The Maxima is hardly a four-door sports car but its dramatic styling, comfortable cabin, and extensive list of features make it a compelling choice. There’s a 300-hp 3.5-liter V-6 under the hood but it’s mated to a CVT and drives the front wheels. Navigation is standard, as are two touch screens and dual-zone automatic climate control. Moving up the range adds goodies like semi-aniline leather seats, Bose audio and access to NissanConnect—a full suite of telematics and live concierge services.

Nissan is a brand on the move. And on a roll. The past two years have seen the back-to-back introductions of the segment-busting 2014 Rogue and 2015 Murano, which helped drive Nissan to record 2014 calendar year sales of 1,269,565 (+12.2%) in the United States.