First Glance
Every time I found the G35 parked out in front of my house, I was struck with just how good it looked. The G35 is simply gorgeous. Though it shares a platform with the G35 Coupe and the Nissan 350Z, the G35 Sedan is a much more conservative looking car than its stable mates. To my eye, it's elegant and refined, very James Bond in appearance. The whole car kind of leans back from the long hood, giving the impression of forward motion even in repose.
Large, stacked headlights with integrated fog lights give the G35 a predatory look, and make the car look taller. The big chrome grille that stretches from headlight to headlight adds some flash to the front of the car. The car's beltline rises along the side, finishing off in a high trunk lid with big LED taillights at each corner.
Infiniti has perfected the art of the shiny accent piece. The Infiniti logo, the polished oblong metal outline of an pie that's missing a slice, glints at the front and rear of the G35, catching the eye with its high quality. Eighteen-inch aluminum alloy wheels fill the fender wells at each corner of the car, fitted with meaty W-rated performance tires.
All of the visual cues add up to a car that looks fast, and doesn't look like just another BMW clone.
In the Driver's Seat
Some very high quality cows died to make my ride in the G35 divine, and I'd like to thank them for their sacrifice. The front bucket seats are a great combination of tough and supple, like a well-loved baseball mitt. 8-way power adjustment makes finding the right position a real possibility. In most cars, the first thing I do when I get in to drive is put the driver's seat all the way back. I'm 6'2", and I feel lucky if I'm not cramped behind the wheel. In the G35, I had room to spare, and even moved the seat closer to the wheel to get good purchase on the clutch. Headroom was also great, even with the optional sunroof (part of a $3,100 Premium Package). Tall guys take note.
The dash is well laid out, intuitive with large, easy-to-read gauges. The manual transmission MT6 model features a shift light at the top center of the gauge cluster, a handy feature that helps you to keep from hitting the rev limiter too often in the quick revving G35.
High quality materials, including brushed metal looking panels, make the interior of the G35 as elegant as its exterior. A sliding tambour door on the center console conceals convenient cup holders. A metal insert on the shift knob looks great, but gets really hot in the sun - ouch!
On the Road
When is it appropriate for a reviewer to give a Hillbilly holler? Woo-hoo! There, I've done it. The G35 is a blast to drive. Great power, gobs of torque, and scalpel-edge handling. Push the car hard, and you're rewarded with a great exhaust note from the V6 under the hood. The rear-wheel-drive G35 begs to be thrown into corners, and romps its way out with gusto. I would have trouble holding on to my license with this car. Serious trouble.
Despite the eager performance, the G35 delivers a smooth quiet ride. Passengers marveled at how well it handled rough patches of road. I put a couple of full-sized adults into the back seat and they loved their roomy perches, especially the optional reclining rear seatbacks. Even though they were parents with responsibilities, they enjoyed the neck-snapping acceleration that the G35 can muster in every gear. Let me hear some "woo-hoos" back there!
The G35 has a heavy clutch, so if your daily commute is bumper-to-bumper, you might want to opt for the automatic instead of the 6 speed manual transmission. You'd be missing out on some real fun, but you might make your everyday driving more livable. Personally, I'd opt for the stick-shift and find a less-traveled, curvy route to the office.
Jouney's End
If you're in the market for a compact sport sedan, you've just got to drive the G35 before you buy anything else. Sure, the BMW 3-series has an aura, and people will be impressed to see one in your driveway. But you can pick up a G35 for thousands of dollars less than a comparably equipped BMW, and you won't sacrifice luxury or performance. Compare the G35 to other Japanese offerings, like the Lexus IS 300 and the Acura TL, and the G35 gives you more horsepower, more torque and equal measures of luxury appointment for the money. The US manufacturers aren't even in this race yet, though they do offer some blunt instruments with more pure engine power, but nowhere near the handling capabilities. The Pontiac GTO and the Dodge Charger are good cars, but they're in a different category.
The G35 is not the perfect car. It could do better on fuel economy, achieving only 19 city/26 highway, according to the EPA. Fifth and sixth gears can be tricky to find until you get the knack. That hot shift knob is a menace. Adding a DVD Navigation (a luxury essential) costs an additional $2,000. But, man, does the 2005 Infiniti G35 reach all of my senses and give them a good shake. And that's what a great sport sedan should do.
