sarge_in

I am in the market for a new car after my 1998 Altima got totalled. Ours is a family with 2 young kids, so decent space is always preferred. We do have an Odyssey which is the family carrier for most times, so this car need not have all the space but always good to have some.

After test-driving various popular ones in the $35K whereabouts - BMW 328/335, Audi A4, Lexus ES350, Infiniti G37 and of course the Acura TL-Tech. I am now down to 2012 TL-Tech vs 2011 G37 w/ Premium and Nav packages, and looking for suggestions between these two.

For TL-Tech:
1. Space!
2. Awesome tech toys. Excellent controls and buttons, even though it seems like a cockpit. Bluetooth integration is best of all cars I drove. NAV can be used during driving (e.g. by passenger). Shows iPod album art, etc etc. Most importantly, I found the controls intuitive to use within 5 mins of trying, as compared to somewhat confusing on the G37. G37 cotrols are on a horizontal plane which makes it inconvenient I think.
3. Sportier ride than Lexus, but not as good as BMW or G37.
4. Prefer the seat and interiors of TL.
5. Cheaper by about $2K for similar options between the two.
6. Reliability. Will last longer, perhaps?
7. G37 rear has that big hump which makes middle seat almost unusable.

For G37 w/ Premium and Nav packages
1. Rides and handles better than the TL. I guess SH-AWD may make it equal (does it?), but being in LA I am not sure I would enjoy all the benefits of it as much.
2. RWD
3. More power.
4. NAV view is better, with 3-d view, lane guidance and Text-to-speech. Does TL have these??
5. Shorter and narrower, so easier to park in cramped parking spaces. OTOH, reduces passenger space.
6. Slightly bigger trunk, but not a big deal.
7. Better exterior styling.

Whatever I get will most probably be a purchase and will be used for a long time - ~10 yrs perhaps.

Bottom-line - it is between ride of G37 vs space, tech toys and reliability of TL.

What would you recommend? And those that cross-shopped between these, what did you choose and why?

Also, what colors are more popular around here? I am considering the white (really stands out) or dark gray (like black without being black) for exterior, and light gray or beige for interiors. I know it's personal, but good to know what folks prefer and why.

Thanks!

TinyRK

I wanted to decide between those two as well.
I went with the TL. The G37 looks cheap inside compared to the TL. The Coupe though is pretty nice.

4GTL

I added my thoughts throughout your post. Hope they help.

lji

I cross shopped both last year and the space, SH-AWD + price on the TL sealed the deal for me. I paid less for the SH-AWD TL than a comparable RWD G37 optioned out due to Acura's incentives at the time. I think the G37 sedan rides slightly better than the TL though, but that's subjective. Regarding the Nav, you can operate the nav on the TL while driving while the Infiniti locks you out when driving. That was huge for me coming from the crappy nav on the Lexus. Edmunds.com had found that the G37 VQ engine is a bit coarse at higher rpms while the TL's J37 engine didn't exhibit that charateristic. Only thing I wish the TL had compared to the Infiniti is the auto tilt steering wheel, the seats that move back during ingress/egress, and the guidance lines that move with the steering wheel when in reverse.

diddy_nyc

iTrader: (1)

I too was facing the same decision a few months ago and decided to go with the TL. If you're looking for a sportier ride, i suggest that you take a peek at the SH-AWD. You wont be disappointed. The TL felt like a tank compared to the G sedan and the interior felt much more luxurious to me. I also felt that the TL's exterior design was far more superior than the G and would have a lasting appeal for several years to come. After 5 years of being on the road, the G looks so dated.

JM2010 SH-AWD

Both excellent cars; these were my final two choices too. I chose the TL because it felt a little more solidly built and refined, especially in the powertrain/transmission. I have the AWD 6MT, and the quality of the shift feel in the TL is about as good as it gets. The cars felt about the same performance- wise, and in fact they test out very comparably in the various magazines. I wasn't as concerned about the extra room, but the TL definitely feels more spacious in the cabin. As far as features, it seemed about a wash. As you note, G offers some nice things TL doesn't and vice versa. The TL's sound system is far superior if that's important to you. One factor for me was availability. Acura dealers had TL 6MTs in stock while Infiniti dealers didn't seem interested in selling me a 6MT G37. Not so important for you in SoCal, but the RWD would have been a negative for me here in the snow/rain belt. As far as reliability, I think you can expect both cars to be well-made and reliable, especially compared to the German cars.

