The 2000 Maxima offers more headroom and more legroom than before -- and more than any other mid-size car, including the Accord, Camry and Taurus. My 6-foot 4-inch riding companion barely brushed his hair on the headliner -- and our car was equipped with a sunroof.The rear seats are comfortable, but the Maxima doesn't offer as much space back there as many of the other cars in its class. The trunk is bigger than before and, though the Maxima doesn't lead the class in cargo capacity, it boasts more trunk space than the Accord and Camry. The rear seats split and fold down to make room for longer items. Nissan's California designers shaped the dash into a stylish wave that gives it an airy feel. The steering wheel and other controls were repositioned to improve comfort and the seats were designed to provide more support and dampen road vibration. A roomy center console accommodates 16 CDs or a cellular telephone. The leather GLE and cloth SE interiors are attractive and inviting. The GLE is the most luxurious with wood-tone trim and an automatic temperature control that's a big step up from the manual system. There's readout for ambient temperature. Power seats and an integrated HomeLink transceiver are included. (Most of this is available as options on the SE.) Optional heated seats are a luxury on cold mornings. Nissan worked with Bose to develop an optional stereo designed for supreme sound for both front and rear-seat passengers. We weren't impressed with the GXE interior, however. It doesn't offer the cheerful ambiance of the SE and GLE. The GXE trim looks cheap and will likely look worse in five years. We recommend spending the extra $1,200 for an SE. To be fair, the GXE does come with a high level of standard equipment and the seats are supportive and comfortable.
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