Review: 2009 Infiniti G37 Coupe (and Hyundai Genesis Coupe comparison)
03-09-09, 03:35 PM
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Review: 2009 Infiniti G37 Coupe (and Hyundai Genesis Coupe comparison)
By CL member request, a Review of the 2009 Infiniti G37 RWD Coupe.
http://www.infinitiusa.com/g_coupe/index.html
In a Nutshell: A nice upmarket sport-coupe, but tuned more for the street than for the track.
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Infiniti introduced the successful G35 series, in 2002, as a sport-sedan competitor to both the hugely popular BMW 3-series and the much slower-selling Lexus IS300 (I owned a yellow IS300, myself, at the time). The G35 got good reviews in the auto press for its spunky sport-sedan performance and handling, and compared favorably with the 3-series in a number of auto magazine tests, but lacked the 3-series telepathic steering feel/response. An AWD G35X version was offered for bad-weather areas, and for those who simply prefer AWD handling. But, mostly because of Renault/Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn's famous cost-cutting (which, of course, brought Nissan/Infiniti back from the edge of bankrupcy), the G35 took some lumps (fairly, IMO), for some shortcomings in the quality of its general fit/finish and interior materials. The G35, of course, was a very competent sports sedan under the skin, but the skin itself was less than impressive. However, despite the mediocre paint job and sub-standard interior, the first-generation G35 sold well, and was a general success, despite the fact that Infiniti repeated the same mistake that Lexus made with the IS300 by not offering a manual transmission the first year for enthusiasts.....they had to wait for the next year to get the stick.
Shortly afterward, a 2+2 G35 coupe was introduced, using much of the platform, underpinnings, and general body shape of the less-expensive, 2-seat, 350Z sports car, but with a slightly different-tweaking of the ubiquitous 3.5L V6, a small back seat for kids or packages, and a better interior than the 350Z's retro but CHEAP materials inside. The G35 coupe was marketed more as a upmarket/touring/GT type of coupe rather than a hard-edged sports car like the 350Z, and, fortunately, did not suffer from the notorious tire/suspension and hardware problems the 350Z did (I covered those, of course, in the recent 370Z review). The G35 coupe was also successful, like its sedan sibling, but, for some reason, Infiniti did not get around to adding an AWD option like the sedan had. I questioned the Infiniti people about this several times at the annual Washington, D.C. Auto Show, pointed out to them that the necessary hardware was already in place with the sedan, and that it would probably not be an expensive or complex matter to do, even getting it EPA-certified for sale. They agreed with me, said that my concerns were not alone; they had had a number of comments other than mine on the matter, and all they could do was report it to the high-level marketers back at headquarters.
Well, the G35 coupe, of course, never got the AWD option, but now, like the new G37 sedan, a new G37 coupe is available, and, yes, it DOES have the AWD option (G37X). I still think that Infiniti was somewhat negligent by not offering it on the G35 coupe, but perhaps (?) Mr. Ghosn and his top-level marketers (mistakenly) thought it would have cost too much, and shelved it. Anyhow, that's water over the dam now. My job, in this review, is to concentrate on the present, not the past, so let's get on with it.
4 basic versions of the G37 coupe are offered, for 2009, in the American market.....a base-model G37 Coupe, G37 Coupe Journey, G37 Sport 6MT, and, of course, the G35X AWD. A convertible is rumored (?), but there are no firm plans for a introduction date right now. All versions come with Infiniti's new 3.7L V6 with 330 HP and 270 ft-lbs. of torque. Sport MT models, as the name suggests, get a 6-speed, close-ratio, manual transmission. According to Infiniti's literature and web site, it does not seem to have the new rev-matching feature on downshifts that the new 370Z's manual has (I tried that feature out for myself in recent 370Z's review). All other G37 coupes get a 7-speed Sport-Shift automatic WITH rev-matching downshifts...yes, Infiniti DID put it on the automatic).
I myself would have liked to try out the new AWD version, but I had already had some experience with that basic system in the former G35X AWD sedan (though I didn't post a formal review of it), and the specific request for this review was for a RWD version. So, that's what I chose instead....a RWD, mid-level Journey version with the Sport and Premium packages.
Details coming up.
Model Reviewed: 2009 Infiniti G37 Journey Coupe.
Base Price: $35,600
Options:
Body-color Splash Guards: $200
Premium Package: $3200
Sport Package: $1800
Trunk Cargo Net: $60
Trunk Mat $105
Destination/Freight: $815
List Price as Reviewed: $41,830
Drivetrain: RWD, Longitudionally-mounted, DOHC, CVTCS, 3.7L V6, 330 HP @ 7000 RPM, Torque 270 ft-lbs. @ 5200 RPM, 7-speed Sport-Shift automatic with rev-matching downshifts.
EPA Mileage Rating: 18 City, 24 Highway,
Exterior Color: Amethyst Graphic (a light-to-medium smoke gray)
Interior: Stone (light gray) leather.
PLUSSES:
Handsome (IMO) body styling.
AWD (finally) available....this is long overdue.
Slick, well-done fore/aft transmission shifter has no zig-zags.
Good handling, with lack of body roll.
Excellent brakes.
Good road and wind noise isolation.
Superb paint job.
Nice exterior trim.
Reasonably solid exterior sheet metal.
Nice rear chrome bar instead of a tacky spoiler.
Classy, Infiniti-style, analog dash clock.
Slick, well-done *****/buttons/controls.
Clear, well-done primary gauges move up and down with power tilt/telescope steering column.
Superbly done steering wheel.
Well-done gauges.
Nice headliner and sun-visor material.
Superb interior brushed-metal trim.
Superb African Rosewood trim available with beige interior.
Nice interior seat leather.
Well-designed trunk hinges.
Well-finished but skimpy cargo area.
Standard trunk-mounted First-Aid kit and leather zipper-pouch for Owners'Manual.
MINUSES:
Rather pricey.
Unimpressive, peaky torque curve.
No manual transmission with the AWD version.
Slightly overboosted power steering feel.
Terrible underhood layout.
Cheapie wiper blades.
Slightly off-center driver-seat positon.
Somewhat complex, but manageable stereo/climate-control dash readouts.
