Mainstream Large Sedans Comparison

allmet33

Sorta like your Maxima, huh?

tjc78

"You can exceed the speed that is recommended on a tire"

I know that, but the auto makers usually try to protect you from yourself. Case in point my 98 Olds 88 was limited to 107 and I know it had more. I looked at the stock tires and they "s" rated. Now my friend's Grand Prix with the same engine and different stock tires would run quite a bit past that.

allmet33

Oh...absolutely. I have exceed 120 on 'H' rated tires before, however...that is not a speed I would maintain on those tires either.

The only reason I backed off on the factory tires was the car got really floaty around 120 and I wasn't willing to risk loss of control. With the 'Z' rated high performance tires...it was a totally different experience. Very solid feel at the high speed. While the Azera is no BMW in any stretch, it is not a sloth either.

alexstore

No I am not a maxima fan at all. I like Toyota/lexus, caddilac/ buick, Nissan/Infinity, Honda/Acura, Rolls Royce / BMW, and only recently MB ( S550/ CLS).
I am not in denial and I know that for example Avalon/camry can beat me 0-60 as well as SRT charger . Now in reference to Azera - you mean an old dude beats me in Azera? This is the reason i surveyed members in re to car/driver/ age. Now my car weighs 3432 lb, about 200 lb lighter then Azera so unless you weigh 0 and I way over 200 lb it will be an unfair competition. 2005 Maxima's power to weight ratio is 13.45 under new power ratings. Azera is 13.7984. You don't have to be a genius to see that which car will be faster.
Maxima has longer wheelbase ( more space to passengers), wider tires and in SE form sport suspension.

joe131

EPA says Azera has more passenger space than Maxima. Maximum power to weight is not the only consideration in top speed or acceleration.

joe97

Maxima has longer wheelbase ( more space to passengers)

In theory...

But as we know, having a longer wheelbase does not translate into bigger interior:

Observe:

Maxima: http://www.nissannews.com/nissan/2007vehicles/maxima/specs.shtml

Azera: http://www.hyundainews.com/Media_Kits/2007_Models/Azera/Specifications.asp

Rear Headroom: Maxima 37.3 | Azera 38.2
Rear Legroom: Maxima 36.5 | Azera 38.2
Rear Shoulder room: Maxima 56.5 | Azera 57.1
Rear Hip room: Maxima 54.8 | Azera 55.1

That's 0 for 4 by my count!!

alexstore

I forgot to mention it also allows for a better ride

allmet33

Okay...why does it have to be an old dude that beats you in an Azera??? Age has nothing to do with the performance of an actual vehicle.

You can quote power to weight ratios and 0-60 times all you want, until you get behind the wheel and go head to head with an Azera driver...you're blowing hot air! You ever watch the show 'Pinks!'??? Yeah, okay...how many times does the so called "obvious" winner not win???

Longer wheel base does NOT always equate to more passenger room, because it depends on how that space is used. The wheel base on the Maxima is almost 2" longer and yet, the Maxima gives way to every comparable number when it comes to interior space.

Maxima / Azera

Front head room - 39.7 / 40.2
Front shoulder room - 57.9 / 57.9
Front hip room - 53.5 / 55.5
Front leg room - 43.6 / 43.7
Rear head room - 37.1 / 38.2
Rear shoulder room - 56.5 / 57.1
Rear hip room - 54.8 / 55.1
Rear leg room - 36.5 / 38.2

Luggage capacity - 15.5 / 16.6

The above numbers are based on exterior measurements of...

Wheelbase - 111.2 / 109.4
Length - 193.5 / 192.7
Width - 71.7 / 72.5
Height - 58.3 / 58.7

Now you tell me which maker used their space more efficiently! :P Not only did they provide more space for passengers, they also squeezed in a slightly bigger engine AND gave it more luggage space as well.

The numbers speak for themselves. Next time you want to make a statement...please do a little research before you post anything that'll make you look, well... :confuse: !

