Sports car fans will like G20's interior. When trimmed in cloth, as in the G20 Luxury, the interior is smartly designed and highly functional, but not really, well, luxurious. But adding leather changes the basic Nissan-like interior to that of an upscale sedan befitting the Infiniti badge.
Firm, comfortable seats minimize fatigue. They held me in place at the racetrack and played a supporting role along the western slopes of Washington's Cascades and on the winding roads around Mount Si.
This car is sold as the Nissan Primera in Europe and our first impression of the Infiniti G20 was of a well-engineered Nissan sedan.
G20's best feature is its flawless execution of the driver's wishes. It's easy to drive well, whether winding through the Cascades or hot-lapping at Seattle International Raceway. The latter is an amateur road racing circuit near Kent, Washington, that features a long straightaway followed by a high-speed sweeping turn that leads into a tricky, technical back section. A tight autocross circuit was set up to further test handling. Over and over, we drove the Infiniti G20 along with an Audi A4 1.8T and a Mercedes-Benz C230 through the autocross and around the road course.
Our impression: G20 is much easier to control at the limit. In most cars, charging into a high-speed turn then abruptly lifting off the throttle in the middle of the corner can cause a spin. Do this in an Infiniti G20 and it simply tucks in and takes a tighter line through the corner, with far less drama. We don't recommend driving at the limit on the street, but the G20's highly refined manners would be a major asset in an emergency situation. We tried every driver mistake in the book and the rear wheels would not let go of the pavement.
By comparison, the Mercedes C230 felt big and heavy and required more skill to work through the course. Wheelspin prevented us from fully using the front-drive Audi A4's turbocharged engine. Without Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system, we encountered trailing-throttle oversteer entering corners and understeer when powering out of them. Driving technique can tame the A4's traits, but it's easier to maintain composure in the G20.
Part of the secret to G20's great handling is its multi-link rear suspension. This suspension is designed to aid recovery during sudden changes of direction. Meanwhile, the G20's multi-link front suspension, similar to that of the last-generation 300ZX, contributes to the G20's snappy steering. Relatively soft springs and shocks prevent harshness, while anti-roll bars maintain firm and stable cornering. The rack-and-pinion steering feels very direct, allowing the driver to place the car in a corner precisely.
G20 also handles bumpy corners extremely well, something we learned on a drive through Washington, D.C. Rough pavement and potholes will not throw this car off line in fast, sweeping turns. That's a big benefit on long commutes in major metro areas. We found the Bridgestone tires on the G20t offer much better grip and sharper steering response than the standard 195/65R15 Firestone Affinity all-season tires that come on the G20 Luxury; differences in ride quality are negligible.
This car is extremely stable under hard braking. The brakes never overheated at the racing circuit and they worked just as well in the Cascades. Apparently, Infiniti's work at Nurburgring paid off. A second-generation antilock braking system comes standard and helps the driver maintain steering control under hard braking.
Under the hood is Nissan's 145-horsepower, 2.0-liter, 16-valve, dual overhead-cam four-cylinder engine, also found in the Nissan Sentra SE. Though a solid engine, it's rough and noisy when compared to a Honda/Acura engine and lacks power at low rpm. This engine offers responsive performance around town, but downshifting is required for quick acceleration because all the power is in the upper rev range. Fortunately, the engine revs freely to 7000 rpm and provides good acceleration in the upper ranges. It also nets an EPA-estimated 31 mpg when cruising on the highway.
Enthusiasts will prefer the Touring model, while others may have trouble justifying the extra $2700, especially when all of the Touring's convenience features are available on the Luxury model for just $1500. The limited-slip front differential that comes with the G20 Touring does reduce wheelspin, but that isn't a big problem on the G20. Most G20s will be sold with automatic transmissions, but we highly recommend the smooth-shifting manual. The clutch pedal is light and shifting is quick and easy.
Two well-appointed models are available, and few options are listed.
At $21,395, the G20 Luxury model comes with ABS, side-impact airbags, cruise control, power windows and locks, a 100-watt Bose AM/FM/CD/cassette stereo with six speakers, an eight-way manually adjustable driver's seat, and many other features associated with near-luxury sedans.
The G20 Touring model, or G20t ($24,095) adds a viscous limited-slip differential, leather seats with power adjustment, leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic temperature control with microfilter ventilation, power glass sunroof, fog lights and a rear spoiler. A HomeLink system remotely turns on your lights and opens your garage door. Lower-profile 195/60R15 tires replace the 195/65R15 tires of the G20 Luxury.
A five-speed manual gearbox is standard; an automatic transmission adds $800 to either model.
A $1500 Leather & Convenience Package adds the sunroof, power seats, climate control, filtration system, and, of course, leather trim to the G20 Luxury. Heated seats can be added to G20t or a leather-packaged G20 Luxury for $420.