Yes, G37 will only be available in RWD and AWD Journey, with Premium and Nav the only available packages.

 

Nice work willvega!

I, for (another) one, have no interest in the new Infiniti Sonazda...ATM
It has gone from somewhat polarizing to completely generic in appearance. I suppose being a little different isn't as profitable as conforming to the mainstream contemporary styling...unless you're say, Ferrari or Porsche.

 

Not sure if the photos represent the correct model for 2014, since they are of the G37S sedan...unless Infiniti decided to upgrade the brakes & the front end on the 2014.

 

I just now test drove a 2014 Q50S AWD, and I didn't hate it.

But I didn't love it, either.

Have a number of observations about the car, but I need to think about it for a bit.

 

Here's the thing on styling....it's hard to be "that" different yet still good looking. You run the risk of going Pontiac Aztek in your quest to hit the original Chrysler 300 look.

Most cars are going to look pretty similar down the sides in pictures. It's just hard to be "that" different. One that always struck me was the 2004-08 Acura TL. Different and unique but not odd.

No doubt though that the rear styling is WAY too similar to the 6 and Sonata. Those are not your competitors. The front is unique and different. It's also so tough to really tell what a car looks like through pictures. You lose the subtle styling cues, the stance, and the way that light hits the vehicle.

Ford is getting a ton of press from their Fusion looking like an Aston Martin. That's great for Ford. The downside is soon they'll be hundreds of thousands of those copycat Fusions rolling down the streets.

 

I don't think it's going to a car that someone will actually "hate". But like you said, you didn't love it either. And I think that's the problem. It doesn't jump out at you and make you say, "ohh, I love it. I gotta have it". For the price, it's just "meh". And for people who don't care (or even turned off by the overly complicated techs), the G37 will be a better sell given it's new price point.

 

^^^
Exactly. If they refined the dash and plastics in the G37 for these last two years, then there's really no reason to buy a Q50. Because the interior on the Q50 really is superior. Very, very nice.

The narrow A-pillars was the first thing I noticed. And that swept back dash with the waterfall center console and dual-screens... also very nice. Ditto on the big padded armrest.

The back seat is extremely inviting, much more so than my G.

But for the whole test drive with the salesman, he kept trying to show me gadgets, and I kept turning them off. No radio, no nav, no care. It's supposed to be a car, not some space-age entertainment system. Windows down, AC off, radio off, nav off.

Also, Sport-mode is the only way to go. If you're not in sport mode, then the car is super sloppy at every speed. Truly horrible.

Another thing I couldn't get over was the complete lack of throttle response. Goose the throttle at any speed and any gear, and it's just squishy. Nothing. No response what-so-ever.

But the power was there eventually. And the power is nice... but then, it's also nothing different than we're all used to.

Oh, and the Sport Seats have so thigh support. They're not sport seats, in my book. And if you sit in a Q50 with that fake leather, you will hate, hate, hate it. That pleather is horrible.

 

Here's where I am after this test drive:

• The exterior is neither any better nor worse than any number of other contemporary mid-sized sedans. Ho hum.
• The interior (with leather) is quite nice. Very nice, in fact.
• The driving experience is softer and less engaging than my very lightly modded 6MT. It can be fun, but not much.
• Do not buy this car without the sport package, because it's not worth the drive. And then you add in the cost of the sport package... and it's not worth the money. Kind of a lose/lose proposition.
• Lastly, this is a car my wife could drive.

I'm done.

 

That my friend is the famous 7AT lag. You probably isn't used to that since you have the 6MT.

 

The rear styling reminds me of my current G, which is why my feeling that Hyundai and Mazda copied the style. As far as the pictures in the above post, they are way too fuzzy to show anything especially on my ipad. Post some high rez raws it will show a different story.

As far as the Fusion, it does not pull offmthe looks like an Aston Martin...in other words it's ugly. It can be a top seller and still be ugly.

 

With the comment about yur wife, it's proof positive infiniti has gone mass market. Not a bad thing to attempt to increase your customer base.

 

I shouldn't have said that about my wife. It comes across sexist, and I'm sorry for that. However, in my household, the wife won't drive my G37. I've offered it many times, but she's actually afraid of the car. It's too much car, if you understand what I mean by that.

But yeah, she could drive the Q50 and be happy with it.

 

This issue has been there since the 2009 G37 as long as it's the AWD 7AT.

 

No kidding? Wow, that really sucks for you guys.

If my 6MT had that kind of throttle response, I simply wouldn't have purchased it.

 

The 7AT on the RWD wasn't that bad at the test drive. It progressively got worse as it adapts. So it is almost impossible to know the car will behave this way down the road. If you are complaining about it at the test drive, I hate to see how it will be after a few thousand miles. Some people don't understand my frustration with this, and my obsession with the Audi's DSG. But when I switch between the 2 cars, it's like night and day difference. And comparing the 7AT with your 6MT, you understand.

I'm hoping (at least for the RWD) that it isn't that bad. Maybe it's a shock coming from a 6MT. Some say the Q50's 7AT behaves better. We'll see.