Once again, I will STATE...your Maxima will NOT blow the doors off of an Azera. I know that you would like to believe it so you won't lose any sleep at night. Heaven forbid a Hyundai product that can keep up with your precious Maxima. By the way...is that SE or SL?

Another crazy thing...the Maxima has 2 more ponies under the hood and is about 200 lbs. lighter and yet...their fuel economy is almost identicle. How's that for ironic! LMAO

joe131

Wheelbase length is not the only factor in how good a ride a car has. I'd guess most people over 65 would say the Azera has a much better ride than Maxima. (Probably most under 65 would too.)

allmet33

Hey Joe131...wheelbase plays a part in it, but actually...the Azera just has a softer suspension. The suspension on the Maxima is definitely sport tuned while the Azera has a cruising suspension. So the ride would be subjective to what one was looking for in a car. If you want to cut loose on winding roads in the mountains, then you certainly wouldn't want the Azera, but if you want a comfortable highway cruiser...the Maxima wouldn't be as comfortable as the Azera.

tjc78

The Maxima is not a bad car, but really IMHO the only thing it has over any other sedan in this group is the handling. It's not that roomy, has a ton of torque steer and rides firm. I sometimes wonder why the Maxima is still being made, the Altima has nearly the same amount of room, can be had with almost all the same options and is cheaper.

allmet33

Now see...I've never ever said the Maxima was a bad car, not at all.

I think the Maxima / Altima situation is a good case of little brother finally beating big brother!

For the life of me, I've wondered too why the Max is still being made with the come up of the Altima. Only thing I can think of...they have plans for the Maxima to boast a nice 300 hp powerplant. Then it would be running with the likes of the Magnum/Charger R/T or the 300 C.

floridabob1

It's time for an all new Maxima.

allmet33

Basically. At this point, the Altima is making it a has-been!

tjc78

"Now see...I've never ever said the Maxima was a bad car, not at all"

I never said you did... just was stating it so I didn't get flamed, lol.

allmet33

Oh...well, I wasn't gonna flame you. Alexstore on the other hand...he might be a lil sensitive at this point. He might even be out looking for an Azera owner that will race him so he can either prove his point or see that I'm right...which he would never concede to anyway. LOL

pat

I always thought there a whole lot more went into deciding what was the best vehicle for any one individual than obsessing about illegal and imaginary street-racing.

tjc78

"always thought there a whole lot more went into deciding what was the best vehicle for any one individual than obsessing about illegal and imaginary street-racing"

Of course there is... you've got to check out the cup holders!

tjc78

Let's face it, if you are looking for all out speed, there are better alternatives than any of these sedans. However, I love that I can have the comfort, ride and amenities while still smoking the occasional Civic/Neon with a fart can on the back!

tjc78

On a different note.... I was at the local Ford dealer on Saturday test driving a Fusion with my Stepdad and what was just arriving? A black fully loaded '08 Taurus. It was an AWD w/Nav sticker was 34K. Looked pretty good, the Fusion grill treatment looks OK and there is a simulated vent on the fender in the same spot as the Lucerne's port holes. I was itching to take it out, but it was bad enough that we were pretty much "tire kicking" the Fusion since my Mother's lease isn't up until the end of the year. Anyone out there driven one yet? Curious how Ford's 3.5 is.

smithed

My opinion about Max:

Nissan would do well to base a new Max on Infiniti M, put in a nice V8 and rear wheel drive, than it would be a real "Maximum" Nissan.

The Altima is a great alternative to Accord/Camry. :shades:

pat

Haha, of course!!

louiswei

I love that I can have the comfort, ride and amenities while still smoking the occasional Civic/Neon with a fart can on the back!

Amen Brother!

