2016 Nissan Maxima
This week we test the 8th generation Nissan Maxima. And once again Nissan has promised a return of the “four door sports car” driving experience that made Maximas of the early 90s so exciting. This car certainly looks exciting. So let’s see if this Maxima’s excitement runs more than skin deep.
The 2016 Nissan Maxima is one of the most stimulating to see sedans we’ve come across in years. It’s rakish and radical. The sexy sheet metal is supposedly inspired by jets. Now, we haven’t heard that line since the 50’s; regardless it is a looker for sure.
Nissan’s V-motion design theme sets the deep grille, and is echoed along the rest of the car as well. This Maxima adopts the floating roof look of the Murano, with partially blacked C-pillars, and a fast roof that gives the side glass a chopped appearance. Standard, beefy 18 inch wheels further compress the visual height.
But if you think this means a claustrophobic interior you’re wrong. Space is plentiful, yet still engaging, and a lot more upscale. Now, that doesn’t mean Maxima has gone near-luxury. Nissan feels there is plenty of room for classy materials in mass market mid-size sedans.
The list of standard features is also impressive, including Nissan Connect with 8.0-inch touchscreen navigation, a 7.0-inch Drive-Assist display in the instrument cluster, remote start, full power seats, and dual-zone climate.
Though oddly enough, only a basic backup camera. Only top-level Platinum trim gets Nissan’s Around View Monitor. A terrific feature you’ll find on a Versa Note for less than 20-grand. SL-trim and above add Forward Emergency Braking which in our low speed barrier test mitigated stopping distances without consistency.
On the plus side the Zero Gravity front seats were as comfy and well bolstered as advertised. Rear seats equally so, and there’s almost full-size car room back here. Storage space? Yep, got plenty of that as well, at 14.3 cubic-ft.
Any sporty car regardless of how many doors needs invigorating power. Here the new Maxima complies with a familiar 3.5-liter V6. But, with the redesign comes significant updates including GT-R goodies like sodium-filled valves. Horsepower climbs to an even 300; torque remains the same at 261 lb-ft.
The big downer to still the CVT transmission. But, it’s also upgraded and tightened up for better response, and thankfully, quieter operation. Shift paddles are nice and big; and are intelligently mounted on the steering column, not on the wheel.
So, the question remains. Can this front driver live up to its 4DSC hype? That’s a hard thing to do. We found the new Maxima drives solid. At a decent clip it remains very flat through corners, and overall feels light on its feel. Indeed, 82-lbs. has been shaved from the previous car.
To get the full experience, opt for the SR model with its unique dampers and larger front stabilizer bar. As well as an Integrated Dynamic-control Module with Active Ride Control.
We navigated the cones quickly, with sharp turn-ins and a firm feel to the wheel. Braking is undramatic, 60 to 0 in 125 feet. That’s fine, if not as short as we’d like.
Still, at this point, are we starting to be believers? Yep! But acceleration runs made us back off a bit. As one test driver put it, “the engine is willin’, but the trans is illin’”
The Maxima jumped off the line quickly, hitting 60 in 6.1-seconds. 2/10ths quicker than last gen. But after simulating a shift to second, there were awkward power surges that had our car torque steering down the track. Still the full ¼-mile went by fast at 14.3-seconds at 102 miles-per-hour. Now Nissan, give us a non-rubber band tranny and we’ll buy in completely.
New to the Maxima this year are selectable driving modes; with Sport quickening throttle response and steering, as well as adjusting the tuning of the CVT and the Active Sound Enhancement system.
Out on the road, whether you believe it is a true sport sedan or not, it sure feels like one when you’re behind the wheel. You sit very low, and the thick steering wheel feels great in your hands.
Few standalone options are available with five trim levels starting at $33,235. This SR starts at $38,495.
OK, it’s time to put up or shut up.
Does the 2016 Nissan Maxima deserve the “Four Door Sports Car” label? It’s certainly exciting inside and out, and with the exception of the CVT, an impressive performer for its size, sitting far above the typical mid-size family car class. So, we give it a qualified “yes”. But without reservations, it is the best Maxima, and the best Nissan badged sedan, we’ve ever driven.
