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:

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  Blistering acceleration, not much more - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By galluscio - September 12 - 5:30 am

  Car accelerates very well. Its a joy to get on highway on-ramps. However, the suspension is poor - too rigid - as if Infinitis trying too hard to tell us "look, its a BMW killer!" Its also unbalanced - feels like weight is 70% front, 30% rear Plenty of room in back for passengers (rear seats "recline" like airline seats). Car is too long - try backing out of a parking garage and youll see what I mean. Visibility out the back poor. Bose stereo was great. Sold this and am happy to be rid of it.

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  Problems at 200 miles - 2006 Infiniti G35
  By alarict6mt - May 1 - 1:53 pm

  Dont accept one without testing it thoroughly first - even a brand new one. Bad clutch judder in first and reverse especially on hills (evident at 100 miles then getting progressively worse). Gets worse as clutch warms. Infiniti garage says its the same on all new 06MTs, if I had known this, I would not have bought the car. The other two I drove did not make a banging noise when I release the clutch. Excellent car spoiled by poor customer support - denial by mechanics and a poor clutch design or faulty components.

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  I think I have a lemon - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By Can you say lemon - January 29 - 10:00 am

  I so desperately want to LOVE my new G35 but it seems that everytime I get close to falling for it, something goes wrong. The 1st problem occurred within the first 2 weeks. The radio wouldnt turn off, even when the engine was off. It took the dealer a week to fix that problem. Now, Im experiencing problems with my air conditioner...it only works on 60 degrees. If I move it up by 1 degree, the heater comes on. It doesnt help that the service people at the dealer keep telling me its new model, so problems can be expected. Of course, when extolling the benefits of the car before I purchased it, this information was conveniently omitted.

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  Paint issues - 2006 Infiniti G35
  By Dale Bilthouse - October 1 - 8:06 pm

  As soon as I started driving this car I noticed chip marks on the front end. As I continued to drive there were more chip marks. The car is red with a white primer so the chips are very noticeable. I contacted the dealer who stated that because the nose of the car is very low to the ground it will pick up lots of road debris. I have owned many cars previous to this one and have never experienced this much damage is such a short period of time. With less than 10K on the car there are over 26 chips on the front end-some very noticeable. Its almost like the paint flecks off.

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  Spend a little more on a 3-series - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By outofca - July 26 - 11:36 pm

  Since I bought this car as a commute car only (also have an 03 M3) I decided to save a little money and get the G35 over a 330i. What a big mistake. The interior is a joke and the car rattles like an old Chevy. The handling is good but cant approach that of the 330i. I guess its a good car for the money but consider spending a little more and you get a far superior car in the 330i. I would not recommend the G35 to anyone.

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  I like the basics but comfort is wanton - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By Q - April 24 - 4:33 am

  Bought the 6 speed Sports sedan for my wife and is a powerful and fun car to drive but creature comforts are lacking. 6 way drivers seat is mediocre; passenger seat is downright bad - leg comfort and back support is horrible. I do not understand how this car could be considered for car of the year so many times.

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  Good car but has its faults - 2006 Infiniti G35
  By Tyler - April 12 - 3:30 pm

  I have owned my Infiniti G35 6mt coupe for almost 2 years now. I have app 22,000 miles on it and I can say I am ready to get rid of the car, the issues I have are the expensive oil changes and maintenance costs for example the tires. The ride quality is rough and after 15k the rattles start to be heard due to the poor construction of the cabin. The drivers seat position is very tight leather wears quickly. The non Bose audio system I have is absolutely horrible. The speakers and dash appointment look like they are straight out of an Altima for years ago. The car is also the worst car I have ever owned in the snow despite 4 snow tires. The shifting linkage is not crisp.

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  Horrible Quality - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By RC-Calif - December 25 - 10:00 am

  I bought a 2004 G35 in January. It has been back to the dealer five times already, for unplanned work. The window started rattling and required a fix. Then the dash started popping and required a fix. Then the fix on the window required re-work. Then the carpet came unglued. Then the CD played died. Now the check engine light is on. I sold a 13-year old BMW with 190,000 miles to get the G35, and the BMW was much more reliable. Its too bad, because this is a great deal otherwise. If only the quality matched the deal!

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  Does Not Compare to 3 Series or A4 - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By G35 is Junk - December 12 - 9:10 pm

  After owning an Audi A4 and a BMW 325i, I was excited to step into the G35 as the company bills the car as a faster, more reliable alternative to either vehicle. Sadly, I was completely hoodwinked by the marketing department of Infiniti. While I will grant the point that the vehicle is very fast, its handling, fuel economy, build quality, and reliability are far worse than I experienced with either Audi or BMW. Maybe I got a lemon, but the list of problems with this car is ridiculous. On top of that, the brakes wear out every 15k miles and arent cheap to replace. Im very disappointed with Infiniti and now realize that I shouldve stayed with German cars or purchased a Lexus instead.

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  Not quite as good as they say. - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By 96740 - November 4 - 2:00 am

  This car has the performance, but there are some inherent problems. 1. The headlights jiggle (very noticeable on rear of the car in front of you at night.) 2. Lots of interior squeeks. 3. Scary electrical problems. And the dealership I purchased it from (Thousand Oaks Infinity) has really let me down. I asked them what was causing the eletrical problems? "We dont know" . And as for the jiggling headlights...they dont want to admit that its a problem, even though it does it on all of the G35 Sedans on the lot. My wife has a Coupe. Its perfect. If I had to do it over, Id get the Lexus. Even though its slower.