(my test car did not have the NAV)
Temporary spare tire.
Somewhat small outside mirrors, with cheap plastic housings.
Rather noisy exhaust for an upmarket sports coupe.
Awkward, foot-operated parking brake, and a disadvantage in manual-transmission versions. (There was some confusion about this at first, but later comments/corrections by CL members showed that all manual-transmission G37 coupes have a hand-brake as standard....which makes sense. Automatic cars have the foot brake. I still found the foot brake awkward to operate, even with the automatic).
Virtually useless rear seat.
Very tight front headroom, even with the seat cushion all the way down.
Very small, shallow trunk space.
Front-seat cushions/bolsters slightly too narrow for large-framed people.
Freight charge slightly higher than for most of its competitors.
Generally unimpressive paint colors for a sports coupe.
Low ground clearance means difficult washing and going over bumps.
EXTERIOR:
Well, walking up to the G37 coupe, there is no mistaking the fact that this is the successor to the G35 coupe....the exterior styling is quite similiar (and still handsome, IMO), although the headlights, taillights, and trunk lid are a little different. The sheet metal is reasonably solid, and the paint job, once again, is superb....Infiniti paint jobs, superb in the 1990's, deteriorated markedly after Renault bought the company, and have just come back again in the last couple of years. Unfortunately, most of the colors, except the Athens Blue and Vibrant Red, are, IMO, too dull for sport-coupe use, and even the blue and red are not particularly bright. Come on, Infiniti.....this is a sport coupe, not a hearse for the obituary column. All of the exterior trim is solid classy, and well-attached. I particularly liked the polished-chrome bar across the top of the trunk lid, which, IMO, is MUCH nicer than a tacky, plastic rear spoiler. The wiper blades, however, are not impressive.....just a couple of rubber strips which hang out into thin air on both sides of the arm, without the conventional frame-surrounded blade-holders (this design seems to be getting more popular). The two outside mirrors are not up to those in some other upmarket-Japanese-designed products either. They are rather small, lack integrated turn-signals, and have unimpressive, light-feeling plastic housings. They do swivel and snap in place well, however. The generaly low ground clearance means, of course, difficult washing (there isn't much room to get a hose underneath to rinse the salt and dirt off), and speed bumps, ramps, and inclines may take some care to avoid scraping.
UNDERHOOD:
I lifted the hood and wanted to slam it right back down..........the layout was THAT bad. The hood itself is reasonably solid, and has a nice insulation pad and gas struts to hold it up. But, under the hood, it was a disaster. The 3.7L Nissan/Infiniti V6 was crammed in there tighter than Rosie O'Donnell in a size-10 bathing suit. Reaching anything on the side of the engine was virtually impossible. A big, ornamantal plastic cover hid the entire top of the engine. The battery, back on the left, was under a plastic cover, and the other components, back on the right, under another cover. A few bare-basic dipsticks, filler caps, and refill spouts were accessable.....and that's about it. In fact, this engine is crammed in so tightly I'm concerned about proper airflow around the engine...it could (?) end up, over time, suffering from heat-related maladies from lack of cooling.
Ralph Nader? Here's a job for you.........there out to be a law against designs like this.
INTERIOR:
Inside, fortuately, things were far more pleasant than underhood, with only a few complaints. The low roofline and sunroof housing causes an acute lack of headroom for taller drivers, even with the power-seat cushion adjusted as low as it will go. I still had to lower the seat-back rake a fair amount to get my head (cap or no cap) under the ceiling. The rear seat, with extremely tight head/legroom, is virtually useless even by coupe standards, although it is not quite as tight as the one in the Lexus SC430. The parking brake, a rather awkward foot-pedal, is not suited for use with a manual transmission while starting off uphill. And the front seats, while not acutely uncomfortable, were rather narrowly-bolstered for big, wide-leg/torso people like me and, well........Rosie O'Donnell. The driver's seat, itself, gives you a slight sense of skewing because you don't sit exactly in front of the steering wheel. You are shunted off to the right about an inch or so...just enough to be noticeable.
But the rest of the interior was quite pleasant......in general, I was pleased with it. The fit and finish of Infiniti interiors, like the paint jobs, has improved enormously in the last couple of years from the dark days of Carlos Ghosn's famous cost-cutting. The steering wheel is superbly designed and covered with an even more superb leather/stiching combination for comfort. The seat leather, with perforated holes in the center sections, felt like real leather instead of the now-common imitation, grainy, Tex-leather used by some competitors. The stereo did its job excellently, though not up to Lexus Mark Levinson stereo standards (I did a little round of AC/DC and Quiet Riot on it today). The stereo/climate controls, though utilizing an upper-dash readout that is harder to use than one located at the same level, nevertheless, were not bad at all....I've seen lots worse in upmarket cars. It should be noted, however, that my car did not have the NAV system, even with the Premium Package.....the NAV Package is a separate option. The primary gauges, like in the previous G35, move up and down with the power tilt/telescope steering column....a nice feature that lessens the chances of them being blocked by the wheel rim. The headliner and sun-visor materials looked and felt soft and classy....to compare, I reviewed an almost 70K Mercedes GL450 a few weeks ago where they felt like stucco. The gauges were clear, round, simple, and easy-to-read. I also liked the white dash lighting....a pleasant change, IMO, from the garish, back-lit, yellow-orange lighting of the previous G35. The *****/buttons/levers were solid, well-designed, and were generally easy to use. The interior hardware was generally solid, with few cheap-feeling parts. The superb brushed-metal trim felt like REAL aluminum...not the more common silver-painted plastic. An even more superb African Rosewood trim comes with the beige (Wheat) interior (my test car had a light gray leather).
Black (Graphite) leather is also available. The Infiniti-spec Rosewood trim is one of my favorites, with its natural-matte finish and realistic coloring.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
The low, raked-back roofline may look swanky, but, like on other coupes, cuts into the available size of the trunk lid. The trunk lid, while fairly small, does open up to vertical, though, with its clever, scissors-type hinges. Once open, the cargo area is well-finished, with a nice grade of black carpeting on the floor and walls, although the volume is rather small even by sports-coupe standards. It is also shallow...tall grocery bags and packages may be a problem, even with the optional ($60) cargo net. A temporary spare tire lies under the floor; out of place, IMO, in a 40K+ car. A nice First-Aid kit, typical of upmarket vehicles, is built into the left wall, with a matching zipper-holder for the Owners' Manual and booklets on the right wall. The rear seat drops down (with a trunk pass-through) for added cargo space, but I didn't see any remote-levers at the back of the car to drop them with...you apparantly have to do it inside. On the other hand, unless you have sensitive items in the trunk, you might as well leave the rear seat down anyway, as it's almost useless when it is up.
