I would use subds, but i guess CPS gets the same job done ata much faster speed (no polysmoothing is NOT the same thing a s subdivs). I espeacialy like the fact that aw has made sigle level subd a possibility since its much faser to work with (and no if it uses subd algorithms then it int CPS just to make the record straight). Anyway you can work wit thais kind of workflow even ina maya 4 with some twidfdling with a pretty hefty speed (i know i use it at home and i dont have a machine you couyld sey is ultra fast, just one of those missunderstood topics).
Also theres nothing wrng with nurbs either its just that it takes afffully lot of time preparing to modell if you intend to patch the surface.