You can try out Maya PLE for free, which should give you an idea about it. Xsi is currently the cheapest 3D package available at about $500 for the basic version, and it's one of the easiest to integrate into a tools pipeline. I'm much more of a maya fan because it has a much better API than max (or xsi), however the learning curve is much steeper....

And yeah, Autodesk have messed up the interface to maya 8 by failing to understand that we used to buy Maya because it was NOT Max :(

Funny how people when they mention 3D Apps, they go straight for the apps that cost the most.
Blender, yes is free, yes it is complicated, but it is a great app.

Now I know I will get flamed for this, but I happen to like an app called trueSpace by Caligari.

The app, for the money, in my opinion, is the easiest one to learn by far. A beginner will have no problem learning how to use the software and interface, and it actually does a great job in exporting models, scripting, plugins, and rendering.

I think it's the best bang for your buck.