BEFORE the second generation Maxima came along, the medium-size Nissan was not renowned for suspension excellence. That all changed with the 1995 version. An all-new suspension included an independent strut-style arrangement at the front and a new, clever beam axle at the rear that combined light weight with outstanding control. All this remains basically the same, except the rear suspension now locates its lateral arm behind rather than ahead of the axle to improve stability.