I purchased a G35 coupe back in the summer of 2002, not too long after the vehicle was introduced. This is my second Infiniti (my first being a QX-4), and the sixth Infiniti in my family. Needless to say, we have always been impressed with the quality of their vehicles and the service that Infiniti provides. This car is no exception.

The model that I purchased was the base model, and it ended up costing me a little under $27K. I did not elect to get leather seats or any of the other options. The one negative thing about the base model is the lack of options available. If you don't get leather seats, you also cannot get the Bose radio, a sunroof, power seats, the GPS, or anything else except a satellite radio or the aero package. I'm not a big fan of leather seats, and I wasn't happy that my choice of cloth prevented me from getting any options with my vehicle.

Next, I'll go into the details of the vehicle. For the most part, I like the design of the exterior however I'm not extremely crazy about the short, high back end. But although it wouldn't seem so, the trunk space is more than one would expect from a car this size. Shortly after purchasing the vehicle, three friends and I took a week long trip down to Florida and we had no trouble fitting all of our luggage in the trunk. Like others have said, fold-down rear seats would be really beneficial, however they aren't standard or an option. There are a few problems with the interior. First, I don't really like the volume and climate controls located on the right side of the console. When they marketed this car in America, they should have moved the controls over to the driver's side of the console like every other manufacturer. Also, there is an abundance of plastic with the base model. I really like the aluminum look of the leather models, but again, you have to get the leather packages in order to get a brushed aluminum interior. The only aluminum parts of the interior are the gear shift plate and the door handles. Everything else is plastic. Also, volume and channel controls for the radio should be located on the steering wheel. This is an option, but only with the purchase of the $900 Bose system. I think this should be standard.

Those are really the only problems with the interior. The cloth seats are of a very high quality and are quite comfortable to sit in. The driver's seat has an adjustable lumbar support, and all are scotchguarded. There is plenty of legroom, even in the rear. As I said earlier, I took a long road trip in my G35 with three other guys. They all commented about how the rear seats were comfortable and they had plenty of space throughout the trip. For those who don't choose to have the GPS system installed, there is an abundance of storage space in the front. I found the small compartment above the climate control display on the center console perfect for storing the small handgun that I have always kept in my car. The compartment located above the glove box is good for storing CDs. The compartment in the armrest is a bit small, mainly because it contains a power outlet inside. If they could move that somewhere else, there would be more storage space there. The interior also offers excellent visibility. There are very few blind spots with this vehicle.

The best thing about the G35 is its performance. With a 3.5 liter 260 horsepower engine, it offers excellent acceleration. The ride is smooth even at high speeds and the handling is excellent, even in adverse conditions. Its stiff suspension contributes directly to this. I have also found it nearly impossible to spin the wheels, even when purposely trying to do so in rainy conditions. The traction control works extremely well. Its performance in snow is also better than one would expect from such a powerful rear-wheel drive vehicle, and can be made even better by introducing snow tires to the vehicle. After driving the G35 for a year and a half, it's a big time change when I travel and am forced to drive a Taurus or other midsize car. Driving the G35 will spoil you because of its excellent performance. Gas mileage sticks pretty close to the advertised numbers (18/26), but the traffic in my city isn't really that bad and I don't have to do a lot of stop and go driving.

My G35 has been virtually maintenance free since purchase, with the exception of a couple of recalls, which can be expected when a new vehicle is introduced. One of the great things that you get when you purchase an Infiniti is the service that is provided by the dealerships. It's standard practice to give out loaner cars whenever the vehicle has to go in for maintenance, and the waiting rooms at the dealerships are usually stocked with snacks and drinks. Not to mention the fact that Infiniti really makes an effort to respond to customer concerns. They send out surveys about the dealerships and the vehicles and they place a great deal of importance in how customers respond.

This is an excellent all-around car. While it is not as luxurious as some of the more expensive Infiniti models, I think its performance makes up for this. If you're looking for a nice looking car that is fun to drive, the G35 is definitely for you. Although I'm happy with the car, I think that if I had waited several more months to make a purchase, I would have bought a G35 coupe or 350Z instead (neither of these models were out when I bought my G35). I care more about performance than luxury, and I think that those two cars would have better fit the bill for me. However, I don't think you can beat the G35's performance when you compare it to other vehicles in its class.
Amount Paid (US$): 26580