Those 0-60 dicussions just seem so out of place in this board...

alexstore

Well, I do agree with TJC78 on this. I hate what people do to civics converting them into noisy ugly mismatched vehicle. I want to be able to show them that even though they spent on modifications more than my car costs, I can still beat them with factory stock vehicle. My wife prefers silent vehicle operation and I on the other hand want to be able to keep my conversation while accelerating from a short uphill ramp. I caught myself on many occasions going over speed limit on that ramp accidentally because some guy refuses to allow me to enter a highway in front of him. Now funny thing about Maxima. This car is popular among " new russians" in Russia. Its not exported by Nissan to Russia, but guys driving it have MB/ Rolls Royce /Bentley in their garages.

allmet33

Tjc78...you are truly correct with that statement. I mean...if you wanna go all out, just hop in a 300/Charger SR/T-8!!! End of discussion! LOL

jaymagic

Actually, for some strange reason the Azera does not have a speed limiter. The 147mph is what one of the car mags got when testing. Some may go faster and some slower. Apparently, because they are made in Korea, there is no legal requirement to limit top speed to a set figure.

alexstore

it has limiter. the only reason guy went over 147 is because it was on incline.

joe97

The article is stated for the Soanta. Not certain about the Azera, jaymagic might be right.

bhmr59

It's a little over a year since I was in the Phoenix area, but as I recall, there isn't much of a slope on the Loop 101.

The land is pretty flat. Do any Phoenix area members agree or disagree?

And, as someone said, the speeding charges applied against a Sonata which is about 30HP less than the Azera.

alexstore

article mentions Sonata and incline

alexstore

from car and driver site
http://www.caranddriver.com/carnews/12563/the-147-mph-hyundai-sonata.html

allmet33

Yes...a slight enough incline to give him the 3 mph more than what they tested their Sonata at on flat ground. The incline wasn't that great to create a huge difference.

Wow...your Maxima is probably governed around 130 mph, so that means a Sonata can go faster than your Max! LOL

allmet33

Okay...and what is the limiter set for?

alexstore

according to edmunds 140

captain2

a ridiculous conversation, there are very very very few cars that are even safe at the the speeds you guys are talking about - Sonatas, Azeras, and Maximas included. If you really do go out and try to do that kind of thing in your Azera you will either: be a short term contributor to this forum or end up as some guy's girlfriend in the pokey!

allmet33

Heeeeeyyyyyyyy...whoa, slow ya roll captain. We weren't discussing the safety of the cars at those speeds at all. However, a great deal of safety is in the hands of the driver as well.

I've done that kind of thing in my Azera on a couple of occassions and I have not ended up in the pokey as some guys girlfriend and I'm still a contributor to this forum.

Please note, I do not engage in such activity to often, however I feel it necessary for the sake of knowing my car. I do this with every car I've owned, push it to find out just what it's capable of doing. You never know when you'll need to push it and there's nothing wrong with knowing in advance just how far you can.

allmet33

Well...then it wouldn't seem that far fetched then. If the right variables existed, you might be able to get your Maxima to pull 140 mph!

captain2

the basic problem with any of these cars going 140 mph has less to do with HP or anything like that it has to do with aerodynamics. These cars simply are not designed for those speeds. Whether they can or not is not the point. Let me know what part of the country you are in and the next 'occasion' you feel so inclined I'll call the gendarmes myself!

allmet33

Actually...the car is designed to go that fast. Nobody is contending whether or not the car is safe at those speeds or not, calm down Captain. The point of the matter is that these cars ARE capable of pulling speeds in excess of 130 mph. If we are discussing what the car can do, then whether or not it can...IS the point of the conversation.

Now...just because you may not do it, don't care to do it or just too scared...that's your personal issue. However, the way YOU personally feel isn't going to stop someone else from living!

captain2

well fine then - let me rephrase - if you really understood what was happening to your Azera at 140 mph then you too would be 'scared' or maybe just a bit 'smarter'

allmet33

:surprise: What exactly is happening to my Azera at 140 mph, Mr. Azera Whisperer???

captain2

some degree of stability and control - but that wouldn't be important would it?

jaymagic

Hate to burst your bubble, but that was a Sonata, not an Azera.

discgolfer99

Captain, did you mean "LOSS OF" stability and control?

