The Nissan Maxima quietly faded away in 2024 after an impressive 42-year production run. The company’s stalwart sedan predated the Datsun-Nissan rebrand in 1981, and it evolved through the 1990s to become something of an icon in the sports sedan world. Heck, it even had a role in 2001’s The Fast and the Furious.
But the Maxima’s glamor faded through the 2000s and 2010s as it grew larger and softer. Upon its death, Nissan left the door open for an electric Maxima revival. “Please stay tuned for future Nissan Maxima news as we empower journeys through exciting vehicles and tech innovation,” a company spokesperson told Motor1. That quote came with news that two new electric vehicles would be built later in the decade at the company’s plant in Mississippi.
That was in 2022…which may as well be a lifetime ago given the current tariff-riddled world automakers face today. Those two electric vehicles were recently canceled, and Nissan’s current financial situation is best described as perilous.
But we aren’t ready to close the file on Maxima just yet. There are too many variables in play to make a definitive call, so we’ll share what we know as of May 2025, albeit served with a fair amount of informed speculation.
Is It Really A Sedan?
Some automakers have rebooted sedans and even iconic sports cars (we’re looking at you, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross) as high-riding crossovers, but for now, we still think Maxima will be a sedan. The segment still draws buyers to showrooms, as evidenced by strong sales for the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Camry. The Nissan Sentra still sells well, too, and the company already has a sea of crossovers with the Rogue, Murano, Kicks, and electric Ariya. Rebooting the Maxima as a flagship sedan makes the most sense here, but anything is possible.
What Will It Look Like?
Photo by: Theophilus Chin | Motor1
2027 Nissan Maxima Rendering
With that in mind, we modeled our exclusive rendering to be Nissan’s flagship four-door. We borrowed some styling cues from the IMs concept car Nissan debuted back at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. That vehicle, a large high-riding sedan, had a distinct crossover vibe, and it ultimately influenced the new Nissan Murano, notably in the front with the thin lights and broad V grille.
Sharp body lines at the front and rear fenders contrast with the smooth arc of the roof, culminating in a fastback shape that’s exceedingly popular in the sedan space these days. The front of the Maxima has a grille similar to the Murano, albeit shorter, but styled with the same horizontal bars. Thin headlights connect to the grille as opposed to the Murano’s split light motif, but at the corners, we incorporate angled running lights from the Nissan N7—an electric sedan that just debuted for China.
Photo by: Theophilus Chin | Motor1
Photo by: Theophilus Chin | Motor1
At the rear, we keep things conservative while also drawing on another iconic Nissan for inspiration on the round taillights. The legendary Skyline is best known for its various GT-R models, but it was also offered as a four-door sedan for several generations.
What’s Under The Hood?
Here’s where things get tricky. When the previous-generation Maxima bowed out, Nissan spoke passionately about its electric-focused Ambition 2030 plan. Everything pointed to the new Maxima becoming an EV with single or dual-motor powertrain options, and plans to build two electric sedans in Mississippi supported that theory.
A single-motor Maxima could borrow the Ariya’s layout, turning just the front or rear wheels with around 240 horsepower. Dual-motor models could extend beyond 400 hp with a range of up to 300 miles, depending on the battery size and motor output. But things have changed quite drastically in just the past 12 months. EV demand isn’t as strong as automakers were expecting. Moreover, Nissan recently canceled its plans for those two electric sedans, citing weaker demand as a contributing factor in the decision.
But what about a hybrid model? Hybrids are hot, and Nissan could certainly use a hot-selling vehicle right now. In fact, the automaker acknowledged that dropping hybrids to go all-in on EVs was a mistake. That’s why our rendering has a conventional appearance with a traditional grille in front. This is pure speculation on our part, but a new Maxima hybrid with reasonable power and exceptional economy could be a great stepping stone for more hybrid Nissans.
But The New Maxima Might Be Canceled, Right?
Photo by: Theophilus Chin | Motor1
That’s another tricky question, but it’s critical to point out some details here. It’s true that Nissan recently announced it canceled plans for two electric cars, and they were confirmed to be sedans. They were slated for production at Nissan’s factory in Canton, Mississippi, but these cars were only known by their internal codenames: LZ1E and LZ1F.
Nissan acknowledged and even emphasized that the names of these sedans (one for Nissan, the other Infiniti) were never confirmed. Also, the company never shared details such as powertrains, size, or where they would slot in current lineups. So once again, it seems the automaker is unwilling to close the door on a future Maxima.
When Will It Arrive?
Nissan’s stillborn electric sedans were originally expected in 2026, then delayed until 2027. According to Nissan’s website, the Ambition 2030 plan for 27 new electrified models and 19 full EVs in production by 2030 is still happening. Therefore, if a new Maxima does rise from the ashes—and if Nissan survives its current financial crisis—it probably won’t happen until the end of the decade.
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Source: Theophilus Chin | Motor1