ON THE ROAD:
With a proximity "key" in the vicinity and foot on the brake, hit the START button, and the 3.7L V6 fires up and settles into a smooth, fairly quiet idle. Exhaust is fairly quiet at idle, but gets noticeably louder as you accelerate.....to the point where it seems more for the Miata/S2000 class than an expensive uparket sports-coupe. The go, though, doesn't quite equal the show, at least under the conditions I drove it. Like on most cars I review, it was a brand new engine, so I didn't take it anywhere near close to red-line. I did, though, give it heavy throttle up till about 4500, and the torque curve seemed rather sharp and peaky...not much was noticeable till around 3600-4000, and then it started to get noticeable, though you still didn't get that heavy a shove in the back. Torque, on paper, peaks (270 ft-lbs) at a rather high 5200 RPM, with the HP peak well above that at 7000, so you have to really keep the revs up on this car to be in the powerband (not the way a lot of Americans like to drive). Other than that, though, and the rather noisy exhaust, the engine is quite smooth and refined, as Nissan/Infiniti V6 engines usually are.
The 7-speed Sport-Shift automatic is slick, smooth, and quiet, even in manual lever/paddle-shift mode, although, IMO, 7 speeds are probably overkill....6 would do just fine, and make for a lighter, less-complex transmission. The column paddles are well-designed and work well, though the shift are not quite as instantaneous as in the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track. The console lever is equally slick/smooth and has a nice fore-aft motion rather than the annoying zig-zags on some cars.
The chassis is also well-done, though it didn't quite impress me as much as in some competitors. Handling was generally good, with fairly quick steering response and flat cornering, but the power steering felt a little too overboosted for my tastes. The front end went pretty much where you pointed it, with little under or over-steer and basically neutral handling, but there was not much of a connect-feel with the road, at least to my fingers. Ride comfort was surprisingly good for a well-handling sport coupe with 19", 40-series tires, but the tires may have been a couple of pounds off with the PSI.....my two tire gauges kept giving me different readings. Noise isolation, other than the droning exhaust, was quite good. Wind and tire noise were well-sealed on most road surfaces, even with the rather aggressive rubber.
Brakes were excellent, with very quick response, almost no mushiness/sponginess, quick action, and a smooth, even feel. The approxomated some of the better German sports sedans in that regard. The pedal was also well-placed for my big, size-15 clown-shoes, with no foot hang-ups between the brake and gas pedals.
One thing I liked about the G37 coupe, compared to other Infiniti products I've driven lately, is that it lacks the annoying, camera-operated "Lane Departure" system that many Infiniti products have, where a Nanny-Beeper assaults your ears (and senses) each time your front tires drift so much as one inch toward the painted center-line. I'm perfectly capable of driving a vehicle, even on twisty roads, without drifting across the line and hitting somebody head-on......IMO, if a driver cannot do something that simple, he or she should not have a license. Fortunately, those Infiniti products that do have that annoying device incorporate a shut-off button that disconnects it. Otherwise, I'd carry a handy pair of wire-cutters with me.
THE VERDICT:
Infiniti has come up with a nice, refined, well-finished replacement for its successful G35 coupe. The general fit-finish is light-years ahead of its predecessor. Many interior features are also much better than on the G35, although the lack of interior space is still there somewhat, especially headroom and cargo space. It is pleasant to drive, without being overly-harsh, generally treats the driver well (if you're not too wide like me), handles and brakes well, and won't assault your ears too much if you keep the revs down a little. The transmission and shifters are a pleasure to use.
But there are annoying features as well. The underhood layout is a disgrace. Tall drivers have to rake the seat back more than is optimum for best seat-harness protection in an accident. The rear seat is virtually useless....but that is true of many smaller sport-coupes. The cargo area, though well-finished, is small and shallow. And the engine, at low RPM's, could use a somewhat more aggressive torque-curve.
And the G37 Coupe is pricey. My mid-level RWD Journey version, even without NAV, listed over 41K....Sport and AWD versions would likely run even more, although discounts are probably available in the recession-induced buyers' market today. I saw both G35/G37 sedan and coupes today, with windshield tags, discounted some $6,000 off of list. So the G37 coupe is worth considering if you want a nice upmarket, refined coupe that is more street-worthy than track-worthy.
One of the requests, when I did the G37 Coupe review, was for a short comparison between the G37 and Hyundai Genesis coupes. Since I just did the Genesis Coupe 3.8 track review last week and the G37 review today (and both had automatics), I'll go ahead and write up a short comparison between them here. And, remember, this is strictly a casual street comparison, NOT a competition on the track for max-performance figures:
2010 HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE 3.8 TRACK vs. 2009 INFINITI G37 JOURNEY COUPE.
EXTERIOR:
I'd rate it about a tie. Both cars, IMO, are handsome, have reasonably solid sheet metal, solid-closing doors, nice paint jobs, and (generally) nice trim/hardware. Neither one is outlandish in the style department. The Hyundai, though, loses a couple of points for its tacky, plastic, rear spoiler, and the G37 loses a few points for its cheaply-done mirrors. Still about a tie.
UNDERHOOD:
No contest. The Genesis coupe, with its uncovered V6 engine, room to work on things, uncovered battery/hardware, and easily acccessable dipsticks/reservoirs, simply blows the G37 out of the water. True, the Genesis hood lacks an insulation pad, and has only one wobbly gas strut to the G37's two, but everything else under the G37's hood is a disgrace.
