Used 2012 INFINITI G Coupe G37 Journey G Coupe Review

The Infiniti G Coupe receives no significant changes for 2012.

Sport-focused, intelligently designed and attractively priced, the 2012 Infiniti G Coupe is an excellent choice for a luxury sport coupe.

Luxury sport coupes like the 2012 Infiniti G37 exist at the midway point between sports cars and entry-level luxury sedans. They are supposed to offer sharp handling, but still ride comfortably. They're supposed to look cooler than their four-door counterparts, yet still provide a backseat that can be used in a pinch. They should also come with all the leather and gizmos the term "luxury" denotes. They are at once a compromise and a best-of-both-worlds proposition.

Quite pleasingly, the G37 pretty much meets all of these requirements. The 2012 Infiniti G coupe lies at the midway point between the Nissan 370Z sports car from which it borrows its platform and the Infiniti G Sedan from which it borrows just about everything else. The result is a two-door that offers a blend of handsome looks, strong performance and athletic handling. Inside the cabin you get nice materials, a stylish design and available high-tech features, plus one of the most user-friendly electronics interfaces around. You obviously don't get the spacious backseat of the G sedan, but it sure beats the Z's non-existent rear seat.

The G37 isn't the only luxury sport coupe around, however. The BMW 3 Series coupe offers better handling and comparable performance, while the Audi A5 is more stylish and fuel-efficient. Another top contender this year is the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe, which is arguably more prestigious. Compared to these other models, the G also typically comes up a little short in terms of trunk and rear seat space. Yet even among this stellar group, Infiniti's G Coupe remains one of our top picks for its total combination of performance, styling and comfort.

The 2012 Infiniti G Coupe seats four people and is available in base G37, G37 Journey, G37x and G37 Sport trim levels. The G37x is essentially an all-wheel-drive version of the Journey. The G Sedan and G Convertible are addressed in separate reviews.

The base G37 comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, foglamps, keyless ignition/entry, cruise control, automatic climate control, eight-way power front seats, leather upholstery and a six-speaker sound system with a six-CD changer, satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack.

The G37 Journey adds automatic headlights, heated mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a rearview camera and an iPod/USB audio interface.

The Premium package adds a sunroof, rear parking sensors, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, driver memory functions and an 11-speaker Bose sound system. To that you can add the Navigation package, which includes a navigation system, a touchscreen interface, real-time traffic and weather, Bluetooth audio connectivity and voice controls.

To both of those packages you can add the Sport package, which includes 19-inch wheels (available separately), summer performance tires, sport-tuned suspension and steering, upgraded brakes, a limited-slip differential, unique styling, front sport seats with adjustable bolsters and thigh support, aluminum pedals and magnesium paddle shifters. To top it all off, the Technology package adds adaptive cruise control, automatic wipers and an advanced climate control system with an air purifier. This all-or-nothing options structure makes it difficult to select features you actually want.

The G37 Sport essentially includes the Premium, Navigation and Sport packages, and adds a standard manual transmission. The sunroof and the Technology package are not available on this model.

Every 2012 Infiniti G37 is powered by a 3.7-liter V6 that produces 330 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. A seven-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive are standard. The G37x gets all-wheel drive and the G37 Sport features a six-speed manual transmission.

In Edmunds performance testing, a G37 Sport coupe went from zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds -- swift, but the BMW 335i is even quicker. EPA-estimated fuel economy with rear-drive and the automatic is 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. It's 17/25/19 with the G37 Sport and 18/25/20 with the G37x.

The 2012 Infiniti G37 comes standard with stability control, traction control, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and active front head restraints. The optional Technology package adds pre-crash seatbelts that use the adaptive cruise control sensors to detect an impending impact and then automatically pre-load belt tension.

In Edmunds brake testing, a G37 Sport came to a stop from 60 mph in an excellent 110 feet. Expect slightly longer distances with the all-season tires found on other models.

The 2012 Infiniti G Coupe's V6 serves up thrilling acceleration, but we're not fans of the coarse noises it makes at higher engine speeds. The seven-speed automatic transmission provides quick gearchanges via the shift paddles on the steering wheel, and downshifts are quickly executed with precise throttle blips to match revs. Upshifts aren't quite as smooth as we'd like, however. We're also not particularly fond of the six-speed manual transmission, which suffers from a heavy and abrupt clutch engagement.

We can't complain about the G's handling, though. This well-sorted Infiniti attacks curves with aggression and precision, yet it remains poised and compliant when driven over less-than-perfect pavement. Steering feel is commendable, particularly with the quicker ratio provided in the Sport trim or package.

The G Coupe offers user-friendly controls, excellent build quality and a handsome design -- the latter highlighted by such items as the car's available leather-accented magnesium paddle shifters and the Japanese "Shodo" aluminum trim (or optional wood trim). The optional Bose audio system is excellent.

The front seats are comfortable and well-bolstered, while the available sport-styled seats offer even more aggressive bolstering (though they may be a bit too snug for larger drivers). As expected, the backseats are rather cramped and best suited for little kids or cargo. The trunk measures a modest 7.4 cubic feet but the rear seatbacks fold down if more space is needed. The trunks in the Audi A5 and BMW 3 Series are significantly larger.