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Infiniti G35 vs Lexus IS 350
This seems to be about as fair a comparo as I can come up with. The TMV price is about $34K for the Infinity G35Journey w/ premium package and $34,800 for the base IS 350. This is a fairer comparo than the IS250 as that's outgunned by the high HP G35. Both vehicles have the 300+HP V6s, sunroofs, and power seats. The G35 has the premium stereo, xenons, & memory seats. The IS has a more refined interior fit & finish(from what I've read, haven't seen it in person), a slightly better resale, and unlimited roadside assistance. Would really like to hear from those that have done a side by side comparo as I'm really leaning toward the G35 thus far.
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Comments
My needs are most likely different than yours, but my deciding factors were the ridiculous size of the backseat in the IS.
I have a 4 yr old daughter and another on the way.
Although a car seat does fit back there, it tight.
Also, with the driver's seat where I like it, friends cannot fit in the back with any level of comfort.
My other deciding factor was that I wanted AWD and the IS350 didn't offer it.
The IS250, power wise, is a joke.
Speed, handling, resale value, reliability, and even fit and finish, are all very comparable in these 2 vehicles.
You'll need to drive both and decide for yourself.
Only you know what your wants, needs and priorities are.
Good Luck!
As a side note, I am a former Infiniti owner, and I can attest to the fact that Infiniti service tries to compete with Lexus service. But Infiniti falls short. Lexus service is not perfect. My local Lexus service department has made errors, but my local Infiniti service department was asinine and backwards compared to the Lexus service department.
If that is all you care about, see the Edmunds review on the G.
They got the G to run the quarter-mile in 14.1.
Visit the other G forums and people are posting their time slips in the mid to high 13 range... stock.
Sorry, but that is not "sluggish".
I don't think he was looking for race times.
He was looking for people who have reviewed both cars and what their opinions may have been.
If one is interested, check out the R&T's February issue. IMO that comparo has hit it right on the money.
BTW, test drove both cars last weekend and found both to be incredible driving vehicles. Both were very solid and quiet, didn't have a chance to take them on any twisty roads, just city streets and a little highway cruising so I have no idea which one would be better when pushed harder. So far the extra value of the G35 is tilting it ahead, since it's got several significant features for the same price point.
Asian Sports Sedans Comparo
The G35 will be more enjoyable on twisty roads. IS350 excels in comfort and straight line performance. The comparo did a very good job to point out each cars' pros and cons. At the end of the day, no one came out a loser. However, the IS350 did win the comparo though :P .
Well, if my daily commute consists the Nordschleife then I'll probably consider the G35 over the IS350. Otherwise, this is a moot point.
- Better quality material and fit-n'-finish for the interior (if you don't see this then the premium of the IS350 is totally worthless for you to pay).
- Smoother engine and slightly quicker pick up at low speed (again, if you don't see this then G35 is better for you).
- Exterior styling (subjective, I know).
- I don't need AWD and don't want manual tranny. I live in Atlanta and am moving to LA very soon so AWD is totally pointless for me. With the kind of traffic I have to face in those 2 cities I think auto tranny is the better option.
The G35x was a little harsher ride than my former ‘01 IS300, and the newer IS350, but I think that’s a good thing. Ride quality is such a subjective thing it will be hard for anyone to convince you for sure one way or the other.
It came down to price at first ,,,,,, if the infinity dealer had been discounting to 1000-1500cdn over invoice and offered me a trade on the 2001 IS300 of 18K I would have gone for it. As it turned out I got 18K at lexus ,,,, the IS350 had 6000 miles and was only 9 months old so it was pretty new.
One of the main reasons I went Lexus ,,,, getting $18K trade value on a $45K msrp car that was almost 7 years old!!!! When you factor in local taxes saved by trading, I basically had $20K value after 7 years. What will a 7 year old G35 be worth?
