Journal-News

One thing that I have always liked about Nissan was its marketing department or whoever was responsible for the catchy slogans that were attached to each of its vehicles. The tag on the 2009 Maxima sure seems appropriate: The 4-Door Sports Car.

Nissan got off to a good start with its seventh-generation Maxima when it retuned the 3.5-liter V-6 engine to get 290 horsepower, an increase of 35 hp from a year ago, without a decrease in EPA mileage ratings, which stand at 19 mpg/city and 26 mpg/highway.

While the engine is mated with a continuously variable

transmission, that does not mean that there is a lack of sudden burst when necessary. Shifting via manual mode is available. An option that was not on our test car was steering wheel paddle shifters. Now that says sports car.

The front-wheel-drive sedan's makeover includes exterior styling cues to help differentiate it from its stablemate Altima. The Maxima, which comes in base S and SV trims, is also 3.8 inches shorter overall with a 1.9-inch shorter wheelbase than last year. The width has increased

1.5 inches thanks to beefier fenders.

The interior of the Maxima is stellar with high-quality materials throughout and such neat features as a push-button

start, manual thigh support extension for the driver (appreciated by us taller folk) and an optional heated steering wheel.

Safety features are all-inclusive from an anti-skid system to its extensive placement of airbags.

The 2009 Nissan Maxima — built in Smyrna, Tenn., by the way — is quite the competitor among mid-priced, midsize sedans. There's even a bit of a sport car.

David Mikesell is a free-lance automotive reviewer based in Indianapolis. Read Wheels online at DaytonDailyNews.com/Wheels.