2004 Infiniti G35 Review & Ratings

First Place: Infiniti G35
Our 2003 Car of the Year doesn't ask the buyer to accommodate this or put up with that to enjoy a high level of driving pleasure. The Infiniti G35 is a take-charge kind of car, eagerly responding to driver inputs from the steering wheel, throttle, or brake pedal. Chalk it up to good genes: The G35 sedan shares its body structure, suspension, steering, brakes, engine, and transmission with the Nissan 350Z.

At the core of the G35's responsive behavior is exquisite balance. The car's 260-horse DOHC V-6 is mounted mostly behind the front-wheel centerline. Courtesy of the front midship engine placement, the rear-drive G35 has a nearly ideal 52-percent-front/48-percent-rear weight distribution. With each wheel carrying its fair share of the traction duties, the Infiniti managed the best performance times through our instrumented slalom, skidpad, and figure-eight tests despite having the smallest tires. An all-wheel-drive version of the G35 made its debut this year, but the handling of the rear-driver is so spot on that we'd recommend spending the extra money on the AWD model only if you routinely encounter snow and ice.

There's so much control in the rear-drive model, the G35 can play toss and catch with eagerness. Steering turn-in is delightfully positive, the car's reflexes are quick but predictable. The car obediently goes where the driver points it; just frame the road between the vertical headlamp bulges on the front fenders like a pair of goalposts and apply throttle. Nissan's ubiquitous 3.5-liter V-6 is used to good effect in the G35, giving it top 0-to-60-mph and quarter-mile acceleration honors in this test. Variable valve timing helps make this a very tractable engine, with useable torque arrayed across a wide range of engine speeds. The five-speed automatic transmission reels off quick, positive shifts like a family doctor pulling off a Band-Aid. Tap-up/tap-down manumatic shifting on the center console enhances response on twisty or hilly sections of road.

None of the sport sedans in our test group drops anchor better than the G35. Without breaking a sweat, our Infiniti consistently scrubbed off forward velocity quicker than Britney Spears getting a marriage annulment. The lightning-quick pedal response takes some getting used to; just make sure the car on your rear bumper isn't following too closely.