Overview & Reviews

These days, we've come to expect a lot from Infiniti. But in years past, the Japanese luxury brand actually struggled to find an audience. Only with the Infiniti G35 sport sedan did the company start to regain its footing after years in the red. At the time of its debut, the G35's refined styling and sporty performance made a loud statement.

There were two generations of the Infiniti G35, both built on the same platform as the Nissan 350Z sports car. The G35 distinguished itself in the entry-level luxury segment with a roomy cabin, plenty of performance and a respectable price. For those reasons, the rear-wheel-drive G35 was one of our editors' top recommendations for a sport sedan or coupe that was rewarding to own and drive. More recently, the G35 was replaced by the G37.

Most Recent Infiniti G35

There were two generations of the Infiniti G35 sedan, although the second generation is essentially the current G37 sedan with a smaller V6 engine. The G35 coupe lasted only one generation (meaning, same body style) before being replaced by the fully redesigned G37 coupe.

The most recent G35 sedan was completely redesigned for 2007. Changes included a stiffer body structure, revised chassis tuning for better handling, a more powerful V6 engine and a more voluptuous take on the previous G's styling. It was more or less the same size as the outgoing model, but the biggest improvement could be found inside, both ergonomically and aesthetically. Everything was better put together and materials were higher in quality. The 3.5-liter V6 engine produced 306 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters was standard, but a six-speed manual came with the 6MT trim. We'd seriously recommend against this transmission (especially on 2007 models) as it was incredibly difficult to drive smoothly.

The sedan was available in five trims: a base model, Journey, x (indicated all-wheel drive), Sport and Sport 6MT. Most Infiniti G35 sedans will be of the Journey variety, which added items like dual-zone automatic climate control and a six-CD changer. The Sport trims were geared toward enthusiasts and featured 18-inch wheels and tires, a limited-slip differential, sport seats and aggressive tuning for the car's electronic stability system. A four-wheel active steering system was an option that's exclusive to the Sport trims, although we weren't fans of it.

Other than its engine, its name and few other detail changes, the G35 sedan became the G37 sedan for 2009.

Used Infiniti G35 Models

The original Infiniti G35 was introduced for 2003, and was produced in sedan form until 2006 and as a coupe until 2007. Originally, the sedan was available in one trim level until the all-wheel-drive model arrived for '04. The coupe could be had in base or Sport trim. The latter included a firmer suspension, a limited-slip differential and 19-inch alloy wheels.

Both sedan and coupe shared the same 3.5-liter V6, but the sedan originally made less power (260 hp with four doors, 280 with two doors). They were made even at 280 hp for 2005, and both models when equipped with the six-speed manual option got a boost to 298 hp. These horsepower numbers dropped to 293 and 275, respectively, for the '07 coupe because of a change in SAE testing procedures -- actual output did not, in fact, change.

Other than the myriad engine changes, there were other noteworthy updates made during the first-generation G35's lifetime. The sedan received a new hood, grille, bumpers, side sills and taillights for '05, although it was hardly a revolutionary aesthetic difference. The coupe remained mostly unchanged visually. Inside, though, both benefited from a redesigned instrument panel and improved manual transmission with a lower shifting effort. The coupe gained an optional rear-steer system for 2006, while its Sport Package gained a unique front fascia and a big rear spoiler. Bluetooth arrived on all Gs that year. While the G35 sedan was completely redesigned for '07, the coupe remained the same.

In our reviews, we were quite fond of the original generation Infiniti G35. The sedan was a bargain-priced alternative to the BMW 3 Series, while being a little less frantic and more comfortable than the second-generation G35 and current G37. The coupe was the more practical, livable alternative to Nissan's 350Z -- it was a sports car in luxury clothing. If there was one area of concern, it was an interior filled with several cheap surfaces and some unintuitive controls. Headroom was also quite limited in the coupe. One feature that was welcome, though, was the optional reclining rear seatbacks in the G35 sedan, which made it a top choice for backseat comfort.

