GOLDSBORO, N.C. — For years Nissan has claimed the "four-door sports sedan" moniker for its flagship Maxima. And the all-new-for-2016 Maxima is designed for those buyers who are luxury intenders, but looking for a vehicle that is more sporting in both appearance and road manners. The Maxima delivers with more than just an alluring design — it also features a healthy 3.5-liter V-6 making 300 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque.

LAKE OCONEE, Ga. — Following three straight years of sales growth since the introduction of the completely redesigned second-generation Nissan Rogue for the 2014 model year, it has been given a mid-cycle refreshing for 2017 to stay competitive in the booming compact crossover market.

LAKE OCONEE, Ga. — An engine doesn’t necessarily make a car, but it can certainly give it swagger.  Take the Nissan Sentra for example.  Earlier this summer, I tested the Sentra and liked it very much.  But, when Nissan mentioned shoving the Juke’s turbocharged engine under the hood, stiffening the suspension, quickening the steering, and sporting out its exterior, I was ready for a drive.  At the recent Rogue and Rogue Hybrid preview in Georgia, I had my chance.

CARMEL, Calif. — The first generation Nissan Armada soldiered on for 12 years, limping into its final model year in 2015 with rumors that it would be terminated. But Nissan had other plans, perhaps driven by the resurgent SUV market including the big truck end of the spectrum. It now looks like a brilliant idea — revive the Armada in the image of its popular Infiniti QX80 cousin.

CARMEL, Calif. — For 2017, Nissan has refreshed the Pathfinder, its mid-sized three-row crossover utility vehicle. In fact, Nissan calls it a major redesign of the fourth generation model, introduced in 2013. The new design moves away from a rugged off-road look to a softer family-friendly style. Most noticeable is the new “V Motion” grille that, oddly, has more of a “U” shape, but is consistent with other newly restyled and released Nissan products.

DANA POINT, Calif. — Refreshed and raring to go, the 2016 Nissan Sentra isn’t the benchmark in the compact segment, but its impressive fuel economy, roomy cabin and affordable price put it firmly in the hunt. Justifying spending all the extra dough on a hybrid when the Sentra and several others deliver solid mileage numbers with a conventional gasoline engine may not make sense. Why spend an extra three or four grand on a hybrid scheme when you can get 30 mpg to 34 mpg in combined city-highway driving? That’s what Sentra delivers.