2000-2003 Nissan Maxima

Nissan, in the process of molting the Datsun label, stumbled upon a delightful formula in 1981: the reasonably spacious, reasonably quick, affordable sport sedan. Nissan moved into a wing of the old sport-sedan castle, once the strict province of BMW, christened it 4DSC--four-door sports car--and refused to leave. Early Maximas were commercial and critical successes. With a fresh, angular new Maxima here for 2004, we might look upon the outgoing car as one with a Salvador Dali-esque "melted taillamp" treatment that signaled Nissan's dalliance with unusual styling.

Whatever you think of the wrapper, facts reveal the fifth-generation Maxima a consummately good car. With this iteration, the Maxima's DOHC 3.0-liter V-6 was enlivened from 190 horsepower to 222 and mated to a five-speed manual in the base GXE and sporty SE models or a four-speed automatic in the upmarket GLE (the automatic was optional in the other trim levels). For 2001, a 20th-anniversary model got a five-horsepower boost, while all 2002s received a 3.5-liter version of the engine, good for 255 horses. For 2003, the manual box became a six-speed available on the SE only, so this might be considered the most special of the group from a performance standpoint; other models got the autobox instead. Four-wheel discs with ABS were standard across the board. With the 2000 redesign, wheelbase increased two inches, benefiting interior room, while Nissan continued to fiddle with the twist-beam rear suspension that so horrified purists when it was introduced in the previous car. Short answer: It handles just fine, thanks.

Within the category, the Maxima represents a great value, with excellent performance and generous standard equipment. As enthusiasts, our pick is naturally the SE (or, for 2001, the SE Anniversary) for the manual trans, firmer suspension, and larger wheel-and-tire package, although be prepared to manage some torque steer. More torque from the larger V-6--up from 217 pound-feet to 246--weighs in favor of the 2002 and 2003 models.

While maintenance and reliability seem nonissues, the series did receive three recalls--the worst for a pin in the front-suspension lateral link that could break--and there are a few Technical Service Bulletins. Still, the Max is quick, inexpensive, and robust. That's our kind of car, eyebrow-raising styling or not.