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Through several generations of cars and trucks, Nissan developed a loyal following and a reputation for reliable cars that seemed designed to match whatever Toyota had up its sleeve.

Brand loyalty and good financial times followed — for a while. Now, in times of tangled finances and a product line that went stale, Nissan is pushing for a comeback. And with its sights set on young drivers and families, it has produced the Xterra SUV, the Frontier Crew Cab pickup truck, and let out word that the Z sports car will be returning.

But the staple of the Nissan fleet has long been the Maxima, and back in 1984 when it was given a V-6 engine, it was a leader among peppy sports sedans.

Now comes the 2000 Maxima, and it is more powerful, bigger, and better handling than any of its predecessors. And with a base price of just $21,049 for the GXE, it is a wonderful bargain considering that, performance and comfort-wise, it is in a league with cars that cost a third to nearly twice as much more. Even the top-of-the-line GLE is priced at $26,249, still well below many comparable cars.

Nissan has taken a 3.0-liter DOHC, 24-valve V-6 and cranked out 222 horsepower. That’s more horses than corraled by the 1999 Toyota Camry, the V-6 Accord, or the Lexus ES 300.

The secret? New intake and exhaust manifolds, a variable induction system for air intake control, equal length exhaust pipes coupled with a muffler off the high-performance Skyline GT-R (a muffler flap valve opens at 2,000-2,400 rpms and cuts exhaust system back pressure), and platinum-tipped spark plugs good for 100,000 miles.

All this gives you 32 more horsepower than the last Maxima, and it delivers the power with a wonderful guttural rumble that the Nissan folks say surprised even them. Cars that cost $21,000 do not sound like this.

Available in five-speed manual or 4-speed automatic, this base-model Nissan GXE (automatic transmission) cruised easily at 75 miles per hour while turning only 2,600 rpms. This was while delivering about 25 miles per gallon in a week of testing.

It often happens that when a manufacturer wants a car to appeal to those who appreciate power, they bring on the power but lose something in handling — all part of keeping the cost down. Not so with the Maxima. This is a balanced car that handles its boosted power well. Got a peppy little Golf that wants to play tag with you as you come off an entrance ramp and onto the highway? You’ll leave the Golf driver wondering how this snub-tailed car left him in the dust of a decreasing radius turn.

To handle the power, Nissan has beefed up stabilizer/antiroll bars front and rear, with coil springs up front and a multilink rear suspension.

The Maxima tracks well in corners, snaps lane to lane on the highway, and its braking, using 4-wheel disc brakes and ABS, makes for straight and sure stops.

Afraid that you might get too playful with the Maxima, Nissan has insta lled an electronic shutoff at the 7,100 redline.

This is the fifth generation Maxima and the folks at Nissan Design International, Inc., in La Jolla, Calif., have set out to retain some of the old look of the Maxima — the chopped rear end, for instance — while adding softer, more curved lines from the front and up over the roof.

Seat yourself behind the wheel, and you know Nissan has not skimped inside, either. Just grab the steering wheel, notice the dimpled grips right and left, and you know Nissan meant this car for drivers, not just for travelers.

There is ample legroom front and rear, and with its windshield sweeping out and away from a broad dash, and its center-dash control panels flowing down to the console, it has the look of the new Mercedes S Class.

Of course, at $60,000 less than the Mercedes, the Nissan is not in that league. But it is in a league of its own for what it delivers at this price. The seats are broad and firm, even in the basic clo models, and add to the big-car feel.

The dark numerals of the gauges, set against an off-white background, make them easy to read and give the car a certain retro feel — one I last noticed on the Chrysler 300M, another car I liked.

This base-model GXE comes with standard refined suspension, ABS, keyless remote access, power windows, and locks. The test model had a sliding glass sunroof and a comfort and convenience package (including 16-inch alloy wheels, upgraded audio system, eight-way power driver’s seat) that added $2,068 to the price.

When you review a car, it is important to ask just who might be interested in it. In the case of the Maxima, I can see two key groups for whom this is a fine buy: First, young drivers who want a peppy car but just don’t have the money for that BMW or Saab Turbo. This is a great entry-level car while they wait for their next pay raise in their new careers. Second, this is a good buy for drivers who want comfort, reliability, and economy, coupled with a car that has enough power to let them move nimbly along the highway as they might in a more expensive sedan.

Nice touches:

— The use of the 60-40 split rear seat and the large opening (several pairs of skis?) leading back to the trunk.

— The pop-up top on the center console bin that turns it into a raised armrest.

— The toggle switch that controls both mirrors that is simple and easy to use.

Annoyances:

— I only wish the designers had given the front fenders a little bit of bulge. That would have given the car a crouched look befitting what is under the hood.

SIDEBAR:

The numbers

Base price: $21,049

Price as tested: $23,117

Horsepower/Torque: 222 hp/217 lbs.-ft.

Wheelbase/Overall length: 108.3 inches/190.5 inches

Width/Height: 70.3 inches/56.5 inches

Curb weight: 3,235 lbs.

Seating: 5 passengers

SOURCE: Manufacturer