When you go into a restaurant and order a new meal, it’s always a delight to discover it’s better than you expected.
That’s just how I feel about the 2009 Infiniti G37 sedan. There’s no doubt it’s an attractive car, but pretty faces are a dime a dozen in the car biz.
What a delight to discover the Infiniti G37 is not only an excellent performer with dozens of comfortable extras but also includes plenty of raw power.
That’s even more striking when you consider the G37 is labeled “entry-level” but boasts more high-tech luxury frills than cars that cost tens of thousands more.
The G37 is all about muscular, confident styling, sleek cat headlamps and more long smooth swirls than the icing on a wedding cake. There’s the masculine grille and front fog lamps that give the front a distinctive yet sophisticated look. The rear lamps, reminiscent of the distinctive Toyota Celica circa 1985, (optional) spoiler and smooth bumpers add just enough subtle style without looking gaudy. One odd downside is the doors. I couldn’t tell if it was just the sheer weight or the way they are hinged, but they’re tough to hold open on any type of slight incline or hill. That’s a minor quibble but a consideration for those who want to exit smoothly without pushing, propping and fighting.
Sliding into the cockpit of the G37 is like spending time with an old friend. The cockpit has all the bells and whistles you’d want in a luxury car — a first-class navigation system, dual-zone climate control, and an easy-to-understand high-end audio system that includes 9.3 gigabytes of hard-drive storage for music plus an MP3 slot.
Don’t take my word for this car’s power. Infiniti reports the G37 zooms from zero to 60 in 5 seconds. Enough said.
As the Infiniti figure underscores, acceleration is fast and smooth thanks to the 328-horsepower 3.7-liter V-6 engine with Variable Valve event and Lift technology. The sedan I test-drove was all-wheel drive with snow mode, which performed exceptionally well in a late-season storm.
But there really is a lot more to the story. To put it simply, it’s a fun car to drive and its 18 mpg city, 26 mpg highway numbers ensure you don’t go broke at the pump.
That’s a lot to pack into a car that has a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $33,250.
