Compare the2023 Nissan MaximaVS 2023 BMW 5 Series Sedan

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Maxima are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Maxima are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Maxima has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Maxima SR/Platinum has a standard Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 5 Series Sedan only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Maxima and the 5 Series Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Nissan’s powertrain warranty covers the Maxima 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the 5 Series Sedan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 5 Series Sedan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 3 times as many Nissan dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Maxima’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Maxima’s reliability 12 points higher than the 5 Series Sedan.

The Maxima’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 52 more horsepower (300 vs. 248) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (261 vs. 258) than the 530i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Nissan Maxima is faster than the 530i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

The Maxima has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Maxima has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Maxima offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the 5 Series Sedan; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare or run-flat tires, either of which has mileage and speed limitations.

For better maneuverability, the Maxima’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the 5 Series Sedan’s (38.1 feet vs. 39.4 feet). The Maxima’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the 5 Series Sedan xDrive’s (38.1 feet vs. 40.8 feet).

The Maxima is 3 inches shorter than the 5 Series Sedan, making the Maxima easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces. The Maxima is 3.2 inches shorter than the M550i.

The Maxima SR/Platinum uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Maxima has .6 inches more front headroom and 3.6 inches more front legroom than the 5 Series Sedan.

The Maxima has a larger trunk than the 5 Series Sedan (14.3 vs. 14 cubic feet).

The Maxima’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The 5 Series Sedan does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Maxima has standard extendable sun visors. The 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Insurance will cost less for the Maxima owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Maxima will cost $1945 less than the 5 Series Sedan over a five-year period.

The Maxima will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Maxima will retain 43.69% to 43.8% of its original price after five years, while the 5 Series Sedan only retains 39.57% to 43.24%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Maxima is less expensive to operate than the 5 Series Sedan because typical repairs cost much less on the Maxima than the 5 Series Sedan, including $308 less for a water pump, $424 less for a muffler, $88 less for front brake pads, $220 less for a starter, $7 less for fuel injection, $91 less for a fuel pump, $258 less for front struts, $480 less for a timing belt/chain and $140 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Nissan Maxima will be $14399 to $30661 less than for the BMW 5 Series Sedan.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Maxima and the BMW 5 Series Sedan, based on reliability, safety and performance.