2011 Infiniti G

Nissan’s luxury sub-brand sells stylish vehicles that deliver mixed results. Fit and finish is usually good, especially in the quiet, luxurious interiors. But Infiniti often falls short of competitors in fuel economy and handling. Some of its vehicles also score low in our owner satisfaction surveys, and most new models scored average for predicted reliability. New vehicles come standard with a full suite of active safety and driver assist systems. The brand’s lowest-priced option is a two-row compact SUV with a variable compression engine that attempts to deliver both fuel economy and sporty performance. The brand’s larger midsized, three-row SUV is roomy and quiet, with competitive fuel economy and quick acceleration. The largest Infiniti is a large three-row, high-end SUV that competes against Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz. With options, its price can cross $100,000. Among Infiniti’s discontinued vehicles, some sedans and coupes can be recommended among used luxury cars.

Infiniti's 2007 update of the G series cars significantly improved the interior accommodations and the control layout. This, along with several other attributes made it our top-rated car in the class. A larger 3.7-liter V6 was added to the coupe for 2008, and the sedan a year later, when a seven-speed automatic transmission was also made standard. We didn't think much of the convertible version that arrived in 2009. A less-costly G25, with a 2.5-liter V6 introduced in 2011, sacrifices a little acceleration, but gets much better fuel economy. The G25 was discontinued in 2013. The sedan was redesigned in 2014 and renamed Q50. The old platform carried on and the sedan was renamed Q40; while coupe and convertible versions were named Q60.