The Maxima SR Midnight Shows What a Four-Door Sport Car is Capable of

2016 Nissan Maxima SR Midnight (Credit: © Nissan)

The newly redesigned Maxima has received some mixed reviews. Some people love the bold, new look, while others think it is a little too wild for the masses to appreciate. I happen to like the direction Nissan is going with its “Four-Door Sport Car,” and the SR Midnight that Nissan recently displayed makes me love it even more.

The Midnight model that Nissan showed off at the BET Experience was based on the Maxima SR, which is the sportier trim level in the Maxima lineup. The SR trim comes with things like a sport-tuned suspension, 19-inch aluminum wheels with W-rated tires, Ascot leather seats and steering wheel with Alcantara inserts, the Integrated Dynamics Control Module, paddle shifters, LED headlights, Liquid Chrome interior trim, and aluminum sport pedals, so it is already pretty well equipped without the Midnight package.

The Midnight model included a slew of options from the list of available equipment for the Maxima, including a Super Black exterior paintjob, a Charcoal-colored interior, a rear sport spoiler, rocker panel moldings, a rear bumper diffuser, unique splashguards, and 19-inch black-painted aluminum wheels. Sure, that’s not much, but it’s enough to give the model a unique look.

Under the hood of all 2016 Maximas, including the SR Midnight, is a 3.5-liter V-6 that puts out 300 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque. This power heads through a sport-tuned Xtronic continuously variable transmission with a Drive Mode Selector on its way to the front wheels.

The standard 2016 Maxima SR checks in at $37,670, but checking the boxes required to turn the SR into the SR Midnight bumps the total price to $41,230, including the $825 delivery charge. Given the SR Midnight is just a bunch of ticks on the old options list, you can have the look of the Midnight package without having to deal with the impossible-to-keep-clean Super Black paintjob.