Good luck.

mightl

I came from the Nissan/Infiniti family. Always love the VQ engine and the styling on G/M. I almost pull the trigger on M35/37 but end up with a SH-AWD. Give it a ride and you may have a different decision. Love the G styling but with kids, it has never been an option for me, just like A4/S4, 328/335, the rear seat is cramp.

Good luck shopping.

jspagna1

My sister had a 2005 G35X and has a G35X and I have driven them both. Only plus is lots of power. other than that nothing. Even my brother-in-law hates the car because he says it's too small and cramped and he does'nt sit in the back seat.
I also found both cars to ride very hard and very uncomforatable.

winstrolvtec

I think you already summed it up well when it comes to both vehicles. It's going to be a matter of which highlighted aspects of each you ultimately prefer. I think most go in the direction of the TL over a G for much of the reasons you already listed. Things like the size, space, comfort factor, seats and interior, tech and it's intuitiveness.

While the G is the smaller, lighter, sportier, much more traditional entry luxury sedan (compact). A great alternative to a 3 series in particular, highly competitive and a strong value as well. It has a lot of the same traits as the TL when it comes to reliability and resale.

Personally, I like the sporty aspirations of a car like the G but hate the size and space factor and the sporty character and feel can get overwhelming to me at times. That's why I went with the SH TL, it's a great blend of the best of both worlds. It has similar types of capabilities (if not more in terms of handling) so it's just as fun but it's also larger, more spacious and comfortable, as well as, easier and more relaxing to drive at the same time IMO.

I know you might feel like you don't have use for the AWD but it is a performance and handling system first and foremost and also does an excellent job of providing that additional traction for poor weather situations as needed. It's a superior format for traction and handling compared to RWD and traditional AWD. Unfortunately, it's not more readily available because it's not cheap to implement and it adds weight and some additional drivetrain losses which then costs even more money to compensate for.

Considering, it's a great package, especially for the money. They really could charge more for it. It has upgraded rims, a bigger, more powerful engine, and not just active AWD but also torque vectoring, which is something that usually costs a lot more elsewhere. Then there is even the advance package SH which takes it even further.

I am not sure what your budget may or may not be but I highly recommend you get these two models involved in this comparison regardless. At least you would not have left anything out that you may later regret, and then whatever you decide, you decide. Best or luck, let us know if you need anything else or have other questions.

sarge_in

Wow - thanks everyone! Seems like a consensus for the TL then Which is not surprising, as I am leaning heavily to it myself, and even more so after all the above comments.

TinyRK - Yes, thats the feel I got too regarding cheaper GL interiors.

4GTL - Very helpful comments! Thanks for the tip about bumper paint. I think I am leaning towards the white too. What interior color do u have?

lji - Good to know about Infiniti NAV being locked out during driving. That may just be the straw that broke.. And yes, I thought the seats and steering moving back automatically is COOL. Wish the TL had it..

diddy_nyc - Agree with you on the interiors. Only wish there was an option for wood trims. Then again, it may look out of place in a car with the tech gadgets that the the TL has.

JM2010 - Sound system is very imp to me. Given a choice, I would have liked to get the base, take out the factory system and put in an aftermarket Kenwood 9980 unit. I have the older Kenwood 9180 in the Odyssey and love it! Unfortunately the new cars have too many things tied into the stereo and handsfree systems, so that is not an option any more. I may still swap out the main speakers eventually. But, the TL is much better than any of the other factory systems I encountered.

mightl - Yeah space is the 2nd big pull for me too for the TL, 1st being the tech toys in it.

jspagna1 - That's good to know, esp about G seats being uncomfortable.

winstrolvtec - thanks for the pointers. That is one thing that has popped in my mind - would I start minding the sportiness of the ride on longer freeway drives. Its a blast on shorter drives to 'feel the road', but I also like having a smooth ride when it gets bumpy. Too bad the ES350 is so floaty and boring. The TL seemed a very happy medium, like you mentioned.


