2019 Nissan Maxima

After introducing a new Altima family sedan for 2019, Nissan announced it would show its other large sedan, the Maxima, some love, too.

Maxima's updates are less substantial, adding up to a mid-cycle refresh. And while Nissan had yet to confirm details for full model range for 2019 at the time we wrote this buyer's guide, the company did provide details of notable news for its poshest sedan.

Up front, there's a new version of the V-motion grille to go with standard LED headlights and daytime running lights, while the rear gets quad exhaust tips and a new spoiler for the sporty SR trim.

All Maxima trims get new wheels and Nissan says there are improved interior finishes across the line, though these vary depending on which trim you choose.

We know that Nissan will carry over the SV, SL, SR and Platinum trims from last year's Maxima, and it has added a Platinum Reserve variant wearing silver alloy 19-inch wheels, satin bronze interior finishes, tan diamond-quilted leather seating and heated rear seats.

Nissan has also carried forward the Maxima's 3.5L V6 engine, whose 300 hp and 261 lb-ft of torque go through a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) to the front wheels.

Also new to Maxima is the Safety Shield 360 suite of advanced safety features. While this is more of a branding exercise than anything, it does herald the introduction of rear emergency braking to the Maxima along with a driver alertness system.

The full Safety Shield 360 suite is available in upper-level Maxima grades and includes frontal collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic braking, high beam assist, blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning and rear automatic braking.

Maxima plays in a field that gets a lot less play these days, now that SUVs and crossovers dominate new vehicle sales in the mid-size class. Competitors include the Toyota Avalon and high-end versions of the Camry, Honda Accord and Chevrolet Malibu. Three of Maxima's other competitors -- the Ford Taurus, Buick LaCrosse and Chevrolet Impala -- will soon be history.

As we said above, Nissan hadn't released full details of what each Maxima trim would include for 2019, but we expect standard features to be similar to those for 2018. That would see the base model come with 18-inch wheels, navigation, front and rear parking sensors, dual-zone automatic climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, passive keyless entry, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, leather seating and an eight-speaker stereo.

Items like a sunroof, radar cruise control, upgraded sound systems, larger wheels, ventilated front seats, auto-dimming driver's side mirror, 360-degree exterior camera views, power steering column adjustments and a power rear sunshade are expected to once again be offered in upper trims.

Look for fuel consumption estimates to be similar to those for 2018, at 11.1/7.8 L/100 km (city/highway).