INTERIOR:
The G37 clearly wins here. The Genesis Coupe, as I pointed out in its review, lacks the interior ambience and quality materials of the Genesis sedan. While the silver-painted plastic and chrome in the Genesis Coupe is nicely-done, it can't compare with the G37's real aluminum and wood. The G37's control layouts, especially in the door panels, are far superior to the Genesis coupe. The leather used on the G37's seats is definitely nicer-feeling than on the Genesis Coupe. The G37's interior does lose a couple of points for tight headroom, a useless back seat, and narrow-bolstered seats......all worse than in the Genesis, but not enough to make a difference. The G37 wins inside.
CARGO AREA/ TRUNK.
The Genesis wins here, despite the fact that its trunk-lid hinges are not as well-designed as those in the G37, and it lacks the G37's first-aid kit. Both have nice carpeting on the floor and walls. Both have fold-down rear seats for added space. Both have a cheap temporary spare instead of a real one. But the Genesis has noticeably more cargo room, and the available room is taller, so more-upright bags and packages can be carried. The Genesis also has a handy remote-lever in the trunk for dropping the rear seats, while the G37 seems to lack that feature (maybe I just couldn't find it). The Genesis does have a slightly smaller trunk opening due to the rake-back of its roof, but not enough to make that big a difference. The Genesis wins here.
ON THE ROAD:
The Genesis narrowly wins, although keep in mind that this was the top-of-the line 3.8 Track model, which was clearly the most performance-oriented of the coupe line (Lesser Coupe models may not have the same spunk on the road).
The Genesis had noticeably better low-RPM torque, quicker-reacting manual-shifts, slightly flatter cornering, more feel, BMW-like, in the steering, slightly quicker steering response, and, overall, a more sporting feel. Both had excellent brakes....the Genesis's superlative Brembos winning by a nose. The G37 had slightly better noise control (except for the loud exhaust), with good wind/road noise dampening. The Genesis did lose some points for a poorly-designed brake pedal and a slightly stiffer ride, but, again, not enough to make a difference. The Genesis wins, again, here.
VERDICT:
If you want a classy interior, slightly less roadability/power, and more refinement, go with the G37. Otherwise, the Genesis is your choice. It wins, IMO, in all of the categories except interior design/ambience/materials. That Hyundai has managed to do this for a price that is some 10K less than the tested G37 Journey, IMO, makes the Genesis 3.8 Track coupe all that more remarkable.
Here's the Genesis Coupe review, if you want to directly compare the two:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...3-8-track.html
http://www.infinitiusa.com/g_coupe/index.html
In a Nutshell: A nice upmarket sport-coupe, but tuned more for the street than for the track.
Infiniti introduced the successful G35 series, in 2002, as a sport-sedan competitor to both the hugely popular BMW 3-series and the much slower-selling Lexus IS300 (I owned a yellow IS300, myself, at the time). The G35 got good reviews in the auto press for its spunky sport-sedan performance and handling, and compared favorably with the 3-series in a number of auto magazine tests, but lacked the 3-series telepathic steering feel/response. An AWD G35X version was offered for bad-weather areas, and for those who simply prefer AWD handling. But, mostly because of Renault/Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn's famous cost-cutting (which, of course, brought Nissan/Infiniti back from the edge of bankrupcy), the G35 took some lumps (fairly, IMO), for some shortcomings in the quality of its general fit/finish and interior materials. The G35, of course, was a very competent sports sedan under the skin, but the skin itself was less than impressive. However, despite the mediocre paint job and sub-standard interior, the first-generation G35 sold well, and was a general success, despite the fact that Infiniti repeated the same mistake that Lexus made with the IS300 by not offering a manual transmission the first year for enthusiasts.....they had to wait for the next year to get the stick.
Shortly afterward, a 2+2 G35 coupe was introduced, using much of the platform, underpinnings, and general body shape of the less-expensive, 2-seat, 350Z sports car, but with a slightly different-tweaking of the ubiquitous 3.5L V6, a small back seat for kids or packages, and a better interior than the 350Z's retro but CHEAP materials inside. The G35 coupe was marketed more as a upmarket/touring/GT type of coupe rather than a hard-edged sports car like the 350Z, and, fortunately, did not suffer from the notorious tire/suspension and hardware problems the 350Z did (I covered those, of course, in the recent 370Z review). The G35 coupe was also successful, like its sedan sibling, but, for some reason, Infiniti did not get around to adding an AWD option like the sedan had. I questioned the Infiniti people about this several times at the annual Washington, D.C. Auto Show, pointed out to them that the necessary hardware was already in place with the sedan, and that it would probably not be an expensive or complex matter to do, even getting it EPA-certified for sale. They agreed with me, said that my concerns were not alone; they had had a number of comments other than mine on the matter, and all they could do was report it to the high-level marketers back at headquarters.
Well, the G35 coupe, of course, never got the AWD option, but now, like the new G37 sedan, a new G37 coupe is available, and, yes, it DOES have the AWD option (G37X). I still think that Infiniti was somewhat negligent by not offering it on the G35 coupe, but perhaps (?) Mr. Ghosn and his top-level marketers (mistakenly) thought it would have cost too much, and shelved it. Anyhow, that's water over the dam now. My job, in this review, is to concentrate on the present, not the past, so let's get on with it.
4 basic versions of the G37 coupe are offered, for 2009, in the American market.....a base-model G37 Coupe, G37 Coupe Journey, G37 Sport 6MT, and, of course, the G35X AWD. A convertible is rumored (?), but there are no firm plans for a introduction date right now. All versions come with Infiniti's new 3.7L V6 with 330 HP and 270 ft-lbs. of torque. Sport MT models, as the name suggests, get a 6-speed, close-ratio, manual transmission. According to Infiniti's literature and web site, it does not seem to have the new rev-matching feature on downshifts that the new 370Z's manual has (I tried that feature out for myself in recent 370Z's review). All other G37 coupes get a 7-speed Sport-Shift automatic WITH rev-matching downshifts...yes, Infiniti DID put it on the automatic).
I myself would have liked to try out the new AWD version, but I had already had some experience with that basic system in the former G35X AWD sedan (though I didn't post a formal review of it), and the specific request for this review was for a RWD version. So, that's what I chose instead....a RWD, mid-level Journey version with the Sport and Premium packages.
Details coming up.
Model Reviewed: 2009 Infiniti G37 Journey Coupe.
