Nissan Maxima vs. Honda Accord

ukrick · May 2001

A friend of mine and I test drove both the Maxima SE auto and Accord EX-V6. Not much of a difference between the two in my opinion. The SE also requires premium fuel while the Accord doesn't. Something to think about with gas prices the way they are. Leather and sunroof comes with the Accord plus the usually bulletproof reliability. Maxima somewhat suspect in the reliability department.

gerapau · May 2001

If I am not mistaken the latest reliability figures from Consumer Reports (take it for what it is worth) actually has the Maxima ahead of the Accord and Camry in terms of reliability. Also, the Max SE can be had with leather and sunroof.

ukrick · May 2001

I agree with your comments with regards to Consumer Report. I realize that the Maxima SE can come with leather and sunroof. If you don't mind plunking down another $2k-$3k, then go for it. Maxima does handle better but from an engine performance perspective, I'd say they're pretty close. Now if you talkin' 5-speed vs. automatic. Then it's no contest. Maxima wins that one!

ukrick · June 2001

Accord will be left even further behind if the rumors are true about a 260hp Maxima coming for 2002. Has anyone heard about what's new on the Accord for 2002? Sounds like a boost in hp will be needed to keep pace with the Maxima. Haven't heard any pricing info on the new Maxima though.

atlboy · July 2001

I'd rather pay the $2000-$3000 difference. The Maxima is overall a better car in every single cartorgory there is including reliability. Check consumer reports if that doesn't sound right to anyone doubting me! I agree with ukrick, the 260hp is going to send sports cars to there garage! Believe me! The 222hp Maxima available can out due a Lexus GS 300, a regular mustang, and any Honda out there. I've seen this car race.

sgrd0q · July 2001

Surely you exclude the Honda S2000!

bigbadboss101 · July 2001

The key is $ for $, and in the same class. Can't bring 2 seaters, or a car that is $15,000 more into the comparison. It is fair to compare the Maxima to Accord, Camry, Grand Prix etc but some of these are more family (softer) oriented.

The 260 hp Maxima sounds good, as well as the 240hp Altima. Also need to take into consideration weight, handling, looks etc. Some said the 222 hp Maxima is not much faster than the 190 hp gen 4 cuz of the weight difference.
I am hoping both the 2002 Maxima and Altima will be EXCELLENT because I am a Nissan owner, and had owned many Toyotas before (Celica, 2 Supras, Corolla). My family all have Honda, Acura.
I am shopping right now as my lease is up soon. Have looked at the Lexus IS300, Acura TL-S, Audi A4, Subaru WRX. Have decided BMW are pricy for what I want, and the Subaru is ugly but fast.
My choices might be down to the two Nissan products, may be the 2003 Infiniti G35, Acura, Lexus.

sgrd0q · July 2001

I absolutely agree with you. I drive a 2001 Maxima GLE.

Of course you cannot compare the Maxima with the S2000. My comment about the S2000 was only in response to the statement that: "The 222hp Maxima available can out due a Lexus GS 300, a regular mustang, and any Honda out there. I've seen this car race."

civicman · August 2001

I had heard that the new Accord is going to be rated at 240hp with a 5 speed auto and a six speed manual just roomers floating around will see. I was also read that the maxima will be rated at 255hp five less then they had first said. It will be nice to see high power stock japanees cars in the states. My mother and father have both an Accord EXV6 2001 and a Maxima GXE 2000 and there both very nice cars the max is faster.

usaalltheway · August 2001

Hey, I am 17 and am about to get my first car. My parents told me I can get either a '96 Maxima or a '96 Accord. I want the Maxima, but my mom wants the Accord. Any car I get will be auto, so I think the Nissan is better. Can anybody help me in my dilemma?

mannie31 · August 2001

1st of all I am a Maxima lover but there is one thing i dont understand about Hondas why dont they share the same technology as the TL as the Maxima and the I30?

bluffhouse · August 2001

The two of which cannot be compared. The Max is a sportier, larger vehicle. It is designed to house larger wheels, it looks better and ...
The Accord is a better match for a Camry or Altima. This whole topic is more like comparing a Camry to a Civic.

obiwankenobi1 · September 2001

Why is this even a discussion?

