Unlike the two-seat 350Z, the G35 is a two-plus-two. The back seat offers much more legroom and feet room than we expected, but there's a distinct lack of headroom and it's snug on the outboard side. It's best for little people. As if someone would really want to spend time back there, the center console offers a tray, a small amount of storage and cup holders. Open the passenger-side door, flip the seatback down, and the passenger seat automatically slides forward on the tracks for easier access to the rear. An additional release lever is located in the middle of the passenger seatback, making it easy for the driver or rear-seat passenger to flip the seatback forward.
While the Z is a hatchback, the G35 coupe has a proper trunk. Though slightly more than half the size of the sedan's trunk, the coupe's shallow cargo space can be expanded by folding the rear seat flat, which forms a flat cargo space even with the level of the trunk. A lip on top of the rear seatback helps keep stuff from flying forward under hard braking. The pass-through is narrow, however, to allow for the rigid chassis structure. Also, the trunk lid opening is small. Still, it works just fine for a big suitcase or something long. We're sure there must be an interior trunk release, but we could not find it.
The Infiniti G35 drives like a true sports sedan. Like the BMW 3 Series, the G35 features a rear-wheel-drive layout. That makes for sportier handling characteristics than in a front-wheel-drive car.
The G35 feels stable at high speeds and around fast sweepers. The driver feels well connected to the road. On winding roads, the G35 rewards the driver with quick, precise steering that offers good feedback. Drive it harder and it responds beautifully. It never surprises the driver with errant behavior. A skilled driver will find that the chassis can be rotated or steered with the throttle. The available sports suspension includes special shocks and springs and P215/55WR17 Goodyear Eagle RS-A summer tires. The G35 rides nicely with this setup, comfortable but firm. There's a bit of wind noise at 70 mph.
Still, the G35 lacks some of the razor-sharp response of a BMW 3 Series, and the rear end bobs a bit in fast, sweeping fast turns, especially turns with pavement undulations. But don't get us wrong: the Infiniti is clearly one of the best sports sedans in the class, with much better handling than any of the front-drive cars. The G35's long wheelbase, low center of gravity, aerodynamic downforce, and lightweight suspension are all designed to keep its tires on the road where they can generate maximum grip.
The G35's handling characteristics are designed to be less-fatiguing on the driver, another lesson Nissan learned in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and in FIA Group C racing. Using a large-diameter tire instead of wide tire makes the contact patch longer rather than wider for less noise and improved wet performance. Also, taller tires are less sensitive to camber changes and benefit from better sidewall support than a wider tire with a smaller diameter.
The G35X all-wheel-drive sedan employs a system Infiniti calls ATTESA E-TS, for Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All Electronic Torque Split. That mouthful means that a computer controls an active center differential for smoother starts, better fuel economy, and better traction and maneuverability in snow. Most of the time, the system sends 100 percent of the driving torque to the rear wheels, so the G35X handles like a rear-drive sedan. While accelerating (and hence demanding more grip from the tires), the system sends 25 percent of the torque forward. It can divert up to 50 percent of driving torque to the front wheels if it senses that the rear wheels are slipping. A Snow mode, selected by a button on the console, locks torque distribution at 50/50 front/rear, and reduces the sensitivity of the drive-by-wire throttle. This is the same system Infiniti installs in its all-wheel-drive FX35 and FX45 luxury crossover SUVs.
The G35's V6 produces a unique and sporty sound. There's lots of low-rpm torque, more than what's available from the BMW 330i, Lexus IS 300, and Mercedes C320. This makes the G35 feel very responsive around town. Stand on the gas and it delivers brilliant acceleration performance. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, according to Car and Driver magazine. Shifting the manual gearbox is direct and precise though it requires a little deliberation. It isn't as light (wimpy?) as an Acura gearbox. But match the revs perfectly and you can shift without depressing the clutch pedal. This is no Solara or Accord coupe. The clutch pedal is relatively firm and takes more effort to depress than the pedal in a Toyota, Honda, or even a Porsche. This makes it more challenging to drive smoothly than those other coupes, harder to drive smoothly than a Porsche Boxster or 911.
