2009 Nissan Maxima

"The cockpit is superb," says editor at large Arthur St. Antoine, "light years better than the old car's, and one of the best in the class."

A fan of the interior? Yes. A fan of the car as a whole? Not really. "For cruising around town, the Maxima works well enough. But after a while the CVT and its peculiar, non-sporty behavior get tiresome. In my opinion, it wrecks this car. And the front-drive layout finishes the job. If Nissan's intent really was to build a 'four-door sports car,' the choice of FWD seems absurd. Why would you ever buy this car over an Infiniti G37?" On Web producer Melissa Speiring's baby seat test: "I had to have Kirill's strength to help me attach the two lower latches to the rear seat. The hooks are located deep in the cushions, and the straps of the baby seat barely reached them."