2012 Infiniti G25 Sedan

The Infiniti G is one of the most driver-focused vehicles in the entry-luxury segment. The rear-wheel-drive chassis is entertaining, the steering has not been dumbed down to make parking easier, the engines are responsive, and a manual transmission is available. True, there is no ultra-high-performance model, a la BMW M3, but the recently launched Infiniti Performance Line (IPL) coupe is an initial step in that direction. The lineup has been further fleshed out on the low end with the G25 sedan, which uses a smaller version of Infiniti's six but compensates with a significantly smaller price tag than the mainstay G37. As we've mentioned with regard to other Infinitis in which the V-6 appears, it's not the smoothest six out there, but the 3.7-liter version at least does a bang-up job of motivating the compactly proportioned G37. Buyers can choose between a six-speed manual transmission and a seven-speed automatic transmission. The G37 is available as a handsome sedan, a snug four-place coupe, or a hardtop convertible. The convertible's climate-control and audio systems can be optimized for driving top up or down, but this is still probably our least favorite of the G body styles. The retractable hardtop can squeak and creak on all but the smoothest roads, and when the top is lowered, it effectively takes up all the trunk space. Nonetheless, the retractable hardtop remains the preferred way to go for open cars in this class, as BMW and Lexus both use them, too.