 I drove the SR several times.  While it is the best Maxima yet in many respects with somewhat questionable styling, marketing decisions that Nissan made will drive some buyers away.  I'm currently driving 7th generation SV with Sports and Tech and I still like the car.  I was very excited when the 8th generation came out.  But Nissan's decision to keep basic features from the SR, specifically the moon roof and memory seats/mirrors, something I had in my 2009 Maxima, is troubling.  So, after driving the car and liking its road feel, I came to the conclusion that I don't have to loose the features that I like and there are other manufacturers out there that actually attempt to listen to what their customers desire.  I guess it is time to consider Acura TLX or even Camaro SS or Mustang GT.  Good bye Maxima :(