Nissan Maxima vs Toyota GR 86: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Nissan Maxima burns about $3,050 of fuel annually against $3,050 for the Toyota GR 86. That $0 yearly gap compounds to roughly $0 over five years and $0 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Nissan Maxima is the stronger commuter at 22 mpg city, while the Toyota GR 86 pulls ahead on the interstate at 31 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Nissan Maxima is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (3.5), the Toyota GR 86 with 1 (SIDI & PFI). Across 8 recorded Nissan Maxima configurations and 8 for the Toyota GR 86, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Nissan Maxima is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, the Toyota GR 86 with Rear-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Midsize Cars and Minicompact Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Toyota GR 86 emits 360 g/mile of CO2 versus 363 g/mile for the Nissan Maxima. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.