1999 Nissan Maxima The original big Japanese sedan is refined to the point of luxury. By Phil Berg, New Car Test Drive .com

The Maxima maintains two unique personalities: sporty and plush, depending upon which model you drive. The SE is the sporty sedan, while the base GXE and loaded GLE are softer-riding. The differences are not Jekyl and Hyde, but they are noticeable when you pick up the pace on a fun road.

We think the soul of this capable, good-handling mid-size sedan is best displayed by the SE, which we tested. The SE has a firmer suspension, and its larger tires stick to the road better. It is available with a refined manual transmission (as is the budget GXE model), a feature that's gradually disappearing from the mid-size sedan market.

The Maxima was previously restyled in 1995. The 2000 Maxima goes on sale this fall with rounder corners, but it will use the same V6 engine and platform as the current model. That may allow shoppers to bargain down the $28,934 price for an SE like our test car.