2005 Infiniti G35 Review

The Infiniti G35 sedan is among the sportiest of the so-called near-luxury cars. It's a true sports sedan, with a powerful V6 engine, rear-wheel drive and a sports suspension. All-wheel drive is available for the sedan.

The G35 is also available as a coupe, essentially a long-wheelbase, more luxurious version of the Nissan 350Z. The G35 coupe has a separate trunk instead of a hatchback like the Z, and it has a rear seat that can transport smaller members of the family.

The 2005 Infiniti G35 brings substantial upgrades. The interior has been improved with richer materials, softer leather, and real aluminum or rosewood trim, along with revisions to the switchgear. The G35 gets more horsepower for 2005. The brakes are bigger. The sport suspension has been refined to improve ride quality. Styling revisions front and rear make the 2005 G35 sedan more closely resemble the hunky-looking coupe.

The G35 sedan corners better than most front-drive sedans like the Acura TL and it boasts more horsepower than the rear-wheel-drive BMW 330i, Lexus IS 300, and Mercedes-Benz C320. It's also practical, offering more interior space than other cars in the near-luxury class. The G35's daring design, with stacked headlamps, catamaran fenders, and short overhangs, gives both sedan and coupe a unique look we find appealing. The G35 costs less than a comparable BMW, Lexus or Mercedes, but it gives up nothing in handling and performance.

The G35 sedan was introduced in March 2002 as a 2003 model, representing an affordable alternative to the BMW 3 Series sedans. The G35 coupe followed that fall. Infiniti launched the G35x sedan as a 2004 model with the all-wheel-drive system from its well-received FX luxury crossover vehicle. For 2005, G35 gets a good makeover inside and out.

The styling of the G35 sedan has been freshened for 2005 with new headlights and bumpers and a new, lightweight aluminum hood and trunk. In the front valance, air intake ports are larger and wide open, rather than split by a horizontal bar. The hood is shaped with a single crease running down its center. In back, LED taillights are now molded in a single red color, and the bumper has fewer creases. The matte black strip that previously ran around the bottom of the bumpers and door sills is now painted to match the body. The changes are subtle, but give the G35 sedan a more substantial look and emphasize its resemblance to the G35 coupe. From the front, it looks sportier, more upscale, more expensive. From the rear, it looks tidier, classier, more upscale.

Coupe or sedan, the G35 will never be mistaken for one of the anonymous looking Japanese coupes or sedans that pepper the marketplace. The G35 grabs your attention with its stacked, vertically oriented headlamps. Fog lamps are integrated into the complex headlamp cluster, adding to its aggressive appearance in the rearview mirrors of other drivers. The horizontal grille identifies the G35 as an Infiniti.

The raised front fenders were inspired by a catamaran, and look great from outside and inside the car. These fenders also manage airflow by reducing spillage off the sides of the hood. The smooth visual line flowing from the front fenders through the side profile cuts off crisply at the rear, expressing a balance between sport and function. The C-pillar and rear fenders accentuate the spaciousness of the cabin, while the large greenhouse provides good visibility from all seating positions.

The short rear deck ends in a crisp crease. L-shaped tail lamps suggest BMW performance and use a cluster of bright LEDs to pierce the fog and illuminate more quickly when the brake pedal is depressed.

Much of the G35's design was developed from Nissan's experience racing prototype sports cars in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. There's a strong emphasis on aerodynamics, especially on the control of airflow under the body. The extensive use of diffusers and deflectors helps the G35 achieve 0 degrees of front lift, reducing drag and wind noise at high speeds and contributing to stability. With the optional rear spoiler, 0 degrees of rear lift is achieved. While front-drive sedans use rear spoilers for decoration, the rear-drive G35 benefits, particularly in a wet, high-speed turn. The G35 sedan has an exceptional coefficient of drag of just 0.27 for reduced wind noise and increased fuel economy.

The G35 coupe shares visual elements with the sedan, as well as its 112-inch wheelbase. Yet the coupe is shorter overall than the sedan (182.2 inches versus 186.5), wider (71.5 inches versus 69.0), and lower (54.8 inches versus 57.7). And while the coupe has a lot in common with Nissan's 350Z, the two differ in several important ways. The G35's wheelbase is 8 inches longer than the Z's and the G35 is nearly 17 inches longer overall. While the Z is a hatchback, the G35 coupe has a separate trunk. And while the Z has no rear seat, the G35 coupe is a two-plus-two, providing tight accommodations for back-seat passengers.

From a functional standpoint, we prefer the exterior door handles on the coupe over those on the sedan, which aren't as easy to operate.

The G35 sedan and coupe ride on the same rear-wheel-drive platform as the Nissan 350Z sports car and Infiniti FX35 and FX45 crossover luxury/utilities. This platform was specifically designed for mounting a V6 longitudinally behind the front axle in the so-called front mid-ship position. (Front-wheel-drive sedans typically mount their engines sideways, in front of the front axle.) Moving the engine rearward improves the balance of the car, and is a key to the G35's excellent handling. Rear-wheel drive is preferred by performance driving enthusiasts for its purer steering response and an inherent capability to turn the car using the gas pedal.

A long wheelbase (112 inches between front and rear wheels) contributes to the G35's stability, especially at high speeds. A wide track (the distance between the left and right wheels) adds to its stability in corners. Short front and rear overhangs, a hallmark of the widely heralded BMW 3 Series, improve handling by balancing weight rearward, toward the center of the car (instead of toward the front). These design elements also help the G35 lead the near-luxury class in interior room and trunk volume. The location of the G35's compact V6 allows for a low, aggressive hood line, which flows into the sharply angled windshield and contributes to the G35's sporty, powerful silhouette.