Pure Driving Excitement!!!

I should start by mentioning that I am a very picky driver and an even pickier car shopper. My wife, on the other hand, falls in love with almost every car she test drives.

Last year, during our hunt for a new car for her, we test drove and researched numerous cars, such as the VW Passat, Acura TSX, BMW 325i, Honda Accord, Audi A4, Cadillac CTS and the G35. We were looking for a "luxury car", but we actually considered the Accord and Passat with the "loaded" packages even though they are not classified as luxury. We were pleased with many of these cars, but after repeated test drives and many nights of internet research, we could not justify purchasing anything but the G35. Here's why:

Driving Experience:

I previously drove a Ford Mustang Cobra, so I have an appreciation for a car that can move. While the G35 is no Cobra, it is remarkably close for being a 4 door family sedan with a V-6 that gets 26 mpg. The G35 is truly fun to drive, and I could see my wife's eyes light up the first time she floored the accelerator. The car also handles extremely well, with very little lean in sharp turns. The shift-o-matic feature is also quite nice for passing slower cars in a hurry.

The only reason we did not buy the TSX was because of its failure in the acceleration category. My wife perferred the TSX in many other categories, but we could not get past the 4 cylinder engine that could not get out of its own way. Honorable mentions in this category were the 325i, Accord, Passat and A4...In that order.

Reliability:

Certainly, Nissan's reputation for making reliable cars is among the best in the business. Our G35 has not let us down. After more than 1 year, we have not had one single problem. The car has not even been back to the dealership since I change my own oil. We could not be happier with the reliability we have seen from our G35.

My wife and I both work a considerable drive from our home, so having a car in the shop is a major inconvenience. With the G35, it is comforting to know that we will be provided with a loaner if ours does ever go in the shop for warrantied repair. Both Acura and BMW seemed to have better warranty/loaner car programs, but the difference was not enough to sway us.

Since reliability was a major concern for us, we had to rule out the Passat and A4. We loved both cars, but after reading reviews by other users, we could not risk having a brand new car that was always in the shop. If Audi could fix their reliability problems, we may have very well ended up with the A4. During our test drive, the Passat's trunk would not close once it was opened. This backed up many of the issues we had read about beforehand.

Style:

My wife loved the exterior of the G35. It came in second to the A4 in exterior styling in her mind. My opinion... nothing looks better than a BMW, but all in all, the G35 styling was impressive to both of us.

As far as the interior is concerned... it is nice, but not the greatest. It is certainly comfortable, roomy and well built, but it does seem to lack some of the refinement of the A4, TSX, Passat & 325i. The interior of the G35 ranked towards the bottom of the pack with us (similar to the CTS). It just seemed more utility than the other cars. Even the Accord with leather and navigation felt more refined on the interior. But, at the end of the day, the G35 had the total package for us, and we could not be happier.

Conclusion:

I would recommend the G35 to anyone who wants a fun car to drive that gives nice styling and excellent reliability. In this price range, there is not a better car on the market.