With a baby on the way, it was time to get rid of the dependable, but small, Integra my wife had been driving. We had actually been looking at cars for some time, but with a family on the way, it was finally time to buy. We had looked at the 2003 Maxima GLE, Honda Accord EX-V6, and considered some others (Camry, Passat, Legacy, Mazda 6). We were not looking at "entry-level luxury" - but we wanted leather (easy cleaning), four doors, and good power.
Last year, we thought we were ready to buy the Maxima and decided to drive the Accord just to compare. After driving the Accord, we felt there was nothing about the Maxima to justify the additional $2000-3000. There was nothing wrong with it, but the vehicles were so close, we couldn't decide and kept looking. At that time, I thought about the I35. But I assumed, since it is a dressed up Maxima, it's price couldn't justify the difference - even though I preferred the looks of the I35. I figured we would eventually get the Accord as we really liked it. The problem was, however, we could not find a interior/exterior color combination we liked.
We continued to casually look at cars. I noticed the price of the I35 falling with the release of the new Maxima and the G35. In fact, we were able to purchase our I35 for $26.5K with the cold weather package and satellite radio. Not to mention 2.9% for 60 months.
So I test drove the I35. I was immediately impressed with the interior. Sure, I could tell this was a Maxima at heart (which is not a bad thing). But it was much nicer than the 2003 GLE we had tested the year before. Was it head and shoulders above the Accord? No. But it's a less common car, better looking IMO, with a few more options (and some fewer), and available in color combinations we preferred. It's also a bit larger too.
STYLING (Subjective):
I really like the looks of the I35. Yes, it's conservative - but that does not mean unattractive. I was never crazy about the tail ends of the old Maxima or the Accord. And the new Maxima seems to just miss the mark too. The dash gauges are great in the I35 (wife hates the analog clock - I could care less either way). The wood is fake, but nice looking. PLENTY of room for four or five passengers.
RIDE: (updated 5/10/05)
I've heard complaints about torque steer and problems with the solid beam rear end in the Max/I35. I really have no complaints about torque steer. Torque steer seems minimal, although I have yet to really try a full throttle acceleration. But this is not a sports car and I see no reason why you would need to play race car with it. It is the low end power that is to be enjoyed. I have seen little reason to make use of the peak horsepower.
When I initially wrote this review, I felt the reports about the harsh ride were over-blown. However, after several months behind the wheel, I do feel this is a black mark for this car. It is not enough to have any reservations about recommending this car, but it is a weakness. Road imperfections, potholes, cracks, are transmitted directly to all occupants. The ride over bumps is more harsh than the SUVs I own. The ride over good roads is fine, but given how this car is marketed as "sport-luxury" it falls a bit short on both marks.
The ride is certainly toward the sporty end of the spectrum rather than the luxury end - but that is what I was looking for. Acceleration is terrific - smooth and powerful. The braking is wonderful too - I believe this benefits from the Electronic Brake Force Distribution (or something like that). It kicks in smoothly and stops the car quickly, but without being touchy. The cabin is not as quiet as I expected, but very nice nonetheless. I have been disappointed with the Bose stereo system. I am not an audiophile, but I've heard better. I've heard it sounds better after about 50 hours of listening time to "break" in the system. (Update 5/10/05 - No change - I still find the Bose stereo underwhelming).
OPTIONS:
The I35 comes with the typical options you would expect for a car in this price range. With the cold weather package, it has heated seats, front and rear, a heated steering wheel, and heated side view mirrors. The heated back seats are a nice touch, but I wonder how often small children will turn them on in the middle of summer. The heated steering wheel and mirrors will definitely get used this winter. The power rear sunshade is also a nice touch. The front seats are power with two memory settings for the drivers seat, great for the wife and I. Unfortunately, the mirrors are not part of the memory. Another nice touch, especially with a pregnant wife, is the drivers seat automatically retracts a couple inches when you turn the key off to allow easy entry and exit. The door controls are lighted, the radio/cc controls on the steering wheel are not (the 2005 Accord does have lighted steering wheel controls). The auto-dimming rear view mirror works very well. It does not have dual zone climate control, but the auto temp feature works incredibly well. I was not too concerned about the lack of dual zone climate control as the heated seats allows some personal adjustment by the passengers.
CONCLUSION:
I don't know that I would call the I35 a "luxury" vehicle as much as I would call it a "sporty-near luxury" vehicle. But with current pricing placing it in the range of a loaded Camry or Accord, and thousands less than an Acura TL or ES330, Honda and Toyota buyers may want to consider it.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 26500
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: I35, Cold Weather Pkg, Sirius Radio
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