INFINITI G37 Sedan Review

Before actually driving the car, we were inclined to think it might prove to be a bit uncomfortable, especially suspension-wise. Upon seeing the 18-inch alloy wheels engulfed in low-profile performance tires, our opinions strengthened. Truth is, we were a bit wrong. A little more than a bit, actually.

You see, the Infiniti G37 Sedan has one of the most compromising types of suspension setup we've ever encountered. Sporty and stiff during hard cornering, braking or accelerating and mildly... let's not call it exactly soft, but comfortable whenever cruising around town or the open road. Sure, we're not saying that the G37 is the most comfortable medium sedan out there (because it isn't), but it sure felt better than the BMW 330d xDrive on paved roads. Both cars were rolling on 18-inch wheels by the way.

At the limit, it feels every bit as sporty and as accurate as a top of the line BMW 3-Series, but the comfort is much improved. The comfort features inside the car are also on the high side, starting with the heated front seats with no less than five heating stages and ending with the highly intelligent cruise control system.

In other words, our test car had the (mandatory, in this class) dual-zone climate control system, a Bose audio system, the aforementioned heated front seats, reclining rear seats and a leather upholstery of Bentley quality. Too bad the upholstery had been sprayed or oiled with some weird smelling substance by the dealer from where we borrowed the car and it smelled like wet dog inside.

So, apart from the somewhat stiff suspension on really hardcore roads and the interior space which is not exactly as large as you would expect, the Infiniti G37 Sedan is quite a comfortable car. We would go as far as say that it's probably the most comfortable medium sports sedan out there.

As we mentioned before, unfortunately we didn't get to test an all-wheel drive G37, or one with integral steering. Even so, the amount of juicy technical bits is more than enough for the casual techno-freak. Let's start with the platform itself, since it's defining for most of the Infiniti model range.

Just like in almost any BMW, the engine doesn't sit directly above the front axle since it's pushed as far back as possible. That can only mean two things. One: the interior space is a bit more cramped that what you would expect judging from the exterior size. Two: the overall mass is evenly distributed on the two axles, making for a very dynamic behavior when pushed to the limit.

Next, we might as well talk a little about the engine, since its 3.5-liter predecessor was on the "Ward's 10 best engines" list for six straight years. Compared to the 3.5-liter, our test car was fitted with a 3.7-liter V6 mill equipped with Nissan's/Infiniti's VVEL (Variable Valve and Event Lift).

With no less than 320 horsepower (European version) and 360 Nm (265.5 lb ft) on tap, you can probably guess that this thing moves. Its only downside might be the increased fuel consumption in the city, but at least it certainly doesn't disappoint performance-wise. It can rev to over 7000 rpm with no problems and has a very smooth torque delivery, which is probably mostly thanks to the automatic transmission.

Speaking of which, the seven-speed transmission was a surprise almost as nice as the engine. The shifts are almost seamless no matter if you're doing them manually from the magnesium paddle shifters or you just leave it in drive. Sure, changing from the "flappy paddles" gives you a sense of control that is immediately taken away after you learn that it takes forever to shift a gear. All in all though, we were pleasantly surprised by the technical bits on our test car.

Apart from the aforementioned lack of all-wheel drive or all-wheel steering, our G37 test car had it all. By "all" we of course mean "every option ticked". This could only mean that every gadget fan should be pleased with what was on offer in our G37.

Starting with the Xenon/HID light system with day/night/tunnel sensors and ending with the front and rear parking sensors, this car had it all. We're not going to talk about features like dual-zone climate control system, navigation system with a 3d feature and electrically operated front seats since they're pretty much normal in this class and at his price (just under 50,000 Euros, almost fully loaded).

Sure, there were other "little things", like the dashboard dials connected with the steering column, the reclinable rear seats and the somewhat small and unpractical glass sunroof, the self-healing paint, but all fail as truly important gadgets compared to the intelligent cruise control system.

Unlike a regular cruise control system, the one we tested was not only letting you increase or decrease the speed just by pushing a button but it also had an automatic acceleration and braking feature. We know that sounds a bit scary, but bear with us.

If a certain button on the steering wheel is pressed, the cruise control goes from "normal" to "intelligent" mode and it can technically give you a "The Jetsons nightmare" in broad daylight if you're not expecting it. To put it in short, the system works similarly to the ones which until a few years ago were only found on cars like the Mercedes-Benz S-Klasse or the Lexus LS.

It uses a small radar built into the front bumper to monitor de traffic ahead of the car so that the computer can "tell" it to either accelerate or brake, depending on the situation. For example, if you're cruising on the highway at 120 km/h (74 mph) and the car in front suddenly slows down then yours will slow down as well, without needing for you to press the brake pedal. The system doesn't brake the car to a complete halt (that's still in your hands), but enough to avoid a serious accident.

The other really cool thing about this system is that you can program it to "follow" a car on the road. You just set a maximum speed and then any car that passes you will be "followed" at a safe distance until the designated max speed is reached. They accelerate, you accelerate; they brake, you brake. Remember, without touching a single pedal. Truth is, it kind of reminded us of the "tractor beam" from Star Trek.

The current Infiniti G37 sedan hasn't yet been tested by EuroNCAP since it's been available in Europe for just a little over a year now, but it was thoroughly tested by both American crash testing organizations (NHTSA and IIHS), so their results should be sufficient from this point of view. Coincidentally or not, both organizations gave it top marks after the G37 passed all the crash tests with flying honors.

Since not everybody thinks that crash tests results are sufficient proof of a car's safety, you should also learn about G37's active and passive safety features. Just like any other modern sedan, the G is fitted in standard with two dual-stage frontal airbags, two side and two side curtain airbags that go from the front to the rear.

As far as the active safety features go, the G37 we tested sports an (usual in this class) anti-lock braking system, an anti-skid system which keeps the rear tires from falling off every couple of months or so from too many burnouts and electronic stability control for those cheerful and maybe too optimistic moments when you're entering a turn with too much speed. All these systems are interconnected and are using the same sensors, by the way.

If this is not enough for you then the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) system should suspend your remaining car crash fears. With an ability to brake or accelerate by its own this system alone should improve highway safety by eliminating the chances for a pile-up accident in bad weather.

The G37 is one of the few cars that we had a hard time returning to the dealer. Yes, it's that good. If we had to settle on a single best bit about the G... then it's probably the engine. Or the seven-speed transmission. Or maybe the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) system, which kind of befriended each geek in every one of us. There are too many good things about it, but we liked it mostly because it's a proper sports sedan without the inherent lack of comfort or gadgets. Is it a Japanese 3-Series? We say yes; and a bit more actually.

The worst part about the car we drove was most definitely its fuel consumption in congested city traffic or whenever the driver's right foot became heavier. Sure, we should probably forgive some of the fuel consumption figures considering the terrific performance it provides, but it's still no excuse when we remember that under the hood there is a V6 after all, not a V8.

As far as the ugly bits about the Infiniti G37, we found some of those as well. For example, although it's a rather long car compared with its German rivals (3-Series, C-Klasse, A4), the interior space isn't all that great and the luggage compartment doesn't shine either. It's not cramped or anything, it's just that we would have expected it to be a little bigger inside judging from the exterior.