Usually when an automaker is going to reveal a new or updated car model at a major auto show, it will announce what's coming, along with a coy teaser. That's exactly what Mazda did with the teaser trailer for what appears to be the new Mazda3, which will be shown at the L.A. Auto Show. But not Nissan. The company announced the updated 2019 Nissan Maxima will be at the show, and it straight-up showed the whole car at the same time.
Of course after seeing the car, clearly this wasn't a special or revolutionary update. It's just a light refresh of the sedan that's been around since the 2016 model year. You actually have to look closely to see the changes. The headlights have been updated and fully LED-lit units are clearly available. The grille has very subtle changes including a chrome "V" that has sharper corners and looks to dip slightly lower than the old model. There are now small intake grilles on either side of the main grille where the fog lights are housed. Additionally, the car will be available with Nissan's Safety Shield 360, which includes front and rear automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, and automatic high beam headlights.
Nissan hasn't given up the whole game yet, though. The company only released the photo shown above, so there are probably styling changes at the rear we haven't seen. There's also a chance the interior has been updated, too. No powertrain details have been given, but the 3.5-liter 300-horsepower V6 from the current model will undoubtedly make a return, as will its CVT transmission. Nissan did reveal that the new car will hit dealers in December.
