I drove 2 cars that show how much things have changed since 2000

Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

For nearly four decades, the Maxima has been Nissan's flagship offering in the US. Over the years, it's built a solid reputation for offering a dynamic driving experience in a roomy sedan package.

The Nissan Maxima is a car with which I'm quite familiar. As an automotive journalist, I spend most of my time in cars behind the wheel of everything from Audi and McLaren's red-hot supercars to the latest electric cars from Tesla.

But my personal car is decidedly less advanced — a 2000 Nissan Maxima in a sporty "SE" trim. The 2000 Maxima was one of the finest Japanese sports sedans of its day. Armed with a powerful V6 engine and well-balanced handling dynamics, the Maxima was a real performer. 

But what makes my Maxima interesting is not what's on its option list. Rather, it's what is missing from the list that intrigues. There's no traction control (although it was available as an option), no surround-view cameras, and definitely no infotainment system to speak of. 

And while I only spend 15 to 20 miles a week behind the wheel of my tech-free Maxima, I find it to be a great palate cleanser from the buffet of technology-laden test cars that flow through Business Insider's suburban New Jersey auto test center.  

Recently, I had the chance to spend a few days behind the wheel of a 2016 Maxima on the streets of Atlanta. The striking blue Maxima test car Nissan let me borrow is decked out in their performance "SR" spec. It's a true descendant of my Maxima SE.  

This gave me the perfect opportunity to examine firsthand just how far cars have come over the last decade and a half. 

For the 2000 model year, Nissan debuted an all-new, fifth-generation Maxima.

Sixteen years later, Nissan rolled out an all-new, eighth-generation variant of its flagship sedan. While the exterior styling has certainly changed quite a bit, it's the in-car technology that's really moved forward.

Inside, my Maxima is truly a relic of a time before Facebook, YouTube, and the connected car. In one respect, it's virtually devoid of any technology. And yet, one could argue that there's beauty in its simple and uncluttered presentation.