2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible

Review

Amazingly beautiful and well-engineered from the outside, the Infiniti G37 Convertible is a marvel sure to win over coupe and convertible enthusiasts alike. As Infiniti’s only second foray into the world of convertibles, the G37 does an amazing job of holding its own against the competition on every level. Beautifully sleek from the outside and indistinguishable as a convertible while the top up, the car does not suffer any of the traditional “long-butt” looks you find with many convertible cars. With the top down, you have a vehicle that sings along highways and downtown streets alike with great handling, interior features and looks as well.

Performance

Suitable for everyday driving or life on the highway, the Infiniti G37 performs well enough to impress in auto reviews. Fuel economy is a decent 17/25 using the seven-speed automatic transmission and almost exactly the same when using the manual.

Powered by an impressive 3.7-liter V6 and 325 horses under the hood, the 2009 G37 moves with confidence, getting zero to sixty in around five seconds. The car is somewhat heavier than the competition which can slow it down a bit on acceleration and passing speeds. The downshifting capability is particularly praised in new and used car guides, returning a positive feel and smooth clutch take-up. The automatic transmission is preferred for the better gas mileage and that it does an excellent job at any RPM.

Exterior Features

The exterior of the 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible is well done with coupe-like lines and a solid-enough steel frame to avoid the “convertible shimmy” that plagues so many hardtop convertibles on the market. Beautiful as a four-seater, the G37’s engineers must have worked late many a night to finally come up with a 3-piece folding roof that doesn’t require an absurd rear-end to fold into; this car is well-proportioned. Taking 30 seconds to either fold or unfold, the top’s operation is smoothly handled with the touch of a button.

Interior Features

Long lagging behind the Lexus and Audi interiors as far as quality is concerned, Infiniti vehicles have struggled to impress those sitting behind the wheel or in the passenger’s seat. With the G37, however, Infiniti has significantly picked up the pace, offering a simply gorgeous satin-finished rosewood trim as an option which can rightly be called divine. The standard plastic trim is still kind of blasé, unfortunately, but it’s not offensively bad. The controls for the G37 are of good quality as well and the multi-grade leather used for interior accents is also a nice added touch.

Like all convertibles, the top-down eats up plenty of trunk space, leaving driver and passengers to share a paltry 2.5 cubic feet of space. There is a removable wind-blocker offered as a more expensive option that does a great job of cutting down on noise levels and buffeting when the top is down, but this component has the unfortunate effect of removing the two rear seats capacity, so you won’t be taking three of your friends along for a ride with it in place. When the top is down, the G37 can be heated using optional heated or cooled front seats.

Standard interior features include a leather steering wheel, leather seats, buttons for audio and cruise control on the steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, which can automatically adjust fan speeds based on the speed of the vehicle a six-speaker CD/MP3 audio system and rearview monitor system.

Safety & Specifications

There is a great list of safety features that come standard on the 2009 G37 that enabled it to score 5 and 4 stars on driver and passenger frontal crash ratings respectively and 5 stars for side crash ratings for both according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These standard features include a four-wheel disc brake system with standard ABS, of course, automatic distribution of braking force and pop-up roll bars for safety that appear if the car detects an imminent rollover.

Front airbags, and side airbags that are mounted both on the seat and the door, stability control and active head restraints add to the safety package.

Upgrade Options

Upgrade options for the Infiniti G37 are enough to transform the car into the specific type of vehicle that you may be interested in driving from a luxury convertible to a prim-performance machine capable of handling roads or racetracks with the best of them in its class. Infiniti’s “Bose Studio on Wheels” package adds iPod connections, a 13-speaker open air sound system with speakers in the headrests that can automatically adjust the sound volume if the top is down, and a 9.3 gigabyte digital music storage system.

Other options available include a sport package which will replace the 18-inch wheels with 19-inch ones, bigger and better brakes, more finely-tuned steering, sportier seats and paddle-shifters behind the steering wheel for optimum control. Optional safety equipment includes Intelligent Cruise Control that uses a computer and sensors to determine the safe speed for travel based on vehicles that are head of the car.

How the G37 Compares to Other Convertible Luxury Cars

Competition for the Infiniti G37 includes the Volkswagen Eos (doesn’t look nearly as good), the BMW 3-Series (faster, lighter and more powerful), and the Nissan Z (not as luxurious). Overall the 2009 G37 is well-rounded as a convertible that can satisfy on every level and excel at a few depending on your tastes and customization options.

Conclusion: Is the 2009 G37 Convertible a Smart Buy?

Undeniably photogenic, the 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible is a great all-around vehicle on overview. Not too stuffy to use in day-to-day driving as a coupe, or too expensive and snazzy. IntelliChoice 5-Year Cost of Ownership ratings have not compiled sufficient data to cover the 2009 G37, however with road tests reporting no major issues with driving, it can be considered a safe bet for the $33,000 invoice price.

Infiniti’s standard warranty is a somewhat impressive 4-year/60,000 basic coverage with a 5-year/50,000 mile Emission Control coverage which is expandable at the type of purchase from a dealership.