Transportation

Car Review: 2016 Nissan Maxima

Published

11 years ago

July 6, 2015

By Frank S. Washington
NNPA Columnist

PLYMOUTH, Mich. (NNPA) – You’ve got to give Nissan credit. The automaker has always been a little bit different; intrepid when it comes to going places where no others dare. This time the variance involved its flagship sedan, the Maxima, and how the company has incorporated its new futuristic design language into the car. In a phrase, you’re either going to love or loathe the 2016 Nissan Maxima.

But love it or hate it, no one is going to say the car is boring. Nissan continues to dub its flagship sedan as the 4-Door Sports Car. In fact, 4DSC was inside the taillight reflectors and the headlights.

From any angle, the 2016 Maxima was different. It had what Nissan called a V-Motion front end that included a dual V-shaped grille. The car had boomerang daytime running lights that curved around the inside of the headlamp housing and it had black A, B and C pillars that enhanced its floating roof look.

The body seemed sculpted and from the side it looked like two pieces, the front end at the wheel well seemed to dip lower than the back. That was because of the accent line that plunged deeply from atop the front fender at the front door. Designers looked at jet fighter planes for inspiration and gave the Maxima a sweeping canopy style from the outside.

An inch lower and two inches longer than the car it replaced, the 2016 Maxima looked more compact on the exterior. The same jet fighter style used to design the exterior was carried over into the interior of the new Maxima; the automaker called the driver’s space the cockpit.

Nissan’s interior designers raised the center console and dropped the start stop button onto it. The button pulses with light when the driver enters the car. And they angled the center console seven degrees toward the driver. Coupled with instruments that seemed to be placed deeper in the instrument panel, the effect was a wraparound feel that no doubt the designer was after.

The new Altima featured French stitching on the dash, doors and console. These days that is not overly special. But unlike many manufacturers it was actual stitching not molding. The difference is that with natural stitching, the color of the stitch (read thread) can be easily changed. On the Maxima, the stitching can be done in several different colors.

A flat bottom steering wheel confirmed the Maxima’s sport pedigree. Nissan offers two interior materials on its flagship: diamond quilted leather seat inserts or Alcantara. Both really gave the car a sophisticated look and feel.

We got in the back seat of the Maxima and found it to be comfortable and form fitting. There was plenty of head room, leg room was expansive, and there was a bunch of hip room since the seats were bucket-like and configured for two people, though there was a third head rest back there.

The car had a radar-based collision avoidance system that not only tracked the vehicle in front of it, but would bounce the beam off the ground underneath that vehicle to detect what the car in front of it was doing. In other words, the system was capable of monitoring two vehicles ahead. And it would also monitor steering wheel input and flash a coffee cup icon in the instrument panel to tell the driver it was time to get some coffee and wake up.

Under the Maxima’s hood was a 3.5-liter V6. It was the same engine as the old car but 61 percent of the parts were different. This new motor made 300 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque. It was mated to a continuously variable transmission that would feign shifting under aggressive throttle input.

We found this engine to be very responsive. The transmission did “shift” under hard acceleration once but once it didn’t. We think it depends on the speed from which the hard acceleration starts. The steering on the front-wheel-drive sedan was light – almost feathery. That made the Maxima very easy to handle. The car felt light, not performance car light but it was close.

And it was relatively fuel-efficient. The 2016 Maxima had an EPA rating of 22 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg combined.

There will be no options on the 2016 Maxima. That’s a gamble. Instead, Nissan will provide what amounts to a bundle system. The car has five grades or trim levels that will be cumulative: S, SV, SL, SR and Platinum S includes NissanConnect with navigation, an intelligent key with push button start, remote engine start and rear view camera. SV includes those features and adds leather seats, heated front seats and side view mirrors and a front and rear sonar system. And it continues like that right up to the top of the line. Nissan called it the grade walk.

Base prices start at $31,410 and ranges to $39,860. They do not include an $825 freight charge. By most accounts Nissan was prepared to discontinue its longest continuously running nameplate but the company had a change of heart.

We don’t believe the Maxima is for everybody. But we do believe that a healthy number of consumers are going to like what Nissan has done with the 2016 Maxima.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.

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Alameda County

Ferry Fares to Increase July 1 as Ridership Hits Record Highs

The Oakland and Alameda routes will increase from $4.90 to $5.10, the South San Francisco route will go up from $7.40 to $7.60, and the Vallejo route will increase from $9.90 to $10.

