2011 INFINITI G Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos (2024)

Bengt Halvorson Senior Editor

February 16, 2011

Likes

• Nicely tailored, inside and out
• Strong powertrain
• Great handling
• Easy-to-use navigation and audio
• Unusual AWD coupe combination

Dislikes

• Automatic can shift abruptly
• Road noise
• Nervous ride

Buying tip

The navigation system in the G37 models has a great high-res "flyover" view, while the audio system has one of the easiest user interfaces available; they're both worth the upgrade.

features & specs

The 2011 Infiniti G37 Coupe and Convertible are super-stylish touring two-doors with responsive powertrains, along with top-notch steering and poise that's matched by only a few cars—like the BMW 3-Series Coupe and Convertible, one of its main rivals. And these model appeal to those who want the feel of a balanced sports car but also needs something that feels a little more mature...something that doesn't scream mid-life-crisis-mobile, perhaps.

Just like the G37 Sedan, the G37 Coupe has a sleek, neat, well-tailored look that straddles the line between overtly sporty and elegant. The G37 Convertible has thinner pillars and a little more oomph to its rear end (where the folding hardtop resides), which give it a voluptuousness. It's by far the best-looking folding-hardtop convertible you can buy, with none of the squatness that affects everything from the Volkswagen Eos to the Ferrari California. Inside, the styling keeps with the exterior—offering a serious, almost co*ckpit-like look, with a deep seating, a high center console, and large, hooded gauges; contrasted with lovely soft-touch materials and muted leather, which brush up against aluminum or wood trim and frame a clear.

The G37 Coupe and Convertible have some of the same underpinnings as the G Sedans—as well as the Nissan 370Z—only they're several inches shorter and that affects the way they ride and handle (in addition to space, of course). Overall it steers nicely—although, surprisingly, not quite with the excellent feedback of the G Sedan—and has a well-damped ride, even with the Sport package's 19-inch wheels. The heftier Convertible feels slightly less nimble and not as quick to accelerate. Both two-door G models get the same engine that powers the G37 Sedan, only here it makes 330 horsepower. It revs enthusiastically (and with a growl) up to 7,500 rpm and works well with either the precise six-speed manual gearbox or the seven-speed automatic, which includes magnesium paddle-shifters with the Sport package. The dash to 60 mph takes just 5.5 seconds in the Coupe, or about six seconds for the Convertible, because of the extra 450 pounds of folding hardtop it carries.

Inside these models, there's a lot to like. The base seats are fine, while the available sport seats have more adjustable supports and cosset a little more snugly. The seats in these models are mounted a little lower, which they need to be for the lower roofline, so it's all good, at least in the front seat. But while the G37's front seats are cozy, the rear seats are nearly useless. Both the G37 Convertible and Coupe have a back seat that's barely passable for kids; in the Convertible it might as well be called a 2+2 as there's scant headroom with the top up.

Just as in the G Sedans, those expecting a luxury coupe might be a little disappointed with the G37 Coupe's refinement. In addition to more road noise than typical for this class of vehicle, the G37 Coupe's engine can be coarse and noisy when revved, and ride quality can be choppy and nervous, especially with the available 19-inch wheels.

All coupes are built with automatic climate control, an intelligent key, and leather upholstery. Higher trim grades get upgraded audio; a dual-zone climate system; intelligent cruise control; adaptive front lighting; a hard-drive-based navigation system; and four-wheel active steering. All-wheel drive is an option. All Convertibles come with leather seating; the power hardtop; a door-mounted button to lower the roof before entering or after exiting; an MP3-capable sound system; a rearview camera; a navigation system with hard-drive music storage and XM Satellite Radio with real-time traffic data; and an iPod connection kit that's quick to index your favorite music.

Options include a multispeaker Bose audio system that tunes its output to the car's top-down status; a climate control system that does the same; and heated and cooled seats. Sport and Premium packages toss in 19-inch wheels, Bluetooth, radar-based cruise control, and adaptive headlights—and for 2011, the Sport package can be had in combination with all-wheel drive.

2011 INFINITI G Styling

Just like the G37 Sedan, the G37 Coupe has a sleek, neat, well-tailored look that straddles the line between overtly sporty and elegant.

