NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - This year, three cars in particular stood out for failing to live up to all the hype.
Nissan Maxima Nissan's hot streak of winning models includes a $30,000-plus luxury sports sedan that looks great, performs better and has won too many awards to count. Alas, that car is the Infiniti G35.
The latest Maxima also easily tops $30,000, even though it shares a chassis, engine and suspicious number of parts with its Altima sibling
-- a perfectly fine sedan that costs a good $5,000 less.
Despite the upscale price, the Maxima couldn't carry the Infiniti's tie rod. It's by no stretch a luxury car, performance is unrefined, it carries a year-shorter warranty, and you'll seek service at the Nissan store instead of a pampering Infiniti dealer.
Sorry, but there's no room on Nissan Island, and it's clear which model can't pull its weight. The Maxima finds itself surrounded and set adrift by its own tribe. Can it float for long?
................. {omitted}