Published

1 week ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Courtesy photo.

By Mike Aldax, The Richmond Standard

Starting July 1, the standard adult fare for the San Francisco Bay Ferry route between Richmond and San Francisco will increase to $5.20, up from the current $4.90.

Discounted fares for eligible passengers, including youth, seniors, people with disabilities, and Clipper START users, will rise to $2.60 from the current $2.40. Children under 5 will continue to ride for free.

The Oakland and Alameda routes will increase from $4.90 to $5.10, the South San Francisco route will go up from $7.40 to $7.60, and the Vallejo route will increase from $9.90 to $10.

The adjustments are part of a systemwide fare update approved by the agency’s Board of Directors, which is moving away from a flat 3% annual increase to route-specific pricing for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years.

This fare update arrives as San Francisco Bay Ferry celebrates a historic May, transporting 301,270 passengers. The record-breaking figure represents an 8% increase over May 2025 and marks the third consecutive month of record-setting ridership.

Furthermore, it is the sixth month in a row that passenger numbers have exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Weekend travel has been a primary driver of this growth, with average weekend ridership seeing a 56% increase compared to pre-pandemic trends.

The agency states that the fare adjustments are necessary to ensure the long-term fiscal sustainability of public ferry services. By shifting to route-specific adjustments, the agency aims to offset rising operating costs while maintaining the high levels of service frequency and reliability.

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Business

V&C Foods: How a Bay Area Distributor Built Leadership Across Three Generations

Succession planning works when businesses invest in developing leaders before they’re needed. Victor and Judy did this with Steven. Steven is now doing it with Adam. Each transfer happened because someone took years to teach, to trust gradually and let the next generation earn their place.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 17, 2026

bpusa-syndication

By JPMorganChase

In 1945 in San Francisco, Victor and Charlotte Cortesi started V&C Foods with fresh eggs and a distributor’s vision. What makes the business distinctive isn’t just that it endured. It’s how succession actually happened. When Victor passed, his daughter Judy inherited the business and made a remarkable choice: she recognized that Steven Herrera, who’d spent years as a route driver being mentored by Victor, was ready to lead. She sold the business to Steven, ensuring the values and relationships that defined V&C would continue into its next chapter. Now Steven is mentoring his son Adam in the same way Victor developed him—teaching him operations, relationships, and what it means to lead through experience and responsibility.

V&C’s story reflects a broader truth about succession planning: long-term continuity often depends on intentionally developing the next generation of leadership, whether within a family or beyond it.

From Mentorship to Legacy

When Steven first arrived at V&C as a route driver, he was hungry to learn. Victor saw potential and invested in it. Over the years, Steven moved through sales, distribution, and operations—not just learning how the business worked but understanding why it mattered. By the time Steven purchased the business, he was a leader who’d earned his place through partnership and decades of trust.

Steven arrived at the helm with deep knowledge of V&C’s operations and a clear sense of how to serve the Bay Area’s evolving restaurant industry. He understood the Cortesi family’s core principle: reliability and quality matter more than anything else. Under his leadership—and the support of his wife Liz, and his children Victoria and Adam—V&C expanded thoughtfully by building on those foundations rather than abandoning them.

“We want to be the vendor customers don’t have to worry about,” Steven said. “And Victor always preached about clear communication—sometimes trucks are late, but he always kept customers informed. I drill those principles into my son now. We don’t want to leave any customer hanging. That’s the mantra around here.”

Deliberate Development

According to recent Chase research, 54% of San Francisco small business owners expect to retire within the next decade. In a city where one in seven businesses have been operating for 20 years or more, ownership transitions will shape continuity in local commerce and community life—making proactive succession planning all the more essential.

V&C planned deliberately. The Cortesi family brought Steven in early and developed him through real responsibility. When Steven took the helm and began scaling operations, he had the continuity and clarity needed to grow. Now he’s creating the same culture with Adam—one where the next generation understands expectations and has the tools to lead.

“I had a lifetime of familiarity with the business. I even worked in high school and college during the summers, and my dad taught me how to drive one of the trucks when I was about 18,” Adam said. “So I’ve done every part of the job, just like my dad, and I think that’s helped me.”

