The 2019 Nissan Maxima marks a significant step forward in safety for the model, building upon the redesigned version introduced in 2016. For model years 2019-2023, Nissan enhanced the Maxima with enlarged frontal and side curtain airbags, added knee airbags for both the driver and front passenger, and included rear seat-mounted side torso airbags. These upgrades were specifically designed to bolster occupant protection in the event of frontal and side collisions.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducted passenger-side small overlap frontal crash tests on the 2019 Nissan Maxima. Nissan provided the vehicle for this specific 2019 model year test. It is important to note that while the 2019 model was tested, the structural rating also incorporates data from a previous IIHS test of a 2017 Nissan Maxima, as the vehicle’s structure remained unchanged between these years.
The results of these tests provide a comprehensive safety evaluation for the 2019 Nissan Maxima in a challenging small overlap frontal crash scenario. The Maxima achieved a “Good” overall evaluation, demonstrating robust occupant protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | A |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
In detail, the structure and safety cage of the 2019 Nissan Maxima were rated as “Acceptable”. Crucially, all passenger injury measures for head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot were rated “Good”. Similarly, driver injury measures for all body regions assessed also received “Good” ratings. The passenger restraints and dummy kinematics, as well as driver restraints and dummy kinematics, were both evaluated as “Good”, indicating effective restraint systems in place.
Technical measurements from the passenger-side small overlap frontal test offer further insight into the 2019 Nissan Maxima’s performance.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTP1903 |
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 16 |
| Footrest (cm) | 13 |
| Right toepan (cm) | 8 |
| Center toepan (cm) | 6 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 0 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Center dash (cm) | 7 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 5 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 10 |
| Right lower dash (cm) | 10 |
These measurements detail the intrusion into the occupant compartment during the crash test. Lower occupant compartment intrusion measurements show consistent figures between the 2019 and 2017 tests, indicating structural consistency.
Passenger injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTP1903 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 76 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 14 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 17 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 1.1 |
| Right | 0.9 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 2 |
| Right | 4 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.41 |
| Right | 0.53 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 1.8 |
| Right | 1.2 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 49 |
| Right | 60 |
Passenger injury measures show low risk of significant injury. Head injury criterion (HIC-15) is low at 76, and there was no head contact with hard surfaces. Neck tension, bending moment, and Nij are all well within acceptable limits. Chest compression is minimal at 17mm, and femur and tibia forces are low, indicating a low risk of leg injuries.
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTP1903 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 36 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.8 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 9 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.14 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 19 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.1 |
| Right | 0.3 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 2 |
| Right | 3 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.53 |
| Right | 0.34 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 0.1 |
| Right | 0.4 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 23 |
| Right | 26 |
Driver injury measures also indicate a low risk of injury. The HIC-15 for the driver is even lower than for the passenger at 36, again with no head contact. Neck and chest injury metrics are similarly low, and femur and tibia forces are minimal, pointing to good protection for the driver in a small overlap frontal crash.
Overall, the 2019 Nissan Maxima demonstrates a strong safety performance in crash testing. The “Good” ratings across key injury measures for both driver and passenger, along with structural performance, affirm the safety enhancements made to this model year and continuing through 2023 models. For those considering a 2019 Nissan Maxima, these crash test results offer reassurance regarding occupant safety.
