Prowlerjm

Today, I was at the Infiniti dealership checking out G37 coupe, and the guys were trying to sell me a G35 Sedan which they priced really close to invoice.

I was impressed with the interior. It seems much nicer than the old G35 interiors.

I am not sure which I like more, the G35 or the IS350. Is it me, or does the IS 350 interior seem a little cramped?

Any other selling points as to why Lexus is better than Infiniti or vice versa?

I'm trying to convince my sig. other that this is the right car. Thanks.

Also, I realize your answers are probably gonna be a little biased towards Lexus, but please try to be a little objective

Thanks guys.

rfx45

Lexus' re-sell value is a lot higher than the Infiniti.
IS350 is faster even though the numbers looks similar on both cars.
Lexus' quality and reliability is better, always on the top of their competition.
Lexus' interior looks better but that can be a personale choice.

Although...
IS350 is more expensive, unless you get a fully loaded G35 then it will prbably be even.
IS has a small interior especially the backseat.

asianfob

Well I was once in your situation debating whether the G35, 335i, or IS350. Anyhow, the IS350 has a much better fit and finish than the G35. IS350 also has more luxury amenities. The car is slightly faster; however, the G35 is more agressive in turns. IS350 fuel economy is better. The IS350 is more reliable. The cabin space of the IS350 is smaller by about 10 cubic sq. feet then the G35; however, compared to the 335i its only a mere 2 cubic sq. ft. smaller. The exterior of the IS350 is better than the G35 in my opinon. If money isn't a factor than definitely go with a IS350, but why save a few grand and regret later?Theres probably alot more, but this is all I can think of off the top of my head atm.

patrick415

I spoke with owners of both extensively before I test drove these cars, so I could look for the things they liked/disliked about them. I ended up with the IS350...but it was very close. In the end I based a lot of my decision on Lexus' reputation for high build quality and my personal experience with Nissan. I also liked the fact that the Lexus was shorter (easier to park in San Francisco!).

patrick415

I did notice that most Lexus owners would definitely buy another Lexus, and owners of older Infinity cars (2000 and older) were not as likely to repurchase. This may make little to no difference to most people as they tend to trade up every 3-5 years. It was huge for me because I usually keep my cars for a long time (7-10 years)

davidbenji

The IS for the front seats has plenty of room unless you are over 6'3 then you run into some issues...rear seat well yeah that is pretty small.

I choose the IS beacuse it looks way better, performs very decently, strong acceleration, and great interior. Also Lexus tends to have high resale value while Infiniti not so much.

350ripper

i have owned a g35 and i now own a is350. to me they are not even in the same ballpark. if i choose i can drive the is350 gently and it feels like a luxury car. the g35 felt rough all the time. if i want to drive like a madman the lexus can acomadate me there as well. i know g35 has improved their interiors since i had mine, but wow.. i am really loving the lexus.... and if you care about prestige a lot of people don't really know the infinity brand as luxury. i got more comments from people when i had a 13 year old lexus than i did with my 2 year old g35...

crazy_vag

I picked Lexus IS350 because of a ventilated seats (as a male, that feature is more useful than heated seats), better gas milage, the Navigation / console were very well done IMO, keyless entry with push-botton start.

The steering headlights are actually very helpful, but that's unlikely to make a difference until you buy the car.

350ripper

Oh yeah, i forgot to add. the lexus is one billion times more comfy than the g35... i hated the seats in the g35 with a passion

al503

I had a g35 sedan and a g35 coupe before the IS.

The G does undercut the price when comparably equipped. However, after a month or two of ownership, the corners that have to be cut to achieve that price become quite apparent.

After being unable to get any warranty work on very widespread and common problems, I couldn't take it anymore. No car is perfect (including the IS) so the abililty to get your problems resolved in an efficient and timely manner is very important. In short, Infiniti works against you while Lexus goes above and beyond to keep me happy.

Some had some serious issues with the bracket holding the seat controls. I found the seats in the G to be very comfortable in both the sedan and coupe.

