Nissan Maxima– Christian Wardlaw's Opinion:
Nissan is advertising the Maxima as "new" for 2007, but it's not. It looks a little different, it's got a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and the interior has been upgraded, but this is the same car that's been on sale since 2004. That's not a bad thing, because the Maxima is fundamentally pleasing. One of knocks against the Maxima has been torque steer, and the new CVT does a pretty good job of lessening its impact. But the Maxima is still a nose-heavy machine, and when you pitch it into a corner the tires howl in pain even though the steering is sharp and the body roll is kept in check. Drive the Maxima less enthusiastically, and you'll be happy.

Photos by Ron Perry