Base Price: $35,600
Options:
Body-color Splash Guards: $200
Premium Package: $3200
Sport Package: $1800
Trunk Cargo Net: $60
Trunk Mat $105
Destination/Freight: $815
List Price as Reviewed: $41,830
Drivetrain: RWD, Longitudionally-mounted, DOHC, CVTCS, 3.7L V6, 330 HP @ 7000 RPM, Torque 270 ft-lbs. @ 5200 RPM, 7-speed Sport-Shift automatic with rev-matching downshifts.
EPA Mileage Rating: 18 City, 24 Highway,
Exterior Color: Amethyst Graphic (a light-to-medium smoke gray)
Interior: Stone (light gray) leather.
PLUSSES:
Handsome (IMO) body styling.
AWD (finally) available....this is long overdue.
Slick, well-done fore/aft transmission shifter has no zig-zags.
Good handling, with lack of body roll.
Excellent brakes.
Good road and wind noise isolation.
Superb paint job.
Nice exterior trim.
Reasonably solid exterior sheet metal.
Nice rear chrome bar instead of a tacky spoiler.
Classy, Infiniti-style, analog dash clock.
Slick, well-done *****/buttons/controls.
Clear, well-done primary gauges move up and down with power tilt/telescope steering column.
Superbly done steering wheel.
Well-done gauges.
Nice headliner and sun-visor material.
Superb interior brushed-metal trim.
Superb African Rosewood trim available with beige interior.
Nice interior seat leather.
Well-designed trunk hinges.
Well-finished but skimpy cargo area.
Standard trunk-mounted First-Aid kit and leather zipper-pouch for Owners'Manual.
MINUSES:
Rather pricey.
Unimpressive, peaky torque curve.
No manual transmission with the AWD version.
Slightly overboosted power steering feel.
Terrible underhood layout.
Cheapie wiper blades.
Slightly off-center driver-seat positon.
Somewhat complex, but manageable stereo/climate-control dash readouts.
(my test car did not have the NAV)
Temporary spare tire.
Somewhat small outside mirrors, with cheap plastic housings.
Rather noisy exhaust for an upmarket sports coupe.
Awkward, foot-operated parking brake, and a disadvantage in manual-transmission versions. (There was some confusion about this at first, but later comments/corrections by CL members showed that all manual-transmission G37 coupes have a hand-brake as standard....which makes sense. Automatic cars have the foot brake. I still found the foot brake awkward to operate, even with the automatic).
Virtually useless rear seat.
Very tight front headroom, even with the seat cushion all the way down.
Very small, shallow trunk space.
Front-seat cushions/bolsters slightly too narrow for large-framed people.
Freight charge slightly higher than for most of its competitors.
Generally unimpressive paint colors for a sports coupe.
Low ground clearance means difficult washing and going over bumps.
EXTERIOR:
Well, walking up to the G37 coupe, there is no mistaking the fact that this is the successor to the G35 coupe....the exterior styling is quite similiar (and still handsome, IMO), although the headlights, taillights, and trunk lid are a little different. The sheet metal is reasonably solid, and the paint job, once again, is superb....Infiniti paint jobs, superb in the 1990's, deteriorated markedly after Renault bought the company, and have just come back again in the last couple of years. Unfortunately, most of the colors, except the Athens Blue and Vibrant Red, are, IMO, too dull for sport-coupe use, and even the blue and red are not particularly bright. Come on, Infiniti.....this is a sport coupe, not a hearse for the obituary column. All of the exterior trim is solid classy, and well-attached. I particularly liked the polished-chrome bar across the top of the trunk lid, which, IMO, is MUCH nicer than a tacky, plastic rear spoiler. The wiper blades, however, are not impressive.....just a couple of rubber strips which hang out into thin air on both sides of the arm, without the conventional frame-surrounded blade-holders (this design seems to be getting more popular). The two outside mirrors are not up to those in some other upmarket-Japanese-designed products either. They are rather small, lack integrated turn-signals, and have unimpressive, light-feeling plastic housings. They do swivel and snap in place well, however. The generaly low ground clearance means, of course, difficult washing (there isn't much room to get a hose underneath to rinse the salt and dirt off), and speed bumps, ramps, and inclines may take some care to avoid scraping.
UNDERHOOD:
I lifted the hood and wanted to slam it right back down..........the layout was THAT bad. The hood itself is reasonably solid, and has a nice insulation pad and gas struts to hold it up. But, under the hood, it was a disaster. The 3.7L Nissan/Infiniti V6 was crammed in there tighter than Rosie O'Donnell in a size-10 bathing suit. Reaching anything on the side of the engine was virtually impossible. A big, ornamantal plastic cover hid the entire top of the engine. The battery, back on the left, was under a plastic cover, and the other components, back on the right, under another cover. A few bare-basic dipsticks, filler caps, and refill spouts were accessable.....and that's about it. In fact, this engine is crammed in so tightly I'm concerned about proper airflow around the engine...it could (?) end up, over time, suffering from heat-related maladies from lack of cooling.
Ralph Nader? Here's a job for you.........there out to be a law against designs like this.
INTERIOR:
Inside, fortuately, things were far more pleasant than underhood, with only a few complaints. The low roofline and sunroof housing causes an acute lack of headroom for taller drivers, even with the power-seat cushion adjusted as low as it will go. I still had to lower the seat-back rake a fair amount to get my head (cap or no cap) under the ceiling. The rear seat, with extremely tight head/legroom, is virtually useless even by coupe standards, although it is not quite as tight as the one in the Lexus SC430. The parking brake, a rather awkward foot-pedal, is not suited for use with a manual transmission while starting off uphill. And the front seats, while not acutely uncomfortable, were rather narrowly-bolstered for big, wide-leg/torso people like me and, well........Rosie O'Donnell. The driver's seat, itself, gives you a slight sense of skewing because you don't sit exactly in front of the steering wheel. You are shunted off to the right about an inch or so...just enough to be noticeable.
