Infiniti G35 sedan
Forget the neighbors–impress yourself |
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By Richard J. Newman
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NITS: The rear-window defogger was weak. The "Infiniti signature analog clock" was poorly illuminated and hard to see at night.
G-FORCES: Yeehah! The 3.5-liter V-6 felt like afterburner-on-demand when I hit the gas. You have to be careful on the curves with that much power available, but very firm handling gave me a lot of confidence in the car.
GIZMOLOGY: The interior is handsome, though not elegant. Climate and radio controls are laid out pragmatically and don't require a lot of searching or fiddling to find what you want. The screen for the optional $2,000 navigation system stows neatly into the dash, with no sign that it's even there.
KID MARKS: My 4-year-old had trouble opening the doors from the outside, because the handles had to be pulled up and he wasn't tall enough. There's adequate space for two car seats in the back, with a useful armrest/cupholder console in between. An unusual option is reclining rear seats, which I didn't take advantage of but could be used to help kids sleep more comfortably on long rides.
HOT OR NOT? Not. The G35 is shapely but not especially distinctive.
ENVIROMETER: Not yet assigned a "green vehicle" ratings by the EPA. Mileage is 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway.
CRASH COURSE: Not yet crash-tested by the government or by private organizations.
PRICE POINTS: Base price is $27,645. Price as tested: $36,125. (All prices include delivery fees.)
MORE INFO: http://www.infiniti.com/discover
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Model year tested: 2003
It doesn't have the cutesy curves of an Audi, or the dignified posture of a Volvo, or the insta-status allure of a BMW. But the new G35 sedan from Nissan's Infiniti division has something all luxury cars should aspire to: A Wow! factor on the road that left me disappointed every time I arrived at my destination and had to get out.
I felt good the moment I slipped into the G35. The optional "exit assist" seat slid out to make room for me to climb in, then tucked me in close to the wheel once I turned the key. The driver's seat fit my rear end as if custom-formed. A fat armrest added the ambience of an easy chair. But this was no time to kick up my feet and relax: Unlike some luxury cars that aim to minimize demands on the driver, the G35 insists that you take the reins–and begs you to yank them hard.
Steering is taut, which transmits more road vibration to your hands than some drivers might expect in a luxury sedan. But the payoff is aggressive handling that encourages you to push the G35 harder on curves than you'd be comfortable doing in most four-doors. Rear-wheel drive takes away the jitters often associated with front-wheel drive vehicles in tight handling situations. And the 260-horsepower V-6 engine provides ferocious power that caught me by surprise. On my first day in the G35 I pulled onto a cloverleaf highway entrance ramp and punched the gas going into the turn, eager to see how the car would hold. I promptly did a mini-tailspin. After that, I never got close to calling on the car's full reservoir of power.
I relished every minute I was in the G35. And I might have enjoyed it more if I had paid for the car, because it offers a lot for the money. For less than $28,000, the basic G35 comes standard with features that are optional on cars that cost more: traction control, a 6-disc CD changer, steering-wheel-mounted radio controls, side curtain air bags, and that roaring powertrain. The $2,200 premium package and the $630 winter package on the test car added a few useful features, but if I were aiming for the most drivability per dollar I'd happily live without the one-touch rear power windows and the heated seats and the dual-zone temperature controls. The G35's only real deficiency is exterior styling that seems derived from an amalgam of luxury car designs: It's a pleasant look, but one without a strong identity. Perfect, in other words, for drivers who love to motor and couldn't care less who notices.
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