For roughly two decades, V&C has partnered with Chase. When Steven took over and began scaling operations, having access to financial tools and a banking partner aligned with his strategy made navigating growth and transition clearer. Chase provided the guidance that supported each phase of the business’s evolution—from Victor’s leadership to Steven’s expansion to today’s preparation for Adam.

“V&C Foods shows what enduring leadership really looks like—developing people over time, creating clear expectations, and planning for transition before it’s urgent. We’ve been proud to support Steven and the team with the tools and guidance to navigate growth, stay reliable for their customers, and prepare the next generation to step in with confidence,” said Gary Li, Business Relationship Manager, Chase Business Banking.

The Pattern That Lasts

That’s what makes V&C’s story distinctive and what makes it transferable. Succession doesn’t require biological heirs alone. It requires clarity about what you’re building and the discipline to develop people who can steward it, even when that means passing it outside the family. Victor and his daughter, Judy, mentored Steven for years. Judy worked alongside him for many more before trusting him with the business. Steven is doing the same with Adam. But bringing someone along that way—investing years in their growth, then having the financial clarity to pass the reins—requires more than good intentions.

Chase for Business can help guide that work. Visit chase.com/NationalTreasures or speak with a Chase Business advisor to learn more about succession planning resources and how to build the clarity a business needs to thrive across generations.

This article is for Informational/Educational Purposes Only: The opinions expressed in this article may differ from the official policy or position of (or endorsement by) JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates. Opinions and strategies described may not be appropriate for everyone, and are not intended as specific advice/recommendations for any individual or business. The material is not intended to provide legal, tax, or financial advice or to indicate the availability or suitability of any JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. product or service. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions, and consult the appropriate professional(s). Outlooks and past performance are not guarantees of future results. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates are not responsible for, and do not provide or endorse third party products, services or other content.

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

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Activism

New Bill, the RIDER Safety Act, Would Support Transit Ambassadors and Safety on Public Transit

The RIDER Safety Act would allow public transit agencies to hire transit ambassadors trained in de-escalation, crisis response, and rider education and engagement. Acting as a visible, non-enforcement presence to deter low-level incidents and reduce conflict, transit ambassadors would ease the burden from law enforcement and enhance public safety.

Published

5 months ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

BART train. Photo courtesy of ABC7.

By Post Staff

A new federal bill would support transit ambassador, or transit support specialist, programs at public transit agencies across the country.

The bill, (D-CA-12), H.R. 6069, the Rapid Intervention and Deterrence for Enhanced Rider Safety Act, or the RIDER Safety Act, was introduced Jan. 30 by Congresswoman Lateefah Simon. (D-CA-12), H.R. 6069, the Rapid Intervention and Deterrence for Enhanced Rider Safety Act, or the RIDER Safety Act.

This legislation is based on Congresswoman Simon’s work at Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to create a first-in-the-nation Transit Ambassador Program, which previously earned a prestigious nationwide award for “Innovation in Public Safety.”

She announced the bill at a press conference at the 19th Street BART Station alongside BART leaders and other supporters.

The RIDER Safety Act would allow public transit agencies to hire transit ambassadors trained in de-escalation, crisis response, and rider education and engagement. Acting as a visible, non-enforcement presence to deter low-level incidents and reduce conflict, transit ambassadors would ease the burden from law enforcement and enhance public safety.

This bill would also create jobs provide meaningful work, training opportunities, and a pathway for career growth in local communities. In the House of Representatives, the bill is also co-led by Representatives Shomari Figures (AL-02), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), and John Garamendi (CA-08).

“I am incredibly proud to champion the RIDER Safety Act in Congress and continue my work to ensure transit is safe, accessible, and affordable to everyone. We have seen the success of the transit ambassador programs here in the East Bay, and I am dedicated to bringing this proven public safety model to the rest of the country,” said Congresswoman Simon.

“These are strong local jobs for people who want to support public safety on transit and serve as a resource to individuals who may be in crisis or in need of services,” she continued. “Strengthening safety on transit benefits us all and helps ensure our public transportation systems remain places of opportunity, dignity, and trust.”

“This bill is critical to ensure the safety of every passenger who relies on public transportation across the country,” said Congresswoman Nellie Pou. “The RIDER Safety Act builds on successful transit models already implemented in communities, including the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) through the leadership of Congresswoman Lateefah Simon during her time as BART President. By providing transit stations with medically trained, unarmed personnel, we can strengthen safety standards, reduce fare evasion, and give riders a greater peace of mind when getting from one place to the next.”