But the rest of the interior was quite pleasant......in general, I was pleased with it. The fit and finish of Infiniti interiors, like the paint jobs, has improved enormously in the last couple of years from the dark days of Carlos Ghosn's famous cost-cutting. The steering wheel is superbly designed and covered with an even more superb leather/stiching combination for comfort. The seat leather, with perforated holes in the center sections, felt like real leather instead of the now-common imitation, grainy, Tex-leather used by some competitors. The stereo did its job excellently, though not up to Lexus Mark Levinson stereo standards (I did a little round of AC/DC and Quiet Riot on it today). The stereo/climate controls, though utilizing an upper-dash readout that is harder to use than one located at the same level, nevertheless, were not bad at all....I've seen lots worse in upmarket cars. It should be noted, however, that my car did not have the NAV system, even with the Premium Package.....the NAV Package is a separate option. The primary gauges, like in the previous G35, move up and down with the power tilt/telescope steering column....a nice feature that lessens the chances of them being blocked by the wheel rim. The headliner and sun-visor materials looked and felt soft and classy....to compare, I reviewed an almost 70K Mercedes GL450 a few weeks ago where they felt like stucco. The gauges were clear, round, simple, and easy-to-read. I also liked the white dash lighting....a pleasant change, IMO, from the garish, back-lit, yellow-orange lighting of the previous G35. The *****/buttons/levers were solid, well-designed, and were generally easy to use. The interior hardware was generally solid, with few cheap-feeling parts. The superb brushed-metal trim felt like REAL aluminum...not the more common silver-painted plastic. An even more superb African Rosewood trim comes with the beige (Wheat) interior (my test car had a light gray leather).
Black (Graphite) leather is also available. The Infiniti-spec Rosewood trim is one of my favorites, with its natural-matte finish and realistic coloring.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
The low, raked-back roofline may look swanky, but, like on other coupes, cuts into the available size of the trunk lid. The trunk lid, while fairly small, does open up to vertical, though, with its clever, scissors-type hinges. Once open, the cargo area is well-finished, with a nice grade of black carpeting on the floor and walls, although the volume is rather small even by sports-coupe standards. It is also shallow...tall grocery bags and packages may be a problem, even with the optional ($60) cargo net. A temporary spare tire lies under the floor; out of place, IMO, in a 40K+ car. A nice First-Aid kit, typical of upmarket vehicles, is built into the left wall, with a matching zipper-holder for the Owners' Manual and booklets on the right wall. The rear seat drops down (with a trunk pass-through) for added cargo space, but I didn't see any remote-levers at the back of the car to drop them with...you apparantly have to do it inside. On the other hand, unless you have sensitive items in the trunk, you might as well leave the rear seat down anyway, as it's almost useless when it is up.
ON THE ROAD:
With a proximity "key" in the vicinity and foot on the brake, hit the START button, and the 3.7L V6 fires up and settles into a smooth, fairly quiet idle. Exhaust is fairly quiet at idle, but gets noticeably louder as you accelerate.....to the point where it seems more for the Miata/S2000 class than an expensive uparket sports-coupe. The go, though, doesn't quite equal the show, at least under the conditions I drove it. Like on most cars I review, it was a brand new engine, so I didn't take it anywhere near close to red-line. I did, though, give it heavy throttle up till about 4500, and the torque curve seemed rather sharp and peaky...not much was noticeable till around 3600-4000, and then it started to get noticeable, though you still didn't get that heavy a shove in the back. Torque, on paper, peaks (270 ft-lbs) at a rather high 5200 RPM, with the HP peak well above that at 7000, so you have to really keep the revs up on this car to be in the powerband (not the way a lot of Americans like to drive). Other than that, though, and the rather noisy exhaust, the engine is quite smooth and refined, as Nissan/Infiniti V6 engines usually are.
The 7-speed Sport-Shift automatic is slick, smooth, and quiet, even in manual lever/paddle-shift mode, although, IMO, 7 speeds are probably overkill....6 would do just fine, and make for a lighter, less-complex transmission. The column paddles are well-designed and work well, though the shift are not quite as instantaneous as in the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track. The console lever is equally slick/smooth and has a nice fore-aft motion rather than the annoying zig-zags on some cars.
The chassis is also well-done, though it didn't quite impress me as much as in some competitors. Handling was generally good, with fairly quick steering response and flat cornering, but the power steering felt a little too overboosted for my tastes. The front end went pretty much where you pointed it, with little under or over-steer and basically neutral handling, but there was not much of a connect-feel with the road, at least to my fingers. Ride comfort was surprisingly good for a well-handling sport coupe with 19", 40-series tires, but the tires may have been a couple of pounds off with the PSI.....my two tire gauges kept giving me different readings. Noise isolation, other than the droning exhaust, was quite good. Wind and tire noise were well-sealed on most road surfaces, even with the rather aggressive rubber.
Brakes were excellent, with very quick response, almost no mushiness/sponginess, quick action, and a smooth, even feel. The approxomated some of the better German sports sedans in that regard. The pedal was also well-placed for my big, size-15 clown-shoes, with no foot hang-ups between the brake and gas pedals.
One thing I liked about the G37 coupe, compared to other Infiniti products I've driven lately, is that it lacks the annoying, camera-operated "Lane Departure" system that many Infiniti products have, where a Nanny-Beeper assaults your ears (and senses) each time your front tires drift so much as one inch toward the painted center-line. I'm perfectly capable of driving a vehicle, even on twisty roads, without drifting across the line and hitting somebody head-on......IMO, if a driver cannot do something that simple, he or she should not have a license. Fortunately, those Infiniti products that do have that annoying device incorporate a shut-off button that disconnects it. Otherwise, I'd carry a handy pair of wire-cutters with me.
THE VERDICT:
Infiniti has come up with a nice, refined, well-finished replacement for its successful G35 coupe. The general fit-finish is light-years ahead of its predecessor. Many interior features are also much better than on the G35, although the lack of interior space is still there somewhat, especially headroom and cargo space. It is pleasant to drive, without being overly-harsh, generally treats the driver well (if you're not too wide like me), handles and brakes well, and won't assault your ears too much if you keep the revs down a little. The transmission and shifters are a pleasure to use.
But there are annoying features as well. The underhood layout is a disgrace. Tall drivers have to rake the seat back more than is optimum for best seat-harness protection in an accident. The rear seat is virtually useless....but that is true of many smaller sport-coupes. The cargo area, though well-finished, is small and shallow. And the engine, at low RPM's, could use a somewhat more aggressive torque-curve.
