Nissan Will End Production of the Maxima Next Year
Nissan will end production of the Maxima sedan in mid-2023.
The current model arrived for 2015 and is the eighth generation of the sedan.
Nissan suggests that an upcoming electric model could adopt the Maxima name in the future.
After more than four decades and eight generations, the Nissan Maxima will end its run next year. Nissan confirmed to C/D that it will end production of the sedan in mid-2023. Sales have fallen recently, as Nissan only moved 3753 units of the Maxima in the first half of 2022, compared with 78,610 Altimas sold over the same time period.
Another Maxima may still be in the cards, however, as Nissan's official statement says that the company is "prioritizing electric vehicles" and advises us to "stay tuned for future Nissan Maxima news." We think this means that the upcoming Nissan EV sedan, slated to arrive in 2025, will wear the Maxima name. It will be built in Mississippi alongside an Infiniti sedan, and teasers show a futuristic face similar to the Ariya crossover's, plus a curved roofline.
Still, the Maximas of yore as we best remember them—as sporty sedans with V-6 engines and available manual transmissions—are no more. As a three-time 10Best winner (both the second- and third-generation Maxima SE models were awarded), the Maxima has long been one of our favorite Nissans. It even graced the cover of Car and Driver, for the June 1994 issue.
The current generation was our top-ranked large sedan for some time, but it has become more irrelevant as it has aged. Its segment, too, has dwindled, with Ford dropping the Taurus and Hyundai and Kia also discontinuing the Azera and Cadenza. Toyota persists, as it is replacing the Avalon with the Crown for 2023, and Dodge and Chrysler still sell the aging Charger and 300 sedans.
We'll see what the future holds for a possible Maxima EV, as we may soon hear more news about this upcoming model that could debut within the next few years.
You Might Also Like