The Maxima is MUCH more car! Bigger AND faster! Need I go on?

bayheadmon1 · September 2001

2002's are going to sell at close to sticker, which means Acura TL money, way more than Accord EX money. The 30 add'l horse and the extra room over the TL are obvious, but what are the other differences to think about? On paper, the Max looks better, but I have to think the TL's will be discounted, and I'm having a real hard time convincing myself on the looks of the MAx.

obiwankenobi1 · September 2001

I think the new Maxima (well, 2000 and up, I guess) is a very unique and cool looking vehicle. When I bought mine, I wasn't that sold (I bought it the same day I first looked at it!), but BOY has it grown on me!

I love the thing!

afty · September 2001

2002 Maximas are selling at near invoice. Check out CarsDirect, they have them for $100 over invoice.

godeacs · September 2001

2002 Maximas are selling below MSRP but not near invoice...at least at the dealers!....2-5% over invoice seems to be the range.....

afty · September 2001

A local dealer ran an ad in the paper this past weekend advertising 2002 Maxima SE's for $22,999. They claimed to have 7 at that price. Invoice on a Maxima SE w/destination charge is $23,411. So that's where my claim comes from. Maybe they're just selling at invoice in my neck of the woods.

Ad is here:

http://www.quirkcars.com/specials/nissan/nissan.htm#

waterloo1 · December 2001

Hi everyone. This is my first time posting. Would like everyone's opinion on purchasing either a MaximaGXE or a Honda Accord LX V6 Special Edition. I plan on making the purchase this weekend. I have taken both vehicles for a test and the prices are both comparable. Which one? All opinions welcome and thanks for your help.

gfc4us · December 2001

No need to compare Maxima with Accord. Maxima is the
Maxima. Even the name, no car sounds like Maxima. You
will not be satisfied with car until you own Maxima.

maxamillion1 · December 2001

It's not offered here in the States. Just wondering.

carleton1 · December 2001

He loved the power of the Nissan Maxima with 5 speed but says Maxima are junk. The dealer never could get the "Service Engine" light (or whatever the correct name is) to stay off. The Maxima rode roughly, had squeaks and rattles, and was just not as nice as an Accord.
He traded it off after 2 years to get a 2001 Accord EX 4 cyl 5 speed. The 2001 Accord got totaled in a wreck at 7 months of ownership so he got a NEW 2002 Accord LX 4 cyl with 4 speed automatic. His wife loves the Accord.
When we were at the Annual Auto Show last January, we were looking at the Infinity and the dealer rep asked how he liked the Maxima. He replied "One more problem and I will sue under the Lemon Law" and then proceeded to tell of all the problems with the Maxima.
After his experience with the Maxima, he said he would not get anything made by Nissan whether it is a Maxima or an Infinity.

speedracer3 · December 2001

On the flip side. This is our 2nd Nissan. Our 80's Sentra rode way over 100K miles without a hitch and my 2000 Maxima runs like a swiss watch.

carleton1 · December 2001

Wise for you to stay with a brand that has been reliable for you. My wife's cousin has driven nothing but Nissan since 1971 when he got his first Datsun 2 door sedan. Obviously, he and his wife have been very satisfied with Nissan.

bigbadboss101 · December 2001

You can find problem(s) in any car, that doesn't mean they are bad cars. I owned a 99 Maxima SE and had almost no problem with it. No squeaks, rattles, and the only thing that went wrong was the key needed reprogramming. Now I have a 2002 and it has been good. The ride is rough because it is a SE. I could have went for the more conservative Camry which is very reliable, easy riding, etc. I choose the more sporty car. Different strokes for different folks.