Both the Coupe and Convertible have a front end that bears a lot in common to that of the sedan, and all the G models have a comparable tail treatment, but the similarities end there. With its more gracefully drawn-up headlamps and a curved-up hatch, the G37 Coupe could be gauged as either a softer, more understated sports car or a more edgy luxury coupe.

The G37 Convertible has thinner pillars and a little more oomph to its rear end (where the folding hardtop resides), which give it a voluptuousness. It's by far the best-looking folding-hardtop convertible you can buy, with none of the squatness that affects everything from the Volkswagen Eos to the Ferrari California.

Inside, the styling keeps with the exterior—offering a serious, almost co*ckpit-like look, with a deep seating, a high center console, and large, hooded gauges; contrasted with lovely soft-touch materials and muted leather, which brush up against aluminum or wood trim and frame a clear.

2011 INFINITI G Performance

The G37 Coupe and Convertible have some of the same underpinnings as the G Sedans—as well as the Nissan 370Z—only they're several inches shorter and that affects the way they ride and handle (in addition to space, of course). Overall it steers nicely—although, surprisingly, not quite with the excellent feedback of the G Sedan—and has a well-damped ride, even with the Sport package's 19-inch wheels. The heftier Convertible feels slightly less nimble and not as quick to accelerate.

Both two-door G models get the same engine that powers the G37 Sedan, only here it makes 330 horsepower. It revs enthusiastically (and with a growl) up to 7,500 rpm and works well with either the precise six-speed manual gearbox or the seven-speed automatic, which includes magnesium paddle-shifters with the Sport package. The dash to 60 mph takes just 5.5 seconds in the Coupe, or about six seconds for the Convertible, because of the extra 450 pounds of folding hardtop it carries.

One model that especially stands out from a performance perspective is the G37x Coupe AWD, which utilizes Infiniti's ATESSA E-TS all-wheel-drive system found on other Infiniti models. It's an excellent system that's proactive and helps maximize stability when cornering.

The seven-speed automatic is more enjoyable than most, as it responds quickly to the paddle-shifters and provides throttle blips for seamless downshifts; in more easygoing driving it can be a little more lumpy and indecisive, though.

2011 INFINITI G Comfort & Quality

Inside the 2011 G37 Coupe and Convertible, there's a lot to like. The base seats are fine, while the available sport seats have more adjustable supports and cosset a little more snugly. The seats in these models are mounted a little lower, which they need to be for the lower roofline, so it's all good, at least in the front seat.

While the G37's front seats are cozy, the rear seats are nearly useless. Both the G37 Convertible and Coupe have a back seat that's barely passable for kids; in the Convertible it might as well be called a 2+2 as there's scant headroom with the top up.

The Coupe sets aside 7.4 cubic feet of trunk space, which actually is larger at 10.3 cubic feet with the roof raised-considerably less with the top lowered, though the backseats are better used as luggage space anyway.

Two passengers will appreciate the tightly constructed cabins and the wealth of expensive-feeling wood and aluminum trims, as well as the engaging noises filtering into the cabin from the V-6.

Just as in the G Sedans, those expecting a luxury coupe might be a little disappointed with the G37 Coupe's refinement. In addition to more road noise than typical for this class of vehicle, the G37 Coupe's engine can be coarse and noisy when revved, and ride quality can be choppy and nervous, especially with the available 19-inch wheels.

2011 INFINITI G Safety

The 2011 Infiniti G37 Coupe and Convertible come with a solid set of safety features, and while the Convertible alone hasn't been crash-tested by either of the major agencies, the G37 Coupe performs respectably.

In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tests, the G37 Coupe earns top 'good' scores in frontal and side impact, though it gets only 'marginal' in the seat-based rear-impact test and hasn't yet been rated in the new roof strength category.

Standard equipment on G37 models includes dual front airbags; side seat-mounted airbags; curtain airbags (roof-mounted in coupes, door-mounted in convertibles); stability and traction control; and active headrests. The G37 Convertible also is fitted with twin pop-up roll bars for more rollover safety. Adaptive cruise control and "preview braking," which uses sensors to predict an impact and applies some brake force to limit impact speeds, are options.