Nissan's redesigned Maxima sport sedan goes about its business with such easy grace that you wonder why pricier models can't do as well.
Maxima's long been Nissan's "halo" model: a go-getting growler that gives the whole brand a luster of quick-step performance and snap-turn handling. It's true enough: Nissans drive sportier than many rivals.
The Maxima's slightly bigger outside than the Altima sedan that shares Nissan's "D" platform, as does the Murano SUV and Quest minivan in a nice job of crafting different vehicles on one base. But it's mysteriously tighter inside: slightly less headroom, legroom and width than Altima.