sarge_in

I am in the market for a new car after my 1998 Altima got totalled. Ours is a family with 2 young kids, so decent space is always preferred. We do have an Odyssey which is the family carrier for most times, so this car need not have all the space but always good to have some.

After test-driving various popular ones in the $35K whereabouts - BMW 328/335, Audi A4, Lexus ES350, Infiniti G37 and the Acura TL. I am now down to 2012 TL-Tech vs 2011 G37 w/ Premium and Nav packages, and looking for suggestions between these two.

For TL-Tech:
1. Space!
2. Awesome tech toys. Excellent controls and buttons, even though it seems like a cockpit. Bluetooth integration is best of all cars I drove. NAV can be used during driving (e.g. by passenger). Shows iPod album art, etc etc. Most importantly, I found the controls intuitive to use within 5 mins of trying, as compared to somewhat confusing on the G37. G37 cotrols are on a horizontal plane which makes it inconvenient I think.
3. Sportier ride than Lexus, but not as good as BMW or G37.
4. Prefer the seat and interiors of TL.
5. Cheaper by about $2K for similar options between the two.
6. Reliability. Will last longer and lower maint bills, perhaps?
7. G37 rear has that big hump which makes middle seat almost unusable.

For G37 w/ Premium and Nav packages
1. Rides and handles better than the TL. I guess SH-AWD may make it equal (does it?), but being in LA I am not sure I would enjoy all the benefits of it as much.
2. RWD
3. More power.
4. NAV view is better, with 3-d view and lane guidance.
5. Shorter and narrower, so easier to park in cramped parking spaces. OTOH, reduces passenger space.
6. Slightly bigger trunk, but not a big deal.
7. Better exterior styling, though I seem to start liking the new TL.

Whatever I get will most probably be a purchase and will be used for a long time - ~10 yrs perhaps.

Bottom-line - it is between ride of G37 vs space, tech toys and reliability of TL. FWIW, I am leaning heavily towards the TL right now. I did post the same question in TL forum and got (predictably) thumbs up for the TL. So wanted to ask here as well just to balance things out before I reach for the wallet.


What would you recommend? And those that cross-shopped between these, what did you choose and why?

Thanks!

MACS

iTrader: (3)

Reliability between an Acura and an Infiniti is a wash, if you ask me. I had an '04 G35 for 6 years and 80k miles with no issues.

I don't like the exterior look of the TL and I don't like that it is front wheel drive. The G definitely rides better, IMO, but the Acura's interior is nicer.

As far as price goes... I found the G to be less expensive with equal equipment. I got mine for $39,300 and it is the Limited Edition model.
*shrug*

Rickblkg

I was in the same situation as you and I went with the G! Something about the TL I didnt like. And the options I wanted made the TL more expensive.

madmax2k1

Seems like you already made up your mind; if you're not a driving enthusiast you won't appreciate the advantages of the G in handling and steering feedback, if you value comfort and space first, get the TL.

pricojorge

iTrader: (3)

What about the Lexux IS250 or IS350 ?
I love my infiniti but my reasons are not the same as yours ... Im into performance, sporty, and dont carry anyone in the back seats.

Id probably go with the TL

jdg37

Another note on price... I got my G for $5300 below MSRP, and I didn't even really haggle... just went with Truecar pricing. Acura doesn't discount as much. So really the price is about the same for the FWD Tech model as a well optioned G37 Journey. My .02.

tallbrownie

iTrader: (1)

This is a great topic... I actually traded in my 08 Acura TL fully loaded nav, backup cam, ipod connections, sunroof and got an 09 G37 journey for a wicked price...

Sure I lost a few of the items in my TL but overall the Infiniti is refined , classy and sexy ...

Acura cars are also very much close to the Ininfiti but you cannot go wrong either way...

You'll find more people who don't like the 09 and up acura style due to the body changes and it's loosing the sporty feel and touch to it.

People can tell an Infiniti car from it's body shape, style and throttle I think....

But It's up to you...

Acura has a lot stuff going on in the drivers dash board and it was an over kill ... Infiniti I find has a done a much better job to keep it clean, cut and to the point on the number of buttons etc...

hadokenuh

^^ this

The G can ride a little rough. But the power and RWD make it so fun to drive.

If you are considering a 2012 TL FWD, then I think Honda has done a great job on the styling. It also gets more MPG than the G. But there are so many buttons on the dash if you can tolerate that. Quality wise, I think the TL is better built, just a little bit - not huge, than the G.

You can't go wrong with either one. But make sure you test drive the SH-AWD before making your final decision I am personally excited to see the next gen TL as Honda seems to learn their lesson about styling. I bet it's going to look and drive great!

Btw, the TL crowd seems to be very defensive about their buying choice. They tend to think the TL is best in class and the G is crap. We are not, at least I know I am not.

sarge_in

Thanks for the responses!

