1996 INFINITI G20 Review

Emergency locking front and rear seatbelts have been installed, and fake wood is applied on models equipped with the Leather Appointment Package. This is the last year for the entry-level Infinti.

On one hand, we can't understand why Infiniti has such a hard time selling the G20. It's very attractive, offers decent all-around performance, and gets good fuel economy. Priced within a few thousand dollars of top-rung models from Honda and Toyota, the G20 has the added prestige and dealer service of the Infiniti brand name.

On the other hand, Nissan's Maxima makes the G20 pretty much redundant. It has more room, more power, better performance, and more modern engineering. Priced at the same levels as the G20, the Maxima simply makes more sense.

If you do opt for the G20, which is often advertised at unbeatable lease rates, you get a 140-horsepower twin-cam 2.0-liter four under the hood. A V6 is not available. The G20 is front-wheel drive, and has antilock brakes and dual airbags standard. The G20 is based on Nissan's home-market Primera sedan, which is about to be redesigned. Chances are good that the G20 will be all-new for '96 or '97, or will be replaced entirely by the soon-to-be-introduced I30, which will be based on the Maxima.

Really, the G20 is a good car. It's speedy, good looking, and competitively priced, especially for an Infiniti-badged sedan. However, there are other offerings in this class that provide the same amount of style, with a bit more substance.