We did not get to test drive the car, no one did. However I did sit inside and played around with features.

Overall, I'm not awwed.

The biggest mistake by Infinity is to not include the folding split rear seats. I mean WTF! A $50,000 Car and they don't have folding rear seats ... that upset enough not to consider buying that car.

Second, the middle seat in the rear is completely unsuable. I don't car who says what, there is no way in hell you can sit in the seat ... oh ... and infinity has installed the seatbelt anyways. They should have just made two seats in the back more roomier.

Third thing I didn't like is the trunk. It is not layed out well. You will not fit two suitcases in there. That and the fact that the seats don't fold is very very bad news. Also, the trunk release button (if you want to open the trunk from the outside, you have to push the button on the rear spoiler) is hard to push, and in general the whole operation of opening it is a hassle. There are no handles, or latches to grab onto. I hope the key has a feature on it.

IMO the front seats are positioned too high, even in their lowest settings. The rear seating positions are even higher.

The Rear doors swing out further than the scissors doors on a cargo van. To confortably enter the rear, you must swing the doors almost 90 degrees. Be prepared to get som dents in the parking lot. Also Infinity has installed the smallest cup hondlers in the rear divider I've ever seen. Good luck with your large Starbuck's coffee fitting there.

Washi is a nice touch, I like it. Stereo is awesome .... just awesome. Controls at the screen are simple and easy too use. Fit and finish of panels, and materials used are OK ... nothing like lexus, or benz.

Cool things: When tilting the steering column (electronically) the whole dashboard moves with it.


Dammit, why won't they install the folding rear seat!!!
I am officially pissed.

Mechanically, I don't know how the car drives or idles. I've read much about it, and will test drive it next week. I still can't get over the rear folding seats.

Did I mention the rear seats don't fold
F@!#$%^&* !!!!!!!!!

They can never make the car perfect, always something has to be wrong

 

Thanks for your honest report Fly. I hear you on the folding seats.

 

I'm with you guys on the folding rear seats - and the ski pass-through is woefully disappointing.

The trunk's a concern of mine, but I knew the '03 G35 sedan couldn't fit a Segway in the rear trunk the last time I tried, and I'm fairly sure (by inspection) the '07 would have some problems clearing it. Only time will tell though. In the end though, it did have some sort of trunk pass through, and the lack of split folding rear seats wasn't enough to make me pass on such an amazing car, frankly.

 

I feel you on the rear folding seats as well, but I've come to realize that many luxury sports sedans don't have them. I learned that when my brother got his Acura CL a few years ago (2-door I know, but a TL doesnt have it either).

The trunk concerns me to some extent, but I figure this car is mostly for me (I'm not a family man yet (I'm only 26), so hopefully it's enough to fit my stuff (and a weekend girlfriend ).

 

if you wouldent buy the car just cuase the rearseats fold down then, thats jsut crazy, i mean it sucks, they also dont recline like 03-06, but for real

 

While I had a list of gripes about the interior of the new G, I looked a sport over pretty good and sat in it (I'm 6 feet 1 inches and around 240 lbs) and I really didn't notice the front seat being any higher than my 2003 G's.
Granted, I'm not one of the people who like to put the seat all the way down and back but the headroom was fine. No problems with the front seat height for me. I didn't actually sit in the back seat but I didn't notice it being
a lot higher. I did notice the rear seat headrests are REALLY high.

Folding seat is not a biggy to me. I don't guess my 2003 G seat folds down, I've never tried. I take our Expedition when I need to haul something

The trunk did look tighter. Wheel wells eat up more room than they used too I think.

I opened the back doors and didn't notice it being a tight squeeze unless they were open all the way but like I said, I never actually got in the back seat. The entire reason for me getting a sedan is so that other people can occasionally ride in the back seat. If they make this uncomfortable then that's a big deal to me and I might end up waiting on the 08 M35.

Nice to hear the stereo is good. Was worried about the Bose.

"Fit and finish of panels, and materials used are OK ... nothing like lexus, or benz". I thought the same thing, OK but not blown away. No real difference to me between quality of 07 interior and my 03 except for the real aluminum
trim in the 07. In fact, the door over the cup holder between the front seat in the 07 is downright flimsy compared to the door over the cup holder on my 03.

 

Can I play devil's advocate for a minute? If Nissan made folding rear seats optional, like Mercеdes does on the C-Class and E-Class, then they should be criticized for going greedo on us. Since folding seats aren't an option on the new G, though, then we should at least consider the possibility that it's that way to increase structural stiffness. The company has made a big deal of the increased strength and rigidity of the '07's body structure, and some road tеsts have noted the solidity and flex-free nature of the car. I can't say for a fact that the company omitted folding seats for that reason - for all I know the new G has cardboard behind the rear seats - but it seems logical to me that a car with body structure behind the rear seat will be stiffer than one without it.

