Now that the Nissan Altima has assumed the role of a roomy mid-size sedan, the Maxima has moved up-market to a premium position. The Maxima has become a more specialized product and makes no apologies for what it can't do: It's not ideal for families, it looks weird from some angles, and it's not significantly quicker than the Altima. And that's just fine by us.

We like the Maxima's unique, highly styled personality, and we like its focus on performance. The sporty Maxima SE rides smoothly and quietly, while the more luxurious Maxima SL rides more softly. Cruising on the highway is effortless. Nissan's 265-horsepower V6 delivers responsive performance for quick passes.

Maxima's interior is innovative and comfortable with seats that are supportive and luxurious. The interesting Skyview roof, a glass panel running lengthwise over the front and rear seats, is the sort of feature associated with futuristic concept cars. Also interesting are the available rear bucket seats. Together, these features make back-seat riders feel like full-fledged adult passengers.

Safety has been enhanced for 2005. Front-seat passengers benefit from Nissan's Advanced Air Bag System as standard equipment. An advanced Traction Control System (TCS) is also standard.