I hope I was clear when I stated I liked both cars ,,,,,, I am pretty sure though, that 4 years from now I will still like the IS350 ( kind of sad to see the ‘01 IS300 sitting on the dealers lot ,,,,, it was a great car for me).
I liked dealing with Lexus as well. After all the negotiating was done, and the papers signed the sales guy pulls out a voucher and orders me a set of summer mats for N/C ,,,, says, “just noticed there were winter mats inside, looks better with the carpeted summers, we’ll get you some” ,,,,, nice touch.
KC
That, plus the lack of fold down rear seats, took the IS off my shopping list.
This means more power, better braking, upgraded tranny, etc.
There is nothing on the lines of higher refinement on the IS-F, when comparing to the IS250/IS350.
So no, you will not be seeing extras like folding backets, more back seat room, etc.
It's def way out there in price range too - I'm hearing like 60 grand or something. That's crazy
I loved the IS and decided that was the car for me back in the beginning of 06.
Between the dealership being a complete nightmare to work with, not finding the exact model I wanted, and changes on the homefront, I was forced to put my purchase on hold.
While on hold, Infiniti came out with the new redesign 07 and it seemed to fill some of the wants I had, which the IS fell short on.
It's roomier, offers AWD without a loss of power or fun, and with the redesign, wasn't so bad on the eyes.
I loved the IS's vented seats and the fit/finish, but the size and compromises for me were just too much for the price being paid.
Both offer some cool features that the other does not.
You can't really go wrong with either, as long as the back seat is no deal breaker for you.
You're making a good decision in driving both though.
Good luck.
Ditto
It might cost 1.5K to 2K to add the AWD. So, the total diff. w/ a AWD will be a little higher.
If the IS350 had an available AWD system, I would be driving one right now.
This is because I started my car buying journey at the beginning of 2006, and didn't end up buying until I brought my G home in April of 07.
When I started looking, it was all about the IS.
How do I get one with the options I want and the color combo I desired... and I desperately needed a dealership that didn't hire jerks and @$$es for salespeople.
While fighting the good fight for exactly what I wanted, the G came along with it's redesign and although it never appealed to me in previous years, the 07 was nice and the test drive sold me instantly.
Now that my daughter is going on 5 years old and we have another on the way, I'm glad things worked out the way they did. The back seat in the G is comfortable and there's plenty of room for my daughter back there.
The IS is a different story all together.
For anyone toting around a whole family... the IS just doesn't cut it.
Here's the data sheet:
http://www.roadandtrack.com/assets/download/02073car.pdf
However, looking at the data is one thing, getting in to the actual cars and test them yourself is another. Only you will know what you wanted in a car. Comparion testings can only give you useful information to consider but cannot make the decision for you.
I need a 3 car garage and one of each!
Well done!
$85 for an oil change?!?
I guess somebody has to pay for all those low-fat mocha lattes. :P
I'll see you there!
If the LF-A comes without a manual or DSG then you got a case against Lexus. Otherwise, no.
I wouldn't call a G37 and 335i coupe sports cars as well. These are made to be daily commuters and should be emphasized for its real-world, local and highway performance. Sports car on the other hand should be a track first, real-world second (or weekend fun) kind of car.
The M3 IS-F & C63 sedan are all just a premium proformance vehicles...911, R8 GTR now those are sports cars.
Granted the IS-F probably should come with a manual tranny but since all the AMGs (including C63) are auto tranny equipped somehow I don't see people knocking on that. Also, if you read Edmunds' IS-F first drive article you'll find that the 8-speed tranny can shift as fast (if not faster) in manual mode than the F1 gearbox Ferrari has put on the F430. It can hold gear too by the way after the 1st gear.
For $55-60K I would never get one of those "sports sedans". If this is for my only car I'll just get a regular 3 or IS350 and save the rest for a house down payment. If this is for my second car then I'll either get a "real sports car" like the Corvette Z06 or Boxter/Cayman S.
I can't afford a sports car.
Again, tracking a car doesn't automatically mean the car is a sports car.