You will find owners who had problems with their Volvo, BMW, Acura, Audi, Honda, Hyundai, etc.
For every 10 happy owners there will be a few not happy ones.

deeza · May 2002

some one posted that the new accord was going to get a 240 hp upgrade on it's v6, that's not true the only accord engine getting a upgrade it's the 4 cyl. Now to compare a Max to an accord, you got to be very ignorant about cars, don't take it from me drive both vehicles, if you happen to be a driver then you will know what a insult is to put an accord in the same category as a Max better yet don't even drive the accord go for the tl type s so it will be more even. It's just not fair.

2k2wannabe · May 2002

I got my SE 6-speed exactly at invoice (under if you count the $1000 rebate and $250 they gave me for getting the car to me later than promised).

Look on the internet and you can find invoice prices, rather than going to the dealer and paying to talk to a sales person.

I never met my salesperson until the day I paid for and picked up my car, and he was the busiest salesman there.

wgr · June 2002

I am new to this board. Does anyone know if there are any major changes expected in the Maxima in 2003, 2004 or 2005 (e.g. major re-designs, major engine upgrades)?

mirth · June 2002

The 2003 Max will be unchanged, but the 2004 Max will be a major redesign. Plus, I think it's actually going to debut near the beginning of 2003.

bobst · June 2002

We have a 1999 4-cyl 5-sp Honda Accord, and we recently rented a Maxima for 3 weeks while on vacation. The engine in the Maxima was great, but I thought it felt kind of sloppy on the road.

We live in the Washington DC area and rarely drive our Honda over 65 mph, but the highways in Arizona I was often driving the Maxima over 70 mph. Also, the Maxima was heavier because it had a 6-cyl engine. However, even taking these things into account, I didn't think the Maxima held the road as well as our Honda. It felt like we were kind of floating over the road surface rather than being glued to it like we are in our Honda.

mtkaplan · July 2002

I test drove a bunch of cars before getting my 2003 Maxima GLE. The accord (which was always one of the top few in automotive magazine tests), I left till the end to test figuring that that is the car I would probably end up getting. Here it is cheaper than the Max. I also owned a 1982 Accord LX back then (My first New car) and except for the rust (they did that easily back then) it was a great car. BUT (and here's the big BUT) I was not impressed with the ride. It was ok but I found the Max smoother and there was so much noise until I realized it was the air conditioning; A very noisy fan. The interior finish was also nicer in the Max IMO. Yes, the Max has a larger, faster, smoother engine but that was not the reason for my decision. I just came off a lease for a 300M and that also has a 255HP 253Lbs torque engine. I never pushed the car hard enough, never got to the higher revs that I would need again that big an engine. The Max has a very smooth shifting transmission as well. Anyone out there looking for one or the other... IMO... there is no choice. The Maxima wins.

dibiase · September 2002

MAXIMA IS DEFINITELY A STEP ON TOP OF AN ACCORD. ACCORDS SHOULD BE COMPARED TO A CAMRY OR SOMETHING. A MAXIMA IS DEFINETELY A DRIVERS CAR, FROM ITS HORSEPOWER, THE SUSPENSION, AND ITS SPORTINESS. BESIDES, IT COSTS MORE. IF YOU DONT HAVE A PROBLEM ON SPENDING A LITTLE MORE, GO WITH THE MAXIMA, TO BE ECONOMICAL, GO WITH THE ACCORD

steedm · September 2002

I like the Max, but my wife does not.
I think that the new V6 Accord will provide some serious competition, the interior is very well designed, I am keen to drive one and see how it compares.
Anyone compared the two??

maxamillion1 · December 2002

But the Accord is a well balanced family sedan. No question about that. The Accord has a slightly better interior, but I think the Maxima has better styling. Especially the Maxima GLE in Glacier Pearl. The Maxima seems slightly roomier, but not by much. Handling should be about equal. The Accord might lead that pack though.

One thing is for sure. The Accord's pricing cannot be beat. It's much cheaper than a comparable Maxima.

Personally though, Give me a Maxima SE 6spd. Manual with all the options except the Navi.

qgu · December 2002

I have owned 4 nissans from 87 sentra to 97 quest. They all got rust proofed before leaving my dealer (entire body not just underbody). 3 of the 4 were rusted badly in the first 5 years. The only exception was my 92 stanza which started to show spots after 9 years. I switched to Honda for my recent two purchases (01MDX and 02CRV). I will see if Hondas are better. In terms of refinement, Honda has a slight edge (I admit it is not fair comparison because my Hondas are newer with "modern" technology). Unfortunately they are equally noisy.