A couple more q's:
1) Seems like SH-AWD is very well-liked here. I will check it out, though it is more than I would like to spend, and gets lower mpg as well. Is it also a bit more noisier? Does it take up more space in the rear passenger area on the floor? Trunk? Will check it out anyways..

2) Does the TL NAV speak out the names of the streets? Is there a perspective view like Garmin? How do you like the rotary wheel entry mode as compared to touchscreen?

More of curiosity quesitons than car-deciding ones..

All of you have surely helped solidify the thoughts I had myself regarding the TL. I still have time till next week for the insurance check to come. More views in the meantime are welcome, esp ones in G's favor (I know...it is a TL forum). There have to be at least a few out there even here!

Cheers!

jasonwdp10

I owned both the Base and SHAWD, in 2010 Tech trim. At first, I got the SHAWD, it was noticeably more bumpy and noisy over the Base, but the handling advantage (and sportier sounding engine) is undeniable. After my shawd was hit and totalled, I was able to make another purchase decision and decided that I didn't want to deal with the noise and subsequently bought the base tech.

On the highways, the SHAWD was busier/noisier than the Base. The base is pretty quiet when roads aren't bumpy. these were both 2010 models though.

When the 2012's came out, I went to test drive both of them in their advance trim, and realized that both cars were noticeably quieter than before. The 2012 SHAWD advance felt as quiet as my 2010 Base tech, and that's 2 wheel sizes larger (17"s vs 19"s). With the 2012 models, either vehicle will be very quiet, though not nearly as quiet or isolated as most lexus or benz. (not even close really)

-Noisier - see above

-For the rear passenger area, the SHAWD is slightly less roomy. I didn't notice at first, but found out after I tried putting the all weather floor mats from the shawd into the base. There were small gaps toward the center of all 4 positions, so there's slightly reduced foot room for all 4 people. They weren't significant to me, but some would welcome the additional foot room regardless. The middle seat hump on the SHAWD is also larger than the base, though the hump in either car makes the middle seat unuseable for anyone that isn't a child or very small adult.

-mpg, through the first 4 months of each vehicle (probably before break in) the SHAWD averaged 14.5mpg, and the Base averaged 17mpg. The base is now at 18.5mpg. The reason the numbers are so low is because I tend to drive in the city a lot, where there are lots of stop and go traffic, stop signs, slow traffic, etc. I'd expect a 3-4mpg difference between the models (especially now that the 2012 base received engine tweaks for efficiency), maybe more if you're on the throttle often.

-Trunk, The SHAWD has a noticeable bump towards the rear of the trunk. This bump will prevent larger pieces of luggage from being squeezed in, as I had trouble with fitting multiple pieces of luggage in there, thought slightly less trouble with the base.

The thing is, aside from the bump, both models have suspension components that make the rear area of the floor curve upwards, and the covered trunk hinge area taking more space, this prevents boxes and luggage from lying flat on the trunk floor. Surprisinly, my 2006 civic sedan could easily fit more luggage than my 2010 Base TL.

Hope this helps.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Very great thread!!!!!

jasonwdp10

When I was comparing cars, the G37 and TL Base were at the top of the list. At the time, I read on the G37 forums and saw numerous threads on the harsh transmission and extremely poor fuel economy. this swayed me in the direction of the TL Base Tech.

When I drove both cars though, the G37 felt significantly more fun to drive (despite it's harsh 7 speed auto), and deadened small road imperfections easily (unlike the TL). The G37 has this velocity that the TL doesn't seem to have. If I were in the same situation again, I'd buy the TL (in SHAWD Advance trim), but lease the G37.

Reason is the G37 is more fun (to me), but the interior looks sad and dated, and the transmissions harsh shifting doesn't induce confidence.

NwTSXmt

Dont buy the bubble car...j/k get the one you want its your money..