Infiniti G35 Car Review

The Infiniti G35 Road Test
(Please note that this luxury version of the Nissan Maxima is not available in Australia yet)

Good points: Value for the money, service, handling, engine power, transmission
Needs improvement: Gas mileage, storage space, interior noise, brakes, slow heater

We have never gotten a year old model to test, but that is what happened when the G35 x arrived with 14,000 miles on the odometer and a full tank of gas. So this review is not on the 2005 model that has a much more refined ride, more power, a better instrument panel and console, and some tidy styling revisions, but on the 2004 model.

So where does that leave us? Well, the G35x is a good choice if you need a sedan with all wheel drive, a significant amount of power, and room for five, However, unless you live where inclement weather is a problem that all wheel drive option is not worth the thousands extra you are going to pay plus the reduced gas mileage. On a positive note the harsher ride on the 2004 model had not loosened any interior pieces and it was a fit, tight, eager to please sedan that would please an aggressive driver or just those who want to putt around town. Of course, either way you are hauling around 200 extra pounds with the all wheel drive model.

At present, there isn’t too much competition for an entry-level luxury car with all wheel drive. If you want more room, a softer ride, and all wheel drive and don’t mind a huge turning radius, the Ford Five Hundred is well priced almost $10,000 less the G35. If you truly worry about winter the low ride height of the G35 is going to be a problem and so we recommend a ride in the less expensive, but just as fast Subaru Legacy sedan or the Outback with the turbocharged engine. It costs thousands less, has more room and a higher ride height. If you want more luxury, but a lot less performance, the Jaguar X is priced similarly. Volvo also has a

Gas mileage for all of these vehicles is about 22 mpg. One reminder to anyone considering the Infiniti Gx is the potential for much higher insurance rates some companies add for all wheel drive.

Mom’s view: I didn’t mind the firm ride or the limited amount of interior space the G35x offered, but I just couldn’t figure out why the interior noise was so much greater than with the rear wheel drive model we tested last year. The 2005 model has even more horsepower with 280 driving the five speed automatic transmission than the 2004 we assessed. That is a lot of propulsion from a 3.5 liter V6 engine and so acceleration was never a problem. However, if you feel tempted to dip your right foot a little too frequently into the joy juice you are going to be hard pressed to get 16 mpg. Our test car was essentially a base model, but still came well equipped with automatic climate control, power and heated front seats, heated power mirrors, steering wheel ancillary controls, and high intensity xenon headlamps that are superb.

The one option we did have was the $3000 plus Premium package that included a sunroof, 200-watt Bose premium audio system with eight speakers and dash mounted six CD changer, driver’s seat memory with entry/exit assist, steering wheel memory, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, dual-zone climate control with micro filtration, auto on/off headlights, electrochromic auto-dimming inside mirror, one-touch open/close rear windows, HomeLink transmitter, and a full size spare tire. That pushed the price to $35,000 (US).

Safety wise the G35x has dual stage front air bags, curtain air bags for front and rear passenger head protection, front seat side impact air bags, electronic stability program, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution, and Brake Assist and, of course, all wheel drive.

One thing for sure, the seating on the Infiniti is not as comfortable as it should be. The placement of the controls are a puzzlement to me, and the passenger’s seat feels different than the driver’s for some reason, too. If you are wearing a full skirt you are going to have to tuck it under you in order to reach the power seat adjustments, which means more wrinkles. Also, if your thighs are a bit on the relaxed side you actually may have to reach under them to search for the power controls. Obviously, this is a design decision made without consulting a woman. The steering wheel feels good, but the ancillary controls make it difficult to use the horn. The stereo has some fancy tuning features that I never learned to appreciate. Also, the lettering on the center console is so light as to be unreadable. At night the interior lighting is exceedingly good and the speedometer easy to read. The leather seating surfaces are rather bland, nothing like the G35’s larger sibling, the Q45. The once striking Infiniti gold signature clock is now lost in the middle of the dash and actually looks a bit cheap.

Storage is adequate. The glove compartments are rather small, the center console has two levels, but both make it difficult to use the cupholders, and there is a small storage area on the top of the dash where a navigation unit would fit. There is a handy power outlet in the console. The trunk borders on small and the rear seats don’t fold down so long items may have to find their way home in another vehicle or be left for a better equipped bargain hunter. There is a ski pass through, which is quite fitting since the all wheel drive system works so well in the snow.

Dad’s view: Basketball is a game of match-ups. If you have a tall person who is quick or a short person who can jump the opposition is going to have a difficult time. This is what Infiniti has done with the G35x. It is faster than the competition, but smaller. On top of that the company offers an excellent four-year/60,000 mile warranty and its customer satisfaction has been well above average making it nearly unbeatable in the entry level luxury all wheel drive sedan niche. The downside is the question every potential buyer must ask; do I really need the extra cost, weight, and maintenance of all wheel drive? Regardless, Infiniti has created a mismatch for any opponent and they are winning more than they are losing.

