For some time now, the Maxima has been an upscaled variant of Nissan's mainline Altima brand. Styling-wise, Maximas are Altimas with different sheet metal here and there to provide a distinctive appearance. (Though Altimas have had a somewhat similar "feel" over the time since they were enlarged in the early 2000s, Maximas don't strike me as having any design continuity beyond their Altima base.)
To set the scene, the 2016 Altima had a height of 57.9 inches (1,471 mm), according to Wikipedia. The height of the '16 Maxima from the same general source was 56.5 inches (1,435 mm). It's possible that the Maxima's roof sheet metal is a bit flatter than the Altima's. It's also possible that Maxima bodies sit a little closer to the ground. Perhaps both possibilities were in play.
Both cars have the same wheelbase. Obvious styling differences are in the side sculpting, the fore and aft door cutlines, the aft side window profile and the rear quarter shaping of the passenger compartment.
From this angle it does appear that the Maxima's roof is indeed slightly lower than the Altima's -- compare the front window upper profiles. This lower height is further enhanced visually by the high front fender curve, the rear fender curve and the wedge shaped sheet metal segment above it. These details, in combination, visually "nest" the passenger compartment, making it appear ever lower than it might have been otherwise. Clever.
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