Infiniti G Convertible 3.7 Review: Market Forces

What we like:

Elegant and pretty styling for a hardtop

strong performance

sporty engine note

What we dislike:

Some scuttle shake

Unuseable boot when roof is retracted

average ride and handling dynamics

Inside, the G convertible features the signature Infiniti ‘double-wave’ dashboard design. Just like in the 370Z, the instrument panel is attached to the steering column instead of on the dashboard, and hence moves when the column is adjusted electrically for reach and rake, hence giving the driver an unobstructed view of the instruments at all times.

The rest of the driving environment is typical Infiniti – the driving position is spot on, the seats are clad in sumptuous leather and are superbly comfortable and supportive, the switchgear easy-to-use and logically placed, and excellent levels of perceived quality and luxury (the brushed aluminium surfaces look especially good). Infiniti’s interior designers though, should up their effort on some of the Nissan-sourced switchgear – buttons and controls like the hugely important one to open and close the roof on the centre console look just too plain and unexciting. The G37’s Bose 13-speaker high-end audio system sounds just superb – it even features headrest-mounted speakers for improved audio quality when the roof is down.

The G37 seats two at the rear but like its rivals, room in the rear is just average. Legroom is reasonably OK but larger adults might not like being seated at the rear on long drives. Headroom can also be lacking when the roof is in place. One of the biggest downsides of a metal hardtop design is the lack of luggage space when the roof is retracted. The G37 offers a useful enough load space with the roof in place. Lower the roof though and luggage space becomes almost non-existent so it seems that Infiniti has compromised boot space to give the G convertible a more petite rear and hence, a prettier look overall.

The G37 possesses safety features that are worthy of a Swedish model. A strong body shell helps but the G37 also comes with a Roll-Over Protection System and a plethora of airbags as standard. Luxuries standard on the G37 include that brilliant sounding Bose stereo, bi-Xenon headlamps, dual-zone climate control, keyless operation, ventilated front seats, 19-inch alloy wheels, trip computer, adaptive cruise control and so on.

At a smidgen under $300k, the G37 convertible costs just a tad more than its only Japanese competitor, the premium spec 2.5-litre Lexus IS C as well as being not too much more expensive than its four-cylinder competitors from Europe. The Infiniti offers more performance for its money. It is also a great looking and stylish topless car, probably the most important factor for a convertible model. The hardtop roof design though, comes at a price – the G37’s dynamics are just average and luggage space is miniscule with the roof down. It looks like the marketing men won the war with the engineers on this one.

Credits: Story by Raymond Lai Photos by Yang and Raymond Lai