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Contrary to Nissan's "4DSC" marketing campaign, the Maxima is no four-door sports car in my eyes. It's definitely a sporty four-door, but it feels too heavy to be a true sports car. The 290-hp V-6 does make the front-wheel-drive Maxima quite peppy, but a consequence of this is that there's a fair amount of torque steer under hard acceleration. It doesn't help that a CVT (the only available transmission in this car) is the least sporty type of transmission out there. The CVT does its job pretty well, although the engine takes a while to wind out in "first gear" when you're shifting manually through the six simulated ratios of the CVT (selectable via the console shifter or the column-mounted paddles).

Hyundai's corporate work ethic and frugality have resulted in a strong emphasis on developing and manufacturing key components in-house. By avoiding the hybrid technology used in the Sonata Hybrid's chief competitors-the Ford Fusion, the Nissan Altima, and the Toyota Camry-the company has smartly dodged the licensing fees of patented technology and tapped existing hardware for its first gasoline/electric car.

Very mixed feelings about this car. On the one hand, it's hard not to really like something this pretty - it's a convincing Infiniti G37 knockoff - and this quick. And believe me, it is quick. The six-speed manual transmission is well worth the $2330, as it wakes up the ol' VQ and turns a well-mannered family car into a snorting, rorting beast capable of some very impressive second-gear pulls. There's more cause for celebration inside, where, despite some tacky faux leather and brushed aluminum trim, this Altima SR is far more mature than its predecessors. The small color screen on the non-navigation-equipped stereo unit is also a nice touch.