And the G37 Coupe is pricey. My mid-level RWD Journey version, even without NAV, listed over 41K....Sport and AWD versions would likely run even more, although discounts are probably available in the recession-induced buyers' market today. I saw both G35/G37 sedan and coupes today, with windshield tags, discounted some $6,000 off of list. So the G37 coupe is worth considering if you want a nice upmarket, refined coupe that is more street-worthy than track-worthy.
One of the requests, when I did the G37 Coupe review, was for a short comparison between the G37 and Hyundai Genesis coupes. Since I just did the Genesis Coupe 3.8 track review last week and the G37 review today (and both had automatics), I'll go ahead and write up a short comparison between them here. And, remember, this is strictly a casual street comparison, NOT a competition on the track for max-performance figures:
2010 HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE 3.8 TRACK vs. 2009 INFINITI G37 JOURNEY COUPE.
EXTERIOR:
I'd rate it about a tie. Both cars, IMO, are handsome, have reasonably solid sheet metal, solid-closing doors, nice paint jobs, and (generally) nice trim/hardware. Neither one is outlandish in the style department. The Hyundai, though, loses a couple of points for its tacky, plastic, rear spoiler, and the G37 loses a few points for its cheaply-done mirrors. Still about a tie.
UNDERHOOD:
No contest. The Genesis coupe, with its uncovered V6 engine, room to work on things, uncovered battery/hardware, and easily acccessable dipsticks/reservoirs, simply blows the G37 out of the water. True, the Genesis hood lacks an insulation pad, and has only one wobbly gas strut to the G37's two, but everything else under the G37's hood is a disgrace.
INTERIOR:
The G37 clearly wins here. The Genesis Coupe, as I pointed out in its review, lacks the interior ambience and quality materials of the Genesis sedan. While the silver-painted plastic and chrome in the Genesis Coupe is nicely-done, it can't compare with the G37's real aluminum and wood. The G37's control layouts, especially in the door panels, are far superior to the Genesis coupe. The leather used on the G37's seats is definitely nicer-feeling than on the Genesis Coupe. The G37's interior does lose a couple of points for tight headroom, a useless back seat, and narrow-bolstered seats......all worse than in the Genesis, but not enough to make a difference. The G37 wins inside.
CARGO AREA/ TRUNK.
The Genesis wins here, despite the fact that its trunk-lid hinges are not as well-designed as those in the G37, and it lacks the G37's first-aid kit. Both have nice carpeting on the floor and walls. Both have fold-down rear seats for added space. Both have a cheap temporary spare instead of a real one. But the Genesis has noticeably more cargo room, and the available room is taller, so more-upright bags and packages can be carried. The Genesis also has a handy remote-lever in the trunk for dropping the rear seats, while the G37 seems to lack that feature (maybe I just couldn't find it). The Genesis does have a slightly smaller trunk opening due to the rake-back of its roof, but not enough to make that big a difference. The Genesis wins here.
ON THE ROAD:
The Genesis narrowly wins, although keep in mind that this was the top-of-the line 3.8 Track model, which was clearly the most performance-oriented of the coupe line (Lesser Coupe models may not have the same spunk on the road).
The Genesis had noticeably better low-RPM torque, quicker-reacting manual-shifts, slightly flatter cornering, more feel, BMW-like, in the steering, slightly quicker steering response, and, overall, a more sporting feel. Both had excellent brakes....the Genesis's superlative Brembos winning by a nose. The G37 had slightly better noise control (except for the loud exhaust), with good wind/road noise dampening. The Genesis did lose some points for a poorly-designed brake pedal and a slightly stiffer ride, but, again, not enough to make a difference. The Genesis wins, again, here.
VERDICT:
If you want a classy interior, slightly less roadability/power, and more refinement, go with the G37. Otherwise, the Genesis is your choice. It wins, IMO, in all of the categories except interior design/ambience/materials. That Hyundai has managed to do this for a price that is some 10K less than the tested G37 Journey, IMO, makes the Genesis 3.8 Track coupe all that more remarkable.
Here's the Genesis Coupe review, if you want to directly compare the two:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...3-8-track.html
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-09-09 at 07:50 PM.
03-09-09, 04:34 PM
#3
"In fact, this engine is crammed in so tightly I'm concerned about proper airflow around the engine"
I hope you're joking here; do you think that Nissan engineers would release a car that's not getting proper airflow? Why do you care about the engine layout? Your typical shade tree mechanic won't be able to work on newer car engines whether there is enough space or not. Newer cars are best serviced at dealerships or by certified mechanics.
"The parking brake, a rather awkward foot-pedal, is not suited for use with a manual transmission while starting off uphill"
If you order the sports package with the G37 (coupe or sedan), you get a hand operated parking brake. Furthermore, the sports package adds sport-tuned suspension and Viscous Limited-Slip Differential (VLSD) which enhances the handling of the car.
I hope you're joking here; do you think that Nissan engineers would release a car that's not getting proper airflow? Why do you care about the engine layout? Your typical shade tree mechanic won't be able to work on newer car engines whether there is enough space or not. Newer cars are best serviced at dealerships or by certified mechanics.
"The parking brake, a rather awkward foot-pedal, is not suited for use with a manual transmission while starting off uphill"
If you order the sports package with the G37 (coupe or sedan), you get a hand operated parking brake. Furthermore, the sports package adds sport-tuned suspension and Viscous Limited-Slip Differential (VLSD) which enhances the handling of the car.
03-09-09, 04:53 PM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
Maybe not airflow, but the VQ is notorious for not lending itself to being tuned with much success, even though it's an awesome platform and prior engine of the year winner!
Great review as always mmarshall
Great review as always mmarshall
03-09-09, 05:11 PM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
It is true that modern radiators and coolants are so efficient that you no longer need as much air circulation around the engine as in the old days, but you still need SOME. In fact, that was one of the big problems with 3.8L Ford Taurus models for a number of years.....the engine was crammed in tightly ehough that there were numerous heat-related problems from little air cooling. That did not happen with the smaller 3.0L, which had more clearance.
