What’s the Difference between the Nissan Maxima, Altima, and Sentra?

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If you’re in the market for a dependable and stylish new car, the Nissan sedans are sure to be at the top of your list of prospective new vehicles. But what’s the difference among the Nissan Maxima, Nissan Altima, and Nissan Sentra?

Here at Montgomeryville Nissan, we want to make sure you choose the best Nissan sedan for your life in Lansdale or Doylestown. To help you make the most educated and informed car buying decision, here’s our guide to understanding the differences between the Nissan Maxima, Nissan Altima, and Nissan Sentra.

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Nissan Maxima

As the brand’s flagship car and sports sedan, the Nissan Maxima is the most distinct sedan out of the entire Nissan lineup. The Nissan Maxima features a beautifully designed body complete with sleek lines and premium features that make it look more like a luxury sports car than the typical sedan. Plus, its aerodynamic design helps enhance the performance of its 300 horsepower 3.5L V6 engine. It also helps the vehicle achieve up to an EPA-estimated 20 city MPG and 30 MPG highway.1

Compared to the Sentra and the Altima, the Nissan Maxima is the most fun-to-drive Nissan sedan. With a sport-tuned suspension, you’ll enjoy tight steering with a tight handling that provides a responsive drive.

The interior of the Maxima puts a sporty twist on everything you love about a 4-door sedan. Its cockpit-like interior has ample room for the entire family with 98.5 cubic feet of passenger space and 14.3 cubic feet of trunk space. On top of that, this sports sedan is equipped with a variety of luxury features like climate-controlled front seats and leather upholstery for comfort.

Best of all, the our Nissan Maxima has some of the most advanced interior technologies of the entire lineup. These technologies include the innovative NissanConnect® Services system. It’s powered by SiriusXM® and provides access to everything from mobile apps to security features to remote services for entertainment and peace of mind.

The Maxima also comes with the Nissan Advanced Drive-Assist® Display. With this, all important travel information can be viewed right on the instrument panel to help keep your eyes on the road. Plus, it features Driver Attention Alert. This is an advanced technology feature that can detect when you’re driving while drowsy and suggests driving breaks to better ensure your safety.

The Nissan Maxima also offers the following driver-assist technologies:

  • Predictive Forward Collision Warning
  • Forward Emergency Braking
  • Blind Spot Warning
  • Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
  • Intelligent Cruise Control
  • Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection
Difference Between Maxima, Altima, Sentra | Philadelphia

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Nissan Altima

The Nissan Altima is the brand’s midsize sedan and the most popular sedan in the Nissan lineup for young drivers, commuters, and everyone in between. Compared to the Maxima, the Nissan Altima offers a similar sporty exterior design.

The Altima offers the most interior space out of all three Nissan sedans. It has 100.8 cubic feet of passenger volume; that’s about three cubic feet more than the Maxima and about six cubic feet more than the Sentra.

The Altima is equipped with many premium features and technologies to minimize distractions and help you enjoy the road ahead. A few technologies offered for the Nissan Altima include:

  • NissanConnect® with NissanConnect® Services
  • Advanced Drive-Assist® Display
  • Intelligent Cruise Control
  • Predictive Forward Collision Warning
  • Forward Emergency Braking

In terms of performance, the  Nissan Altima is more efficient than the Nissan Maxima. Its standard 188 horsepower 2.5L I-4 gets up to an EPA-estimated 28 city MPG and 39 highway MPG,2 and its 248 horsepower 2.0L VC-TURBO™ four-cylinder engine gets up to an EPA-estimated 25 city MPG and 34 highway MPG.2

Philadelphia | Maxima Altima Sentra

Nissan Sentra

Unlike the Nissan Maxima and Altima, the Nissan Sentra is a compact sedan. It’s smaller than the Altima and the Maxima, but its body is the perfect size for those narrow streets and tight parking spots.

Like the other Nissan sedans, the Sentra features a sporty exterior complete with premium amenities and design aspects. Even though it’s smaller than the Altima and Maxima, it still has enough space so passengers can sit comfortably. Overall, the Nissan Sentra has 95.9 cubic feet of passenger volume. It also has 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space.

When it comes to performance, the Sentra doesn’t offer as much standard horsepower as the Altima and Maxima, but it does provide exceptional fuel economy. It’s powered by a 1.8L 4-cylinder engine that gets 130 horsepower and up to an EPA-estimated 29 city MPG and 37 highway MPG.3 The Sentra also has a new available 1.6L turbocharged engine. This powertrain gets up to 188 horsepower and up to an EPA-estimated 25 city MPG and 30 highway MPG.3

The Nissan Sentra comes with technologies such as the NissanConnect® with NissanConnect® Services and the same safety technologies offered in the Altima and Maxima for entertainment, convenience, and peace of mind.

Maxima Altima Sentra in Philadelphia, PA

What’s the Best Nissan Sedan?

The Nissan Maxima, Nissan Altima, and Nissan Sentra are exceptional vehicles that provide their own individual driving experiences. With that said, the best Nissan sedan depends on your personal preferences.

If you’re in the market for a fuel-efficient car for your daily commutes, check out the Nissan Altima. If you want a car that’s sporty, speedy, and fun to drive, then the Nissan Maxima is for you. If you’re looking for a compact car with ample interior space, the Nissan Sentra is your best option.

No matter which Nissan sedan you choose, you can trust they’ll provide everything you need to better enjoy cruising through Doylestown and Lansdale.

The Maxima, Altima, and Sentra are now available at Montgomeryville Nissan! If you’re trying to decide which model is best suited for your lifestyle, schedule a test drive with us online or over the phone today.

 

1 2019 EPA Fuel Economy Estimates 20 city/30 highway/24 combined. Actual mileage may vary with driving conditions—use for comparison only.

2 2019 EPA Fuel Economy Estimates 28 City/39 Highway/32 Combined for Altima® S, SV, SL FWD; 26 City/36 Highway/30 Combined for Altima S, SV, SL AWD; 27 City/37 Highway/31 Combined for Altima SR, Platinum FWD; 25 City/35 Highway/29 Combined for Altima SR, Platinum AWD; 25 City/34 Highway/29 Combined for Altima SR, Platinum, Edition ONE VC-Turbo FWD. Fuel economy estimates based on 87-octane fuel. Actual mileage may vary with driving conditions. Use for comparison only.

3 2019 EPA fuel economy estimates for Sentra®:

  • 27 city MPG/35 hwy MPG/30 combined MPG for 2018 Sentra S equipped with Manual Transmission
  • 29 city MPG. 37 hwy MPG/ 32 combined MPG for 2018 Sentra S, SV, SR, SL equipped with CVT Transmission
  • 27 city MPG/ 33 hwy MPG/ 29 combined MPG for 2018 Sentra SR Turbo
  • 25 city MPG/ 31 hwy MPG/ 27 combined MPG for NISMO® equipped with Manual Transmission
  • 25 city MPG/ 30 hwy MPG/ 27 combined MPG for NISMO® equipped with CVT Transmission

Actual mileage may vary with driving conditions—use for comparison only.