User Reviews:

• 

  G35 MT6 - The poor mans M3? - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By Larry LaRose - October 18 - 8:00 pm

  Sexiest style on the road. Makes BMW look dated and appear under-powered. For 2005, Infiniti ups the power to 298hp from its naturally aspirated VQ series V6. Why cant bimmer and Audi do this?

• 

  Best lue - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By orrink - October 17 - 8:40 am

  This car is fast and a great handler. The standard radio is pathetic! Spend a $1000 on a new system and you will be better off than the upgraded radio which also stinks.

• 

  Owned For Two Years - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By Jenna - October 17 - 3:06 am

  Love this car. Tires are expensive and services are expensive. I have the 6MT and havent had any problems with it. Only to replace the battery and the driver side window motor all covered by the warranty @ 35,000 miles. Fun to drive and enough room to bring my luggage for trips. Beats the automatic cars any day. Excellent engine, smooth sound. Love the exhaust growl as well.

• 

  I love my G - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By Prycac - October 15 - 2:00 am

  Best car I,ve owned. Previously had a 02 Maxima SE. Car loooks great drives great and is just ..great. Makes me want to drive all the time. Bose stereo is kind of lousy but everything else is almost perfect.

• 

  WOW! - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By FloridaDriver - October 15 - 2:00 am

  I have had the car for four days now and it is tons of fun! Lots of power under the hood and the looks are awesome. The only downside so far, from a single male perspective, is this car attracts other guys like none other. People have been coming up to me and wanting to look inside and ask all sorts of questions, even the valets argued over who got to go it for me! Its fun to drive and fun to look at.

• 

  Not so great as expected, but still... - 2008 Infiniti G35
  By Shpyntik - October 11 - 5:23 am

  Im a little disappointed by my G35S. Its a great car with an excellent engine, nice interior, great exterior, all the gadgets and a posh sound system. But it has several HUGE flaws - horrible transmission and clutch! First of all it is VERY hard to launch it smoothly and quetly, too much throttle and it surges like a bull, too little and it shakes like its got an overdose. Let go throttle at 1st gear and instead of slow smooth engine braking you get uneven and abrupt deceleration, horrible feeling (and you look like a fool too). Second - very LOUD drivetrain noise. Third - under hard acceleration the car starts to shake violently, as the tires gain and loose the grip, very disappointing.

• 

  No comparison in price segment - BUY IT - 2006 Infiniti G35
  By Guru G - October 8 - 5:26 pm

  Z: Better instrument cluster but not back seat, creature comforts cost extra. Not as elegant and stylish 3-Series: Way overpriced just for the brand-name. Underpowered (in versions costing less thank 40k). IS: 4 doors. Not fun without $8k in technology options. RX-8:Amazing handling and grip. Ugly exterior. Boy-racer image (but less than that of a Mustang heh). Needs to be redlined for any form of performace which gets annoying fast. Mustang GT: did not even bother to try G35: This car simply makes me smile. I just simply feel good when i am driving it or just simply staring at its uber sexy form. The Bose system is pretty decent as well. In short, this is a true feel good car !!!!!!

• 

  SO Glad I Chose a G35 Sedan!!! - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By ACEO2B - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I had been looking at pre-owned 540s for about six months and at one point had actually gotten close to forking out $38K for a 2000 540 sport/premium with some (but not all) of the options I wanted. I walked away from that deal and am glad I did because it gave me the chance to test drive the G35 sedan! WOW! Drive it and youll want one right away! I was able to get a NEW G35 with ALL the options I wanted (sport suspension, premium pkg, aero pkg, and nav system) and still saved about $4K over a USED 540! The G35 absolutely ROCKS!...Drives great and you feel great driving it too!

• 

  Indescribable! - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By Dean_W - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Ive wanted one of these they came out but had to wait for my Maxima lease to run out. Its such an amazing vehicle. The handling, the 6 speed, Bose, all of it is hard to believe for the price. The new Maximas are very ugly but do have a bit more room in the back seat.

• 

  A home run - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By speedracer3 - September 30 - 3:16 am

  This is Infinitis best product in years. A true BMW, Audi, and Lexus competitor.