Your typical shade tree mechanic won't be able to work on newer car engines whether there is enough space or not. [Newer cars are best serviced at dealerships or by certified mechanics.
It's also interesting that one of the best-selling engines today (the Subaru 2.5L flat-four) is also one of the easiest to work on.
The Porsche Boxster, IMO, is the absolute worst. It doesn't even have a HOOD for engine access.
If you order the sports package with the G37 (coupe or sedan), you get a hand operated parking brake.
Furthermore, the sports package adds sport-tuned suspension and Viscous Limited-Slip Differential (VLSD) which enhances the handling of the car.
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-09-09 at 06:00 PM.
03-09-09, 05:15 PM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
Thank mmarshall for your detailed review.
I would, spend some extra $10K for the G37 coupe, over the Genesis coupe. My subjective sense is telling me that the Genesis coupe looks weird inside out. I won't buy a vehicle if I don't fall in love on the look. It's too bad for Hyundai of building a nice driving car but looks ugly.
I would, spend some extra $10K for the G37 coupe, over the Genesis coupe. My subjective sense is telling me that the Genesis coupe looks weird inside out. I won't buy a vehicle if I don't fall in love on the look. It's too bad for Hyundai of building a nice driving car but looks ugly.
03-09-09, 05:21 PM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
You are correct about the VQ Nissan/Infiniti V6's. They are good engines, but in the G37 coupe configuration, I wasn't nearly as impressed with its low-end torque as with last week's Hyundai Genesis 3.8 Coupe. Part, of it, of course, could be to other factors as well, like transmission/final-drive gearing.
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03-09-09, 05:24 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
If you want sportiness, you will probably like the Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track more than the G37, although the G37 is a little more comfortable and efined for day-to-day driving. It also has a clearly superior interior.
I will go test drive a Genesis Coupe for s****& giggles lol. I will go with the SC so they will know that I'm not considering trading ha ha.
03-09-09, 05:32 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Sure. Anytime.
Styling, of course, is an individual subjective matter, but do you really think the G37 is that much better-looking? To me, while not identical, they both look more or less similiar. That's why I basically rated them a tie on the exterior, although, granted, the tacky-looking Genesis coupe spoiler is silly......Hyundai could have easily done without it.
Inside, there's no question about it....you're right on the money. The G37 is clearly superior inside in looks and quality. Hyundai did a nice job on the Genesis sedan's interior, but not the coupe's.
I would, spend some extra $10K for the G37 coupe, over the Genesis coupe. My subjective sense is telling me that the Genesis coupe looks weird inside out. I won't buy a vehicle if I don't fall in love on the look. It's too bad for Hyundai of building a nice driving car but looks ugly.
Inside, there's no question about it....you're right on the money.
The G37 is clearly superior inside in looks and quality. Hyundai did a nice job on the Genesis sedan's interior, but not the coupe's.
03-09-09, 05:32 PM
#10
i dont understand, how can the foot operated parking brake be awkward or not suited for use with a manual transmission when it doesnt exist? if the car comes with manual, which yours did not, it has a hand operated parking brake. unless you got confused?
03-09-09, 05:46 PM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
OK...If I misunderstood what you were saying, I'm sorry.
My car came with the automatic......AND the Sport Package. It had a foot brake, not a hand one.
To answer your question, though, a hand brake sometimes comes in useful on a manual transmission starting from rest uphill....it can help keep from rolling backwards. If you keep the handle pulled up with your right hand (on American-spec left-hand drive cars), while you quickly take your right foot off the regular brake and quickly shift it to the gas, and let out the clutch with your left foot, it will help prevent your car from rolling back into the guy that is just a couple of inches from your rear bumper. As soon as you feel the clutch engage, release the hand brake, and the and the car roll forward instead of backwards. You can't do that with a foot-operated emergency brake, because your left foot is tied up with the clutch pedal instead.
Though the majority of the cars I drive have automatics, I do it myself with manual-transmission cars that have hand-brakes, when the need arises.
Auto manufacturers have known about that problem for decades...rolling back on upgrades while starting with manual transmissions. That's why Subaru offered the famous Hill-Holder Clutch/brake system for years on some of their products, and Studebaker had roughly that same feature over a half-century ago, back in the early 1950's.
03-09-09, 05:49 PM
#12
Lead Lap
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Thanks, 8-speed.
You are correct about the VQ Nissan/Infiniti V6's. They are good engines, but in the G37 coupe configuration, I wasn't nearly as impressed with its low-end torque as with last week's Hyundai Genesis 3.8 Coupe. Part, of it, of course, could be to other factors as well, like transmission/final-drive gearing.
You are correct about the VQ Nissan/Infiniti V6's. They are good engines, but in the G37 coupe configuration, I wasn't nearly as impressed with its low-end torque as with last week's Hyundai Genesis 3.8 Coupe. Part, of it, of course, could be to other factors as well, like transmission/final-drive gearing.
03-09-09, 06:02 PM
#13
The confusion came from the fact that you cannot order a 6MT without a Sport package but you can order a Sport package without 6MT.
03-09-09, 06:10 PM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
You're correct, all 6MT G37s come with hand operated parking brake; I misspoke earlier by assuming that the Sport Package adds a hand operated parking brake.
The confusion came from the fact that you cannot order a 6MT without a Sport package but you can order a Sport package without 6MT.
The confusion came from the fact that you cannot order a 6MT without a Sport package but you can order a Sport package without 6MT.
You are correct. Thanks. I went back and checked the brochure carefully. MT versions DO have a hand brake, and ONLY come with the Sport package. Automatic cars, like mine, can have the Sport package without the hand brake (as mine did).
I'll go back and make a notation of this in the review.
I work hard on my reviews, and put a lot of time into them, but, occasionally, an error or a typo gets through.
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-09-09 at 06:14 PM.
03-09-09, 06:48 PM
#15
Lexus Test Driver
41k nicely loaded
Hardly a bargain for a car that is lackluster in regards to performance. I've driven my bros G37S and although engaging, did not impress me enough.....especially for that price!
Hardly a bargain for a car that is lackluster in regards to performance. I've driven my bros G37S and although engaging, did not impress me enough.....especially for that price!