Nissan Cefiro

Nissan Cefiro A32 at a glance

The first Cefiro (A31) of 1988 was a rear-wheel-drive saloon related to the Nissan Skyline. For the A32, Nissan changed course: the new car shared its front-wheel-drive platform with the Maxima, and from this generation the Maxima became an export version of the Cefiro. The Maxima name was retired in Japan, while export markets kept it. Nissan's wider story is told in the history of Nissan.

Names around the world

Engines and gearboxes

The A32 introduced Nissan's VQ V6, an aluminium engine with four valves per cylinder that was praised for its smoothness and response. European cars were offered with a 2.0 V6 for markets where taxation favoured small engines, and with the 3.0 V6.

All versions drive the front wheels through a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. In the US, the 3.0 Maxima reached 60 mph in 6.6 seconds with the manual and 7.6 seconds with the automatic, quick for a family saloon of the mid-1990s. Some early Infiniti I30s with the manual gearbox had a viscous limited-slip differential. The 2.0 has a compression ratio of 9.5:1 and runs on regular petrol.

Chassis and suspension

Front suspension uses MacPherson struts. At the rear, Nissan replaced the independent suspension of the previous Maxima with a lighter multi-link beam axle, a cost-saving choice that many Japanese makers adopted after the early-1990s economic downturn. Critics noted the change, but the A32 still rode comfortably and handled well for its class: Car and Driver put the Maxima SE on its Ten Best list in 1995 and 1996.

Interior and equipment

The cabin offers space for five, leather upholstery on better-equipped versions, electric seat adjustment, climate control and an outside temperature display. The rear seat is about as roomy as in the previous model, and the seating position is higher. Because of the passenger airbag, the glovebox is small, but the storage bin under the centre armrest compensates. The boot holds about 440 litres.

Facelift and the Cefiro Wagon

Nissan facelifted the Cefiro in January 1997 with new multi-reflector headlights and tail lights; ABS and airbags became standard in Japan. A "Brown Selection" special edition with a chrome grille and brown interior followed the same month. Export Maximas received revised bumpers, five-spoke alloy wheels and clear-lens headlights, and optional side airbags were added for 1998.

From June 1997 to August 2000, Japan also had the Cefiro Wagon (WA32), an estate version of the A32. In some markets, European cars can be recognised by the QX badge on the boot lid and horizontal grille slats, while Gulf-market cars have vertical slats.

From A32 to A33

The third and last Cefiro, the A33, arrived in Japan in December 1998 and kept front-wheel drive and the VQ engines, with a 2.0, a 2.5 and a 3.0 V6; in Europe it was again sold as the Maxima QX, with 140 PS and 200 PS versions. Nissan dropped the Cefiro name in Japan in 2003, and the Teana (J31) took its place in some markets. The A32 therefore marks the turning point between the rear-drive, Skyline-related A31 and the later front-drive Nissan executive saloons.

Cefiro A32 in film

A 1990s Nissan Maxima of this generation appeared in the 2001 film The Fast and the Furious, driven by the character Vince (played by Matt Schulze), which raised the model's profile among tuning fans.

Rivals: how the Cefiro A32 compares

In Japan, the Cefiro competed with the Toyota Mark II and Camry and with the Honda Accord. In Europe, the Maxima QX faced executive saloons such as the Ford Scorpio, Opel Omega and Toyota Camry. Its strengths were the V6 engine and the equipment; its weakness was a rear suspension simpler than some rivals'. More cars of the era are listed among Japanese cars and classic cars of the 1990s.

Buying a Nissan Cefiro A32 today

The A32 has a reputation for durability, and simple maintenance keeps running costs reasonable. When inspecting one, check:

• Service history of the automatic gearbox.
• Smooth, quiet running of the V6 and no warning lights on the dashboard.
• Rust on sills, wheel arches and the rear subframe.
• Condition of the electric seats, windows and climate control.
• Originality: many cars were modified by tuning enthusiasts.