Nissan Maxima vs. Honda Accord

The Honda Accord’s standard 1.5L 4-cyliner engine is turbocharged for an additional burst of power. With this outfit, it manages to produce 192 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque. While the Accord can be equipped with different powertrains, the highest output you’ll find is 204 horsepower.

In spite of that turbo tech, the Honda Accord can't compare to the standard 3.5L V6 engine found in the 2023 Nissan Maxima. With its V6 powertrain, the Maxima is able to churn up 300 horsepower and 261 lb-ft of torque on the regular. Naturally, it's going to leave the Accord in the dust.

Each sedan does come standard with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) though, which is designed to offer a smoother drive experience and achieve excellent fuel economy. The Maxima has an Xtronic CVT® with Drive Mode Selector. This allows you to seamlessly switch between Sport Mode and Normal to achieve the kind of thrilling drive you crave.

To help keep an eye on things, the Maxima will automatically display essential information thanks to the Sport Mode Power Meter. While the Accord also has a Sport mode feature, it doesn’t offer anything like the Sport Mode Power Meter, so it might be harder to monitor your vehicle’s performance.

In the Nissan sedan, you'll have a couple different screens to manage your media and vehicle diagnostics. To your right, there's the standard 8-inch color touchscreen. Just over the steering wheel, you'll have the Nissan Advanced Drive-Assist® Display, too.

While the Accord does come standard with a touchscreen of its own, it’s a bit smaller at seven inches.

The peace of mind granted by modern driver-assistance technologies is one of the biggest benefits to driving the Maxima or the Accord. Where the Maxima comes standard with Safety Shield® 360, the Accord has Honda Sensing® technologies. Both packages offer features such as High Beam Assist.

Features like Blind Spot Warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert also come standard in the Maxima. The Accord is available with a Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Monitor, but they aren’t included in the standard suite of technology.

The Nissan Maxima shows off with standard Dual Zone Automatic Temperature Control. This feature is perfect for those extreme weather days.

It also has a standard 8-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar support and leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. Together, these features imbue the Maxima with a sense of luxury. Unfortunately, all these features are missing in the base trim of the Honda Accord. Once again, in order to compete, drivers will have to upgrade to a higher trim.

The Maxima also comes standard with heated front seats, something only found on higher trim levels of the Accord. The Nissan Maxima further steps up its game with the available climate-controlled front seats with a heating and cooling function. Something similar is only available in the Accord on the highest trim level.

While these vehicles are closely matched when it comes to interior space, you’ll find that front-row passengers have more room to stretch out inside the 2023 Maxima. With 45 inches of legroom in the front row of the Nissan Maxima, passengers of the Accord will feel more cramped when they encounter the smaller 42.3 inches of legroom.