The 04 Max looks really good (at least from paper it looks better than Accord). The new Max will be priced higher. But if it is not much higher than a V6Ex, I will trade my CRV for an AWD Max.

nisinfiguy · December 2002

I have to say this, I really do, so here goes: Anyone who completely bashes a car brand bc of problems with ONE car is absolutley naive and ignorant. EVERY car manufacturer has lemons that come of the line every once in a while, and if the car was bought used, then maybe you should question the previous owner rather than the car's manufacturer. I honestly believe there are very few crap car manufacturers out there today. People are smart enough to know that when NUMEROUS complaints of COMPLETE car failures arise of a specific make....DONT BUY THIS CAR. Furthermore, the person earlier who had a Maxima that crapped out on him who changed to the accord and vowed he would never own another Nissan/Infiniti (BTW Infiniti is with an I, not a Y)you are VERY naive. I have a friend who owned a 1999 Honda Accord, and she had soooo many problems with that car. She eventually got rid of it, and bought a 2001, she now has about 30,000 miles on it and has not had ANY problems with it. So, in conclusion, DONT BASH A MAKE bc ONE car craps out. every manufacturer has problematic cars, to completely bash a make bc you came accross one, or evern to threaten to sue, is just naive and ignorant. OF COURSE this IS just MY opinion. And let it be known, My sister has a 1995 Altima GLE that was handed down from my mom that has not given us ANY PROBLEMS and has survived through 2 teenage drivers plus my mom. Thats a damn good car IMO.

nissangirl · December 2002

I've had 4 Maxima's now. My husband has had 2 Pathfinder's now. We wouldn't keep going back to Nissan if we had a bad experience. We just occassinally like to get "updated" versions, with more "creature features."

It still scares me though, that the '04 Max will be "American" made. I really like the Japan made cars. But that is just a personal preference.

gotribe · December 2002

Of course every manufacturer has troublesome examples of their cars, some more than others. But people arent "NAIVE,IGNORANT" when they are very unhappy with their cars when they develop numerous problems. After paying $20,000+ for a new car its human nature to become upset and consider another make next time. Oh, and by the way the "e" in your sentence "every manufacturer has problematic..." should have been capitalized. Let's tone down the rhetoric and nasty comments.

nisinfiguy · December 2002

Thankyou for pointing out my keystroke error. I will now correct your improper word usage. "Rhetoric" as used in your sentence, "Let's tone down the rhetoric and nasty comments," is improperly used because the word rhetoric is in a noun, not an adjective as so used in your comment.;) Finally, the reason why I corrected this person who spelled Infiniti with a "y" is because that is incorrect. It would be the same if someone spelled Nissan, "Nison." I would be willing to bet you would have spoken up on that mistake as well. (No, I am not an English teacher...I'm just 17!) Happy Driving!

nisinfiguy · December 2002

I hope this wont affect Nissan's reliability record. What other Japanese cars are now made in the U.S.? Has their been a decline in those model's quality?

lmp180psu · December 2002

I think the quality of a particular companies' products is not so much based on where the car is built, but is based more on a companies' quality control philosophy with respect to the assembly line and materials used. I think many "japanese" cars like Honda, and Toyota have been made in the U.S. for a few years, and most industry experts complaints about Toyota is the quality of materials and not reliability of product. Also if you look at Honda interiors, they seem to be getting better, despite being built in the U.S. People think that japanese makes have been getting worse, but it is more that other companies are getting better ( best example is Hyundai), IMO.

kennyg5 · December 2002

While I agree with you that quality control is germane to reliability, quality of materials is also intricably tied to reliability. How can a product be reliabile if it is built of inferior materials? In addition, while reliability of U.S. built cars is improving, consumer reports and sentiments consistently rate Japanese made cars superior, and I tend to agree. This is true particularly as to the "high end/flagship" cars, such as Lexus, Acura, Infiniti and the 03 Maxima (last car bearing Nissan nameplate made in Japan). That said, however, does not mean Americans are not patriotic. It simply means we choose our products smartly. I certainly hope that the 04 Max will be as (if not more) reliable than the 03 Max.