 

Folding rear seats or trunk space is the last thing on my mind. I mean who cares? really...this is a sports sedan not a Lincoln Town car used as airport taxis. If you're concerned about cargo space, this is not the car for you.

I think the designers got it right and better this time. The attention to detail is obvious. From the dual latch hood, dual battery and brake fluid compartment covers, no side mouldings, wider-smoother stance, dual exhaust, lower suspension and my favorite part of this car...ROLLED FENDERS. This puppy will definately sport nice offsets in the rear.

As soon as they get a sports model in, I'm going for an extended test drive and do some wheel test fitting. The discount I was offered today is almost too good to pass on.

BTW, the price tag is amazing to say the least. A similarly equipped BMW will run you at least another $10K.



Can you say GTR overlays?

 

Thanks Chico and nice pics.

 

No car will ever be perfect unless you design and build it yourself. The issue of the rear seats shouldn't be a major deterrent given all the other positives.

Once you get that bad boy out on the road you see things differently.

 

Sir, if he designed the car and built it himself, I would wager my life that it would be VERY FAR from perfect

 

kraqcommando: Just because the seats didn't fold down in the '03 model doesn't make it OK. I've never had a G, but I did have an 02 Maxima which had fold down seats, and on top of that it had re-enforced semi-oval opening behind the rear seat backs: this allowed for a snowboard (or even a couple of them) to pass through. Furthermore, the explaination from the sales guy was this: The rear seats down fold down because Infinity wanted a 5 star safety rating ... suposadely, infiniti was afraid that in an accident, when the car is crumpled, the cargo in the trunk would intrude into rear seat passengers .... WTF is that???

Railgunner: I'm not comparing the new G to the old one. I have a V50 and my buddy has a 330i. Both of our cars have lower positioned seats. It just feels more natural seating position for me, it really is personal preference ... however ... a lower center of gravity is always better, and believe me, even a lower seating position can make a difference in the handling of a car.


DWP: you are right about structural ridgity, but I don't think its to an extent or omitting folding seats. See reply to Railgunner. For that price, I think the car should have folding seats. Put it to you this way; if I don't ski, but I snowboard, the cost of putting up a roof rack (and making the car look like cack) would be the same as optional folding seats. Honestly though, I really think that the car of this calliber should have them. I'm really pissed at Nissan for not including them.

Chico: Yes it is a sports sedan. It is not a corvette or ferrari built with only purpose to perform. It is supposed to be practical and at the same time perform. If you "don't care" about the practicality of things, then maybe YOU should invest in something else. How can you say that this car is not for me just because it has no folding rear seat? I love everything about the car except for a few above mentioned things ... and just because it has no folding seats, this car is not for me? c'mon dude. For me and my lifestyle folding seats are a big deal, and I'm giving a lot of thought about my future decision just based on this fact ... you see, I have a dog (lab) and just by folding the seats, I can seat him with me when going camping, etc. I snowboard, or even if I want to transport something long from a store to my home, I shouldn't have to get another car, or arrange a delivery. Its a question of practicality, and convenience, but its a big one. So this is not "if you care about folding seats so much, this car is not for you" argument. I'm not flaming your post, but its a weak argument. BTW I notice you went the the Mississauga dealership, I was in Erin Mills.

I sat in a AWD model that was pretty much baseling model. I hope the 6MT model has better seats, thicker steering wheel, and drives like hell for me to be convinced on it.

Just my 2 cents.

 

aaahhh!!! now I see your point about the folding seats. It makes perfect sense now. I agree with you about the practicality aspect. Personally, the car is fine for me as is. It has enough room I need for my crew (wife and two kids) and the odd client every now and then. Trunk space is not a problem as it has plenty for the short overnight trips we might take in it here and there. The Sport 6MT will have better seats from what I've heard and seen.

Don't let the lack of folding seats discourage you from buying it. I believe there are some vinyl covers specially made for pet owners like yourself. BTW, I wish I could buy a sportier car.

 

Rear seat not folding down, G35X wheel not looking as good as the 18" sport wheels are the 2 major gripes for me so I totally understand your point. I also have a lab and have him with me most of the time.

So accommodate me I'd have to add to the g35X a roof rack to make the car practical but ugly, get aftermarket wheels in 18" with new summer tires etc...

I think I'm leaning on going back to my first idea..FX35.

 

I went to my dealership's launch event, and I got a fancy canvas bag (ugly) and a thick brochure. They served crappy sushi. I put a $1000 deposit on the only 6MT (slate blue) that's arriving on 11/17. Little did any salesperson (or visitor) know that I already have the official pricing list.