Interesting about the pricing! The Infiniti dealer quoted me in the range of $39K for the premium and nav packages, while the TL is about $37.5K. These are both with just minor prodding, but I got the feeling that Acura dealers were more willing to negotiate. Am I missing something?

And yes, not a complete 'enthusiast' here, but do want a fun ride. At the same time, not sure how the G37 behaves over long freeway rides - bumps / road noise etc? I felt the TL, while nowhere as floaty as the Lexus ES350, did provide a good amount of fun while also providing a bit more comfort than G37. So it's not that I value comfort first and performance second, it's just that I want them balanced - if that makes sense. I have also read that G37 seats are not as supportive?

As for the IS350 - it is way too small for my liking.

I know if this was a year back I would most probably have gone the G37 way as the 2011 Acura styling looked BAD. Thankfully they made the change just in time for my purchase!

sarge_in

Yes I did drive the SH-AWD as well. This one has certainly improved handling and the ride is very close to G37. The drawbacks are that is an expensive option to add, has a lower MPG and drives slightly rougher. I would still have taken this if it were not as expensive to add. It is still in the consideration though..

In any case, even at the Acura forums no one implied that G37 is crap. If anything they are the closest competitors in the $35K - $40K range. BMW is an excellent ride - but their options are ridiculously priced and reports of maintenance costs make it a weak choice for owning (but great for leasing). Lexus was just plain boring - ride as well as interiors. Which is why I came down to TL vs G37. As most of you mentioned, it comes down to personal preferences in terms of performance / comfort / styling (exterior and interior) etc.

kaoticdemize

iTrader: (2)

Infiniti G has won many awards for reliability in the luxury category. I do like the acura interior and the sound system is better. (does it still come with the cassette player? lol) but the exterior is definately the g and fwd vs rwd, nuff said there. What it comes down to is what you prefer. IMO the g is way above the TL but that is due to the performance aspect. If I didn't care about performance then maybe it would be closer. But having owned nissan products for almost 15 years it would be hard for me to choose another import as I have been more then satisfied with the products I've had.

tejasg37x

I too was down to the G37 and TL when I was recently looking for a new car...I was buying used though;2010.
I found the Infiniti dealer was more willing to work on price than Acura was on a 2010. I was able to get a G37x for the same as a comparable optioned FWD TL.
I agree with others about the better seats and the best electronics, but I just could not get past that ugly front on the TL, or the FWD. A luxury/sport sedan should not have FWD in my opinion.
The AWD G37 that drives RWD most of time, with more power, dash that wasn't so high tech looking, and sportier feeling suspension, better CPO maintenance and warranty, was the choice for me. I might have been a little biased because I was going from a 350Z to a sedan, so the G felt just right to me.
I should also mention I have owned an Acura before and they are great reliable cars, as was my Nissan 350Z.

As an added bonus, the Infiniti dealer gave me more for my trade than I expected from anyone. Enough to make me trade it instead of spending my time trying to sell it myself and deal with every 20 year old that would want to test drive it.

antirice

iTrader: (2)

The TL is a pretty ugly car. That alone will keep me away.

Coprolite

I have a '10 TSX and an '11 auto coupe with sport package.

The acura ELS premium sound is unmatched, but the Bose premium sound is an ok alternative. Performance vs. Efficiency is what you are left with...

Remember that you drive the car from the inside, but you can't really lose with either...

Itchytoe

I used to have a TSX. Not quite the same as the TL, but darn close.

Acura has a more luxurious interior. It's got way better seats. I really miss those seats. I guess it has more gadgets too, if you go by total gadget count, but I never used most of them and the Infiniti has all the gadgets I actually used. I don't miss any of those. The manual transmission in the Acura is definitely more refined than the Infiniti. Clutch engagement, the movement through the forks, everything is more refined in the Acura. Acura has V-Tec! If you like it, it's awesome. If you don't, eh, it's kinda weird, but I guess it's cool.

The Infiniti on the other hand is a whole different story. It's a RWD enthusiast car. Don't get me wrong, it's still got a nice interior, but that's not what it does best. I can feel the road. I'm way more connected in the Infiniti than I ever was in the Acura. RWD vs FWD? Really, do you even have to ask that one? I liked the Acura, but I didn't get in it just to drive when I was bored. The transmission in the Infiniti isn't as refined, but I like it like that. If I mistime a shift, it's not afraid to tell me I screwed up. The Acura transmission is almost too refined and I lose some connectivity with it. The VQ sounds so much nicer than anything Honda makes. There's no comparison there. Speaking of the VQ engine, ever hear of VVEL? It's way better than V-tec. We don't need no steenkin throttle bodies!

For me, it's a no brainer. Then Acura came out with the new and improved spaceship design, and wrote off Acura completely. Really, they're hideous!! Yea, ok, if they revive the NSX, I'll be first in line to get one, but other than that, they have nothing to offer me. If Acura's seats would fit in the G, the G would be perfect