Allmet, I propose that you "STILL" don't know what your car is capable of doing. Perhaps you should take her out again and push it till she breaks. THEN, you will know what she is capable of...

joe97

Isn't that what I said? Heck, I was the one who posted the article. Of course it was talking about the Sonata.

You said the Azera does not have a limiter, and to which I said you may be right. Please re-read my post.

jaymagic

Looked again at AZERA top speed, not Sonata and found the following. Also this is consistent with some articles I have found re Azera gearing and top speed in Korea, where apparently 160's are possible.

"The Azera has a four-wheel independent suspension (multi-link in the rear) and uses the company's new 3.8 L Lambda V6, which produces 263 hp (196 kW). The power is sent to the front wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission with "Shiftronic" manual gear selection. Hyundai claims 6.0 s to accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) and a top speed of 157 mph (252 km/h)." Found in Wikipedia.

I have had mine to 141, with more available but backed off due to an upcoming curve and traffic. I was not having any "stability issues". I have driven BMW's and Audi's to limited 155mph sustained periods on the autobahn on several occasions and the Azera felt very solid to me. NOT saying its designed for continuous high speed like the Bimmers or Audi's, but it will certainly get up there and run on a decent road. And NO, I don't intend to race any Maxima's, those days are behind me.(But then so would be the Maxima's)

louiswei

The recent "How fast can the Azera go" discussion is as stupid as (if not more than) the previous 0-60 discussion.

Why would anybody, in the right state of mind, driving a large sedan, whether it's the Avalon, Azera or Maxima, to 140+ mph? I have no problem with people trying to kill themselves but if other folks are endangered in the process then I do. Reckless driving, and I consider driving at 140 mph as one, is as stupid as DUI.

captain2

there is a reason why many truly high performance cars 'lower' at high speeds, and things like air dams, spoilers have specific designs and/or deploy in different manners at higher speeds, not to mention an undercarrage designed to allow air to flow freely. It all has to do with keeping the car pushed down thereby keeping traction, and stopping the air under the car from effectively pushing it upward - getting airborne if you will, effectively losing that stability and control. None of the sedans in this class have either the tight ground clearances, effective air dams/spoilers, or the undercarriages designed for 140 mph (or more) and therefore are unsafe at the kind of speeds that this poster apparently likes to drive his car. Most cars these days are electronically limited relative to tire speed ratings, in consideration of things like this, and what the corporate liability lawyers have to say about it.
I will admit to having my Avalon up to slightly over 100 mph, a speed that the car was still solid and still pulling strongly, 140 is entirely something else - it was irresponsible enough for me to be driving the thing at even the 100! 75 or 80 seems to work fine!

allmet33

Discogolfer99...KNOWING that the car CAN attain speeds in excess of 135 mph is good enough for me. Like I said, I've done it on two occassions, once with factory wheels and tires and again with the aftermarket wheels and tires, just to see how much of a difference there would be.

Knowing that it can attain those speeds doesn't mean I plan on driving it at those speeds on a regular basis.

Everyone really needs to calm down, I mean seriously. Just because half of you are getting ready to be over the hill (if not there already), doesn't mean that there aren't some of us that aren't. There are those of us that can and will do the very things you all did when you were younger and adventurous.

Oh...and when I did reach 130 mph, there was no loss of stability or control. With the aftermarket wheels and tires, the car felt even more stable than with the factory ones. There was no floatiness and the car tracked more confidently. As far as loss of control, ummmmm...er, uh....obviously I was able to maintain control as I'm here to type about it today.

allmet33

Yes, there is a reason...those cars are designed to be driven at those speeds on a consistent basis.

Have you tested any of the cars in this discussion to know what they are capable of?

Don't worry captain...we all do irresponsible things every day of our lives. Driving your car slightly over 100 isn't unforgivable by any stretch. I mean...it just shows you're human and that you're ALIVE!!! However, before you jump on your soap box, driving at 15-20 mph over any speed limit would be considered irresponsible as well. I guess you're justification is that everyone else around is doing it, so it's okay, huh? :P