Specifications
- Engine: 3.5-liter V6
- Horsepower: 300
- Torque: 261 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 6.1 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 14.3 seconds @ 102 mph
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid
Kia Adds Hybrid Assistance To Keep The Party Going
For 2022, Kia gave their minivan a major reboot. So much so, they changed the name to Carnival and even stopped calling it a minivan. Well, they can’t fool us though. After all, we love minivans for their all-around practicality. Well for 2025, Kia has updated its multi-purpose people mover, including adding hybrid power. So, let’s see if that makes time in the new Carnival even more festive.
With many brands no longer even competing in the minivan segment, it’s noteworthy that not only is Kia still in the game, they’ve given their multi-purpose 2025 Carnival a major update after only 3 years on the market. That update includes a first-time optional hybrid powertrain.
The Carnival Hybrid config is an extension of the Sorento SUV’s setup, pairing a 1.6-liter turbo-four engine with a larger 54-kW electric motor. Combined output of 242 horsepower, 15 more than Sorento. Total torque is a stout 271 lb-ft, getting to the front wheels through a true six-speed automatic transmission. Throw in a full 19-gallon fuel tank and you’ve got close to 600 miles of range, allowing you to keep the party going farther than before.
The V6 Carnival remains available, although it’s now listed at 287 horsepower, down from 290. But the Government Fuel Economy Ratings take a huge leap here in the Hybrid; from 18 City, 26 Highway, 21 Combined to 34 City, 31 Highway, and 33 Combined.
The Hybrid comes with a few additional tricks up its sleeve, the most noticeable being the dial-like shifter in the console. But there is also a pretty clever regen braking setup that Kia calls E-VMC. The Electrification-Vehicle Motion Control has three levels of regen, but also has an E-Handling component which adjusts regen going into corners and amounts of electric assist when coming out of them; E-Ride, which includes unique shock tuning for the Hybrid but also can engage the electric motors to mitigate harsh impacts; and E-Evasive Handling Assist, which kicks in during emergency maneuvers. All techy cool!
Another step in Kia’s efforts of making everyone forget this MPV is actually a minivan.
All Carnivals regardless of powertrain get updated styling for ’25 which includes a new face that trades the concave grille for a flatter, larger one. The headlights are no longer incorporated into the grille, and the daytime running lights are much snazzier. In back, the taillights take on a completely different look, with much larger vertical elements on the sides. The liftgate gets a chunkier SUV-like vibe and the rear bumper is more pronounced than before. Altogether, another step in Kia’s efforts of making everyone forget this MPV is actually a minivan.
There’s upgraded tech for the inside, namely Kia’s new frameless panoramic display that incorporates both the 12.3-inch driver display and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment. It not only looks better, but processing speeds are much faster. The driver’s display gets a completely new theme with modern bar and number style speed displays instead of virtual gauges. A Full Display Mirror is also now available, which can switch from traditional mirror to camera.
The Hybrid has a bit less horsepower but 10 additional lb-ft of torque, so off to Mason Dixon Dragway for some numbers. It certainly didn’t feel underpowered, spinning up the tires off the line and even chirping on the shift into second. We hit 60 in a respectable 8.0 seconds, which is still .80 slower than the V6. Our best quarter-mile time was 16.2 seconds at 88 mph.
There was a different vibe to the handling experience, as E-Handling virtually eliminated understeer. But there was still some body roll and stability systems were eager to engage quickly. The brakes retain a natural feel, and stopping distances averaged a good 110 feet from 60.
The Carnival Hybrid is available in four of the Carnival’s five trims, all but the base LX. So, a base LXS Hybrid goes for $42,235, a $2,000 premium over the V6.
The 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid offers more than just much better fuel economy. Kia has found a way to integrate battery assistance into just about every mechanical aspect of the vehicle, delivering a driving experience that is unique from its V6 counterpart, and adding more good vibes to an already exceptional family vehicle.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 1.6-liter turbo-4
- Transmission: 6-speed automatic
- Horsepower: 242
- Torque: 271 lb-ft
- 0-60 mph: 8.0 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 16.2 seconds at 88 mph
- Braking, 60-0 (avg.): 110 feet
- EPA: 34 City | 31 Highway | 33 Combined
2024 Lamborghini Revuelto
Lamborghini Keeps V12…Adds Electric Power…Makes Us Happy
Supercars, hypercars, thousand-horsepower pickup trucks, seemingly ordinary EVs with mind-boggling power numbers; the lines are blurring when it comes to high-performance specs these days. But when you see any Lamborghini, you know exactly what you’re in for!