03maximan · December 2002

Lets face it people, cars nowadays are generally very reliable. The Yugos of the world do not stay around long. I hate to say it but Hyundai has come a long way (though i'll never own one !). Most things nowadays, i.e. technology, is virtually shared worldwide- i just read in the Jan. issue of Automobile that Ford and GM are going to jointly develop a FWD 6 speed automatic gearbox!). So pick a make& model you like and you probably will be very happy. IMO the automobile is one of man's greatest inventions, and todays modern cars in regards to safety, power, and reliability, make it that much more fun to be a car enthusiast!

dklanecky · December 2002

I was at the Nissan dealer on Saturday for a car wash and to look at the new Murano (very interesting vehicle).

I noticed the "country of content" stickers on Murano, Maxima, Altima and Z cars in the showroom.

Iwonder if the "American built cars" are assembled in the states but that the various versions of the 3.5 engine and transmissions are completely built in Japan and shipped over here for final assembly into the vehicles.

Maybe this is how Nissan reliability has been reasonably well maintained? I wonder if most of the issues with the American assembled vehicles (Altima) are now drive train related?

gotribe · December 2002

Before I bought my 03 EX V-6 Accord Sedan, I cross shopped the Maxima and G35. I have previously owned 5 Maximas and 3 Hondas so consider myself brand agnostic. To me, the 03 Maxima had several problems. First of all the torque steer with 255hp. and the 6 speed was unaceeptable. I had a Saab Turbo, so I know what torque steer is all about, but this was too much. Also, I found the drive by wire throttle to be quite non-linear, compared to my 00 Maxima. The combination of torque steer and jerky throttle made for a less than pleasant driving experience for me. The Accord is much more refined than the current Maxima, although I am looking for great things from the 04. I wont get into the comparison with the G35 since that has been explored ad nauseam on other forums!!

yatittle · December 2002

Buy with auto xmission, throw in 2 or 3 good sized adults and some luggage, and turn the A/C on. Will the I4 be adequate, or is the V6 a serious necessity? Thank you.

bodydouble · December 2002

With the situation you described, I'd say if you take trips with any sort of regularity involving some hill-climbing, go with the V6. We have an '02 V6. Our family of 4 includes no heavyweight. We take regular trips to the ski resort (Whistler, B.C), and while we never really found the V6 lacking in power, I think I could use a bit more (ie. for those situations where I'm trying to slip in front of a trailer as the passing lane comes to a close), and I KNOW I wouldn't want to have any LESS. And aside from power, the 6 just makes for a quieter, more relaxed highway ride.

sgrd0q · December 2002

Aha! Whistler, B.C.! Personally, I won't mind driving a Yugo as long as I am within driving distance from Whistler

As it is, I have to settle for coach class and a 5 hour flight from the East coast - but it is worth it!

bodydouble · December 2002

Afterall, you have to be able to make it up the hill to get there.

But when the weather is right, and you're standing on top of the mountain trying to choose between the 280+ runs, it is heaven on earth!

shadowfax2 · December 2002

I liked the Maxima -- I drove 02 and 03 standards and automatics before buying the Accord.

I thought it felt and drove like a larger car than the Accord. Maybe its because, unlike the Accord, you can see the front-end of the Max. when you're sitting in the driver's seat. My wife did not like the interior as much as the Accord. Ultimately, I wanted better gas mileage and the ability to use regular vs. premium fuel. The Accord V6EX with leather also gave me more for the money. The Max's I was driving had no leather but were priced at least 1,000 higher.

I do think the Maxima is a better looking car on the outside, and it has more snob appeal. Although there are a lot of Maximas on the road, I think it's viewed as a status symbol vs the Accord's "everyone owns one" reputation.

Nissan Maxima vs. Honda Accord

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