G pros:
1. room. Much more back seat room
2. lower price. However, you will probably find that you get what you pay for

IS pros:
1. MUCH better gas mileage. Between the to G's, I averaged about 21-22 MPG in my daily commute. The IS is getting about 26-27.
2. Much quieter. I had to dynamat the coupe so I could carry on a conversation with the g/f without raising my voice on the highway. The sedan was definitely quieter but not as quiet as the IS.
3. Fit/Finish. No contest here. The G's were rattle buckets, not to mention the quality of materials used.
4. Service: no comparison. My local dealership (the only one in the state) has 6 bays. The Lexus dealer has about 30. I think this is why they would never tackle any warranty work as they don't have the capacity. YMMV as dealerships certainly vary from area to area.

tmf2004

iTrader: (15)

Well as you know it boils down to personal choice.. I particularly like both vehicles but only have sat in the IS.. The new G sedan reminds me of my GS but about 15k cheaper.. I think Lexus has the upper hand on interior quality and craftmanship of there cars.. Sounds like a tuff choice and I'm glad i don't have to make that choice at the moment.. GL..

IS_250

iTrader: (2)

I just "downgraded" from my 06 IS 250 into a 03.5 G35 sedan.

Really, I didnt want to get rid of my IS but I was sick of having a high car payment/insurance rate. I have tried to get myself to like my G35 but my IS spoiled me.

Even though my 250 was underpowered it is so much smoother, refined, sporty, quieter and comfortable. My G is completely stock and it is louder and rides rougher than my IS that was lowered with 20" wheels. Yes, the back seats are sooooooo much smaller but after driving both cars for an extended amount of time I would buy the IS hands down. I very well could have purchased a TL or G35 for the same i paid for my 250, but the Lexus quality cant be beat.

I'd consider the TL before buying a G35 sedan.

Ramon

I was going to buy the G35 coupe until I went to check out the IS350 and fell in love with it, it was no contest for me...

That said, this was back in November of 2005, the decision would be MUCH tougher today with the new G35 Sedan. I've driven it several times (my sister gets one as a loaner) and while I still believe the IS350 is a better car, it is also a more expensive car. After driving both cars, here is what I have come away with.

IS350 Pro's
Faster (slightly)
Much smoother and quieter drivetrain, all the while being more powerfull
6 speed tranny (the 5 speed in the G has the enging revving at 3k RPM's at a mere 70mph)
Better gas mileage
Better audio system
Nicer interior (my opinion)

G35 Pros
Larger interior space, specifically for back seat passangers
Cheaper
Much better aftermarket support (that may or may not be a factor for you)
Does everything else ALMOST as good as the IS, with the exception of drivetrain refinement, where the IS is miles ahead. (drive both and you'll understand)

The G35 sedan is also suppose to have pretty good handling, but all the ones I drove were fitted with crappy Goodyear RS-A's that lost grip quite easily, so I was never able to really test the suspension.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

I went through the exact same choice... for me it initally came down to IS350 vs. the new G35 sedan vs. the Acura TL-S... the Acura lost because it was FWD and was (by far) the most dated platform... the G35 was closer, the performance on paper is nearly identical... the G35 probably corners a little better, the IS350 is massively smoother in power delivery... I found the part-throttle response on the G35 very jerky, especially from a stop.

The G35 obviously had more room, and was a bit cheaper...and the interior had been much improved over the previous generation... but the interior quality on the lexus was pretty clearly a lot better, and the interior is where you'll spend most of your time with the car...

The cinch was what a lot of people have mentioned... not only does the Lexus do a massively better job at retaining value, the mileage is much better, and the overall reliability of the brand is -MUCH- better than Infiniti... or pretty nearly anyone honestly... JD Power just released their latest long term dependability study, Lexus was once again #1, as it has been for well over a decade... and for most of that time by a pretty significant margin.

If you do still consider the G35 I strongly urge you to count the longest extended warranty you can as part of the base vehicle price compared to the Lexus without one.

Ramon

Ahh yes, I forgot to mention that specific tidbit in my "review" just above yours... I do remember quite vividly that the G35 felt like it was either ON or OFF, there were certain speeds where I simply could not get smooth acceleration from. I'd press the gas, nothing, press some more, nothing, a little bit more... a 2 gear downshift, tach redlines and it goes like a bat out of hell.

Best advice would be to drive both and see which one YOU and your significant other like better.