is at 16 and rising. This problem has happened in vehicles in which the owner had removed the floor mats, because Toyota erroneously blamed this on bad floor mat positioning. NO WAY I touch a Lexus/Toyota at this time.

Anyone who would not mind showing up at a social event in the new TL has a harder skin than I do. I'd rather be seen in a Saab.

I could go on with this, but I probably spent around a hundred hours comparing specs and checking out cars and options before buying my Maxima, and there is absolutely NO DOUBT in my mind that I chose BY FAR the best vehicle for me. Others, of course, will be looking for something slightly different than I was. That is life.

67whitegoat

iTrader: (4)

It is easy to say a new car is a great car. Afterall, it's new. It should be nice. Give it a few years, because in the end, you still have a hyundai and a buick. I like the style of both the buick and the hyundai, But thier track record does not compair to the Maxima. I can't imagine paying 35-40k or more for a car I can not trust and sitting in that car is not going to change the quality of that car. hyundai has come a long way, but not long enough, not for me. I keep a car along time and I don't like to gamble(still have my 96 Maxima), that's why alot of us here have Maximas. Reliability.

dauntlessmax

Exactly. My 95 has 217K on the ODO and I have a friend with a 96 that has 259K. These cars are bulletproof I tell you!

lightonthehill

I drove one of my 1985 Maximas (I had two) 206,000 miles in Atlanta commuter traffic, and still saw it tooling around town many years after I let it go. I loved that car beyond all rationality.

marjen

iTrader: (1)

Hyundais track record is bad? My last 3 cars prior to my Maxima were all Hyundais and all lasted 90k-100k and 4-5 years and had no major issues. In fact also had very few minor issues. All were very good, reliable cars. Hyundais were crap in 1990 not now. The Genesis is a VERY nice car and had it not been rear wheel drive might be in my driveway right now.

lightonthehill

Hyundai has definitely made great improvement since the dark days of 1987-1997. Except for ten years of problems with paint and trim issues, their reliability is now above average. One quote from CU mirrored what several testers reported on the Genesis: 'This isn't a sports sedan. The car's weak link is its somewhat nervous ride.' For me there were five major factors which eliminated the Genesis from my radar:

1 - My son would have killed me. In his financially-strapped early days, he drove an Excel from 1987 until 1995, and despised every mile he ever drove in that monstrosity.

2 - There is no Hyundai dealership convenient to where I live, or near the places I drive to most frequently.

3 - The only time I rode in a Genesis (a friend's car), I found the ride somewhat unsettling. It reminded me of a 1970 Cutlass I once owned. I dreaded long trips in that car, because, although it tracked perfectly straight, the whole body was always leaning from side to side. That played havoc with my weak stomach.

4 - Although I don't place as much stock on image as most folks, even I have a little difficulty driving up to an important meeting in a Hyundai, Daewoo, Fiat, Suzuki, Yugo, etc.

5 - I found the Maxima styling vastly superior to the Genesis in every way.

Astute readers will immediately notice that most of my five reasons for passing on the Genesis will not apply to them. For some folks (especially RWD fans who like simple styling), the Genesis might be just the ticket.

DCLawyer68

Is that really how a BMW drives? I test drove one and it was really "stately" but not exciting at all. Admittedly, I drove the 3.8, and it was very smooth and nice to look at, but it really lacked the Maxima's zip.

I always assumed this was how a Lexus would drive.