All the buzz about this Infiniti is concentrated on the drive system that is computerized so that when all is well only the rear wheels drive, but when the sensors detect a slippage fifty percent of power can be directed to the front wheels. Make no mistake about it, all wheel drive still does not mean you can’t slip off a road or get stuck. And, with all the power the G35 has there is a great temptation to reach the car’s traction limits in a hurry as the car has great handling and corners exceeding well.

Although you can get a G35 with a manual transmission and even more horsepower, I felt the automatic was the best choice. You can shift for yourself by just pushing the transmission shift lever to the side, but unless you watch the tachometer religiously you are quickly going to come up against the rev limiter quickly, and the computer is going to automatically retard the timing ending your quest for supremacy.

Young working woman’s view: It was cold when I tested this Infiniti and the car was awfully slow to warm. Thankfully it had heated seats. I don’t know what the problem is, but if you buy a car that has all wheel drive the chances are you are going to be driving it in cold weather so why the wait? Maybe it was because I just left the dual zone automatic setting on 76 rather than asking for 80. The second annoying feature was the noise level inside the car. The sound of the tires was always audible and when you asked the engine for some respect the noise was significant, but not without its charm. When I tired of it I just let the optional Bose stereo automatically step up the volume. On the other hand, the radio reception was weak. If you live in an outlying area you might want to consider the optional satellite radio. The quality of the stereo itself was above average.

Young working male’s view: I never got used to the difficult to read gauges, the location of the seat adjustments, the heavy steering, or the way the G35 used up my meager tip money for gas. This is an Infiniti and so it should have some notable cuddling options, but outside of the potent engine, seamless transmission, and cornering there wasn’t too much offered. Remember that Nissan also makes a potent Maxima with nearly the same power at a much-reduced price.

Of course, if you live where you think you need an all-wheel-drive system that includes a “snow mode,” which evenly splits the power 50/50 to the front and rear wheels, this is a vehicle to consider. However, for less money you can get the Nissan Murano and a lot more ground clearance, albeit not nearly as potent. In other words, I would have to be pretty much enamored with some intrinsic need for all wheel drive to pay the extra money in costs, insurance, and maintenance.

I am no giant; in fact my parents took me to the hospital when I was young to see if I needed growth hormones. I didn’t, but there is a plus side to not being on the plus side of height and that is the fact that I could easily feel at home in the Infiniti where others found it a bit confining. Even the trunk is restrictive with less than 15 cubic feet of trunk capacity, which effectively removes it from a remake of the Good Guys.

I liked the look of the dash, but was perplexed by the Infiniti’s ergonomics. It is not difficult to learn, it just isn’t intuitive. For example, the Infiniti has dual zone climate controls but only one control operates both and you have to reach across the center stack to operate it. The read outs for a variety of data is separated from the other gauges and is harbored near the top of the dash. It provided the compass, climate control information, and exterior temperature readings. All were easy to read in bright sunlight or at night. The power outlet is easy to use for radar detectors and other toys of the transportation trade and the ancillary controls on the steering wheel enable you to modulate the audio system and cruise control. Because of the great amount of rain we had during the testing, we never used the cruise control so we can’t comment on its versatility and accuracy.

As a recorded hip-hop singer with my own small, but struggling recording company, I am into sound quality and I was disappointed with the optional Bose system when used as a radio. It has very little reception range, which should not be a problem since the Infiniti is equipped with a special antenna. However, if you travel with CDs it is a good unit and can play MP3 discs and change CDs quickly, but the stereo/CD option costs about $1000.

A few other tidbits that might sway your decision are that the warranty is quite good with Infiniti offering 72 months or 70,000 miles on the powertrain. The G35 also has two power outlets in the front, one in the center console, which is way too small to store much more than a cell phone which is probably why Infiniti put a change holder there. There is a strange storage area in the top of the dash. A navigation system goes there, if you can afford the $2000 (US) price plus you need the even more expensive Premium Package to order it. In other words, unless you have the $5000 or so dollars for these options all you get is a storage opening in your dash. Of course, if you keep the cover down people will never know you couldn’t afford the GPS.

Options I would order because of the weak radio reception would be either the Sirius or XM Satellite Radio. We have tested cars with both features and we are tending to lean toward Sirius, but either one is great. The other option is only about $250, and is wood trim on the shifter and door panels that give the interior a warmer note.

Family conference: We never understood the G35x try as we might. We dearly enjoyed its brisk performance, stimulating handling, and ability to tread on rainy roads with ease. Unfortunately, we liked the rear wheel model more and the extra money the all wheel drive version costs was something we could not justify. The G35 was our family car of the year when it came out in 2003 and we bought a G20 in 1995 and loved it dearly, and so we say unto you, brethren, Infiniti is the answer; the question is can you justify the expenses. Sporty car all wheel competition in this general price category includes the Audi A4, Volvo S60, Jaguar X, and Subaru Outback and Legacy sedans.

Written by The Car Family