Looking for some advice on a subjective subject. I would like to replace our SUV with a G35 and am trying to justify to myself that it will work fine with a family of 4 (2 kids, 5 and 10). It has enough room for all of us to sit comfortably, but there's no room for coats, etc.

Anybody else using a G35 as their family car without a larger car, van, suv in the family?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

I went in to the dealership driving my 4WD Mazda MPV. Kids were 6 and 11 at the time. Wasn't even planning on buying a car.

After the test drive, I signed the papers and bought the car that day. Fell in love with it on the test drive!

That was in May of 2002. No regrets. Used it on the family trip this past summer through Yellowstone, Mt Rushmore, Devil's Tower, and Little Bighorn Battlefield. No problems with space, and it was a joy to drive!

 

As a single guy, I can't say I use it as a family car, but I've definitely used it to transport a lot of people. I often have 3-4 friends in town, or am driving to/from the strip with people, and I've never felt a lack of room. Even with 4 full-sized adults, everything's comfortable. Coats can always go in the trunk, or between the back seats. No problems as of yet, other than going over speed-bumps with the eibach pro kit on my car and 600lbs of passangers

G

 

I doubt that any sedan will adequately replace an SUV in all of its uses, let alone a sports sedan like the G35, because SUV owners get used to lugging around a ton of stuff! So-called cross-over vehicles and station wagons (particulaly the AWD versions) are better choices as SUV replacements.

The second issue, somewhat related to the first, is what one means by a family car. If it is the ONLY car (most unlikely) which has to be all things for all the people in the family, the G35 would fit the bill only for some families (small children and/or adults not too tall etc.). If by family car one means that it should also be capable of hauling the family on long-distance trips occasionally, the G35 is a better fit for upto 4 people, so long as not all of them are are tall. One of the pleasant surprises for me was how civilized the G35 was in high-speed long-distance trips (the 0.26 cd helps!). In my case, the trunk has been adequate (14.5 cft) and the slightly reclinable rear seats is appreciated by my kids as well as by my parents (when they are visiting). I bought the G35 for its grin-inducing behavior, that it allows people to snooze in the backseat listening to music on long trips is merely a bonus!

 

Absolutely. This was one of the main reasons that pushed me towards the sedan vs. the coupe.

My kids, 2 and 4, prefer riding in my car vs. my wife's 4Runner (as do me and my wife as well). Comfortable, visibility is excellent for all, plenty of storage for our stuff.

The only thing that keeps us in an SUV is the ride hieght for day-to-day driving (women seem to love sitting up high). I also like the fact that the 4Runner (02) is bulletproof (I have friends that have gotten 300k out of them) and holds it value like nothing I've ever seen.

Once my wife gets over the ride height issue, I plan to give her mine in a few years and most likely buy another performance sedan.

 

I went for a Sedan because I have kids but not to replace my SUV (Chevy Blazer).

On top of having 2 kids (11 and 2) I also have one on the way and two 90lbs+ dogs. Can you imagine me putting the dogs in the G for a trip to the vet?

I've gone on some long trips in my sedan with the fam and we comfortably managed but I think it would have been more spacious for the kids in the back of the Blazer vs the back of the sedan. With my family growing, we will eventually get a mini van! Im going for it ladies and gentlmen......taking the dive to the infamous MINI VAN

 

No problem hauling the family in my sedan. In fact, it is more roomy than my previous 330. My kids are 3 and 5 and one is in a child seat while the other is in a booster. Of course, my wife's Odyssey is around when we have to carry lots of gear or extra people, but the G is our main transport to restaurants, shopping, errands, etc. when we go as a family.

The best part is that my 3 year old loves the car. She is constantly yelling "go faster, daddy, go faster" especially through the twisties.

Pags

 

Im 27, no kids yet, just me and my girlfriend, but I think if I had kids in the picture I might consider the fx35 or 45

 

We have a G35x and an FX35 (awd). The FX hauls the dogs and we use it for road trips, it has navigation. It also has the "sport" package and handles like it's on rails! If we had children, I'd think the FX would work better than the G. Kids add a lot of cargo!

 

family mobile, you betcha!!! my vehicle serves a multitude of purposes......with clients, i blend in with traffic, ie, drive normal(Realtor)......with family, 8, 5 and 3 year olds, i take it easy as well.....the kids aren't bunched up even with car seat and booster seat and of course sweaters/jackets in the trunk, however, when i'm solo and in the mood, i put all the mods to good use.....ie, heavy right foot......i sometimes have the window down to listen to the exhaust.....but that's just me...

for long trips..ie.. yosimite.....one word, odyssey....

 

Thanks to everyone for the opinions. At this point I have it narrowed to a G35x and an FX35 awd. It was good hearing everyone's thoughts on the subject.

-- Russ