Having had a '99' and now drive a '06'...
 

The only thing I can say that I miss about the '99'--that I can remember-- is that the steering seemed more directly connected to the front wheels.
The 06 handles well, has more cornering and engine power, but the '99' had that light touch that made you think you could put the car just about anywhere in a turn.

Not sure if the weight went up that much between the 2 cars or the steering box/PS assembly changed dramatically, but there has been--in my mind--a degradation in steering feedback to the driver.