And just so we’re all on the same page, what we’re in for with the Lamborghini Revuelto is 12 cylinders worth of hot hybrid performance. So, to those who thought the race to electrification meant the demise of the V12 supercar, Lamborghini defiantly says: “Not so fast!”
This is the successor to the Aventador, but forensic fanatics can trace its DNA back to the iconic Countach. The Revuelto shoulders the burden of not only being the brand’s latest and greatest V12 super sports car, but their first high-performance electrified vehicle. Just when the adrenaline rush from attending the Revuelto’s coming out party at Italy’s Vallelunga circuit was fading, we’re back on track here at Roebling Road Raceway attacking corners like we’re getting paid to do it.
Revuelto is, of course, named after a famous fighting bull, but the word also translates to “mixed,” a nod to this beast’s powertrain. Its mid-mounted naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 has flipped compared to the Aventador and now has an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with an integrated electric motor bolted to the back of it that sends power directly to the rear wheels. Output there is 814 horsepower. But Lamborghini’s mechanical mixologists didn’t stop there, putting two more 110-kW electric motors up front, powering strictly the front wheels and making the total output 1,001 horsepower.
As you can imagine, the drive mode situation gets a lot more complicated as in addition to the usual chassis and drivetrain settings, you can dial in where the power comes from, and when and how much battery you’re using; 13 options to choose from in all.
Set it up for max power, and the Revuelto will get to 60 in 2.5 seconds; all-wheel-drive provides plenty of traction, even on a cold winter’s day, and power delivery never lets up until you ease off the throttle. We were lucky enough to get two days of track time at Roebling Road Raceway before a rare snowstorm blew through coastal Georgia.
It was the fastest we’ve ever been at the end of the front straight here.
And the Revuelto was instantly fast around this track, the kind of push you back into your seat thrust that can throw your equilibrium off in a hurry; in fact, it was the fastest we’ve ever been at the end of the front straight here. It holds onto plenty of that speed through the corners too, with Corsa mode allowing just a bit of slip before easing back power, allowing you to maintain momentum and rocket off corners with authority.
Now, it doesn’t feel playful or toy-like; rather a big, fast, precise, purposeful machine that requires your full attention. Especially when it comes to braking zones, where you really must put some foot into it so that it knows you’re serious. And with the front tires shouldering all that force, it did lead to a few moments of wavering, though that did improve the more laps we did.
The Revuelto’s mono fuselage chassis is made entirely of carbon fiber, something they have much experience with, and it is both lighter and stiffer than the Aventador’s. There’s plenty of carbon fiber in the slick bodywork too, crafted to produce the necessary downforce without a bunch of add-ons. Superficial types will geek out over the choice of 70 trim colors to complement the 400 shades of water-based paint that are available for the outside, including this Verde Citrea. Standard wheels are 20-inchers up front and 21 inches in back, the rears sporting 345 Bridgestone Potenza Sports.
Lamborghini claims the interior was inspired by spacecraft, and we’d be on board with blasting off to anywhere in these leather and Corsa Tex sport seats. This is a plug-in hybrid, with the charge port slickly integrated into the front storage area. EV-only driving range is limited to around 5 miles, and when that engine sitting directly behind you comes to life, it definitely gets your attention.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 10 City, 17 Highway, and 12 Combined. If you can afford the insane $612,858 base price, you can add your name to the list and wait a year or two for Lamborghini to assemble yours exactly how you want it.
With the Revuelto, not only has Lamborghini kept the V12 supercar alive, but they’ve also crammed this square peg of performance right through the round hole of modern mobile electrification. What else did we expect from Lamborghini?
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 6.5-liter V12
- Transmission: 8-speed dual clutch auto
- 0-60 mph: 2.5 seconds
- Engine Horsepower: 814
- Electric Motor Horsepower: 187
- Total Horsepower: 1,001