Compare the2023 Nissan MaximaVS 2023 Honda Accord

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 Accord 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 Accord 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.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Maxima has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Accord EX/Sport/EX-L/Touring offers Cross Traffic Monitor.

Both the Maxima and the Accord have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Maxima its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Accord has not been tested, yet.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Honda With 25 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Honda.

The Maxima’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 108 more horsepower (300 vs. 192) and 69 lbs.-ft. more torque (261 vs. 192) than the Accord’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Maxima’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 96 more horsepower (300 vs. 204) and 14 lbs.-ft. more torque (261 vs. 247) than the Accord Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Nissan Maxima is faster than the Accord Hybrid 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid:

The Maxima has 5.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Accord Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (18 vs. 12.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Maxima has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Accord’s standard fuel tank (18 vs. 14.8 gallons).

For better stopping power the Maxima’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Accord:

The Maxima’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Accord are solid, not vented.

The Maxima stops shorter than the Accord:

For better traction, the Maxima has larger tires than the Accord (245/45R18 vs. 225/50R17). The Maxima SV’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Accord (245/45R18 vs. 235/40R19).

The Maxima SV’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Accord LX/EX/EX-L’s standard 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Maxima SV has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Accord LX/EX/EX-L.

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 Accord 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 Accord; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Maxima’s trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. Its intrusive beam hinge reduces the Accord’s useful trunk space.

The Maxima’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Accord’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

If the front windows are left open on the Maxima the driver can close them at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Accord can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

A power rear sunshade is standard in the Maxima Platinum to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Accord doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The Maxima’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Accord EX/Sport-L/EX-L/Touring.

The Maxima’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Accord offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

On extremely cold winter days, the Maxima SR/Platinum’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Accord doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Maxima has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Accord EX/Sport/EX-L/Touring.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Nissan Maxima, based on reliability, safety and performance.