Nissan Maxima vs Nissan Sentra

The 2021 Nissan Maxima, as a flagship sedan, set a bold design standard for Nissan's lineup. Its distinctive styling, featuring a "floating" roofline and "V-Motion" grille, influenced the design of other Nissan models like the Altima, Sentra, and Versa. The Maxima stood out with its steeply-angled front end and massive grille, reminiscent of an Art Deco locomotive. The 40th Anniversary Edition trim, although not available in Canada, offered features like 19-inch gloss-black alloy wheels and black exterior trim, adding to its bold aesthetic.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra, redesigned in 2020, carried over its modern, coupe-like design into 2022. It resembled a downsized Altima, offering a significant improvement over its predecessors. The Sentra's design was a refined execution of Nissan's current design language, available in bold colours like blue, burnt orange, and "Scarlett Ember." The interior of the Sentra was a highlight, with a modern yet simple layout that combined form and function. The front cabin featured a touchscreen as the visual centrepiece, and the Sentra offered trims like S, SV, and SR, each with varying features and enhancements.

The 2021 Nissan Maxima was powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 300 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive (FWD). While not a "four-door sports car," the Maxima offered a quick and enjoyable driving experience, with a responsive CVT and a naturally-aspirated V6 engine. However, its steering lacked precision, and the front end struggled with grip, leading to torque steer under heavy throttle. Despite these limitations, the Maxima excelled in highway cruising, offering a quiet and comfortable ride.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra featured a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque. In Canada, it came standard with a six-speed manual transmission and FWD, with a CVT available. The Sentra's engine provided satisfactory performance, with solid low-end acceleration and consistent high-and-low-speed performance. The steering was well-weighted, and the suspension handled most road conditions well, making the Sentra suitable for commuting and road trips.

The 2021 Nissan Maxima offered generous front-seat space, with the highest front headroom and legroom in its class, but at the expense of rear-seat passengers. The rear headroom and legroom were among the lowest in its segment. The Maxima's interior was designed around the driver, with a focus on visibility and comfort, featuring Nissan's "Zero Gravity" front seats. However, the Maxima had limited cargo space, with a trunk capacity of 405 litres, the smallest among its competitors.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra provided 404 litres of trunk space, comparable to the Maxima, but better than many small sedans. The trunk space could be expanded with a 60/40 split-fold rear bench, although the ledge created by the bench could hinder loading larger items. The Sentra's interior offered spacious seating in both rows, with ample headroom and legroom. The front row featured large in-door cargo trays and bottle holders, enhancing practicality.

The 2021 Nissan Maxima's technology showed its age, with an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. A WiFi hotspot and USB ports were standard, along with an 11-speaker Bose audio system. However, the infotainment system's graphics and notification sounds were dated, and the touchscreen was difficult to navigate. Despite these drawbacks, the Maxima offered analog controls for convenience.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an 8-inch screen on higher trims. The system was user-friendly, with hard buttons and dials for easy navigation. However, the graphics needed updating, and the lack of wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto was a downside compared to competitors like the Honda Civic.

The 2021 Nissan Maxima received top safety ratings, including an IIHS "Top Safety Pick+" and a five-star overall rating from NHTSA. It came with Nissan Safety Shield 360, offering features like automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. However, it lacked the ProPilot Assist system available in other Nissan models.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra also earned high safety ratings, with a five-star overall score from NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" from IIHS. It offered a comprehensive suite of standard driver-assistance features, including automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring. The adaptive cruise control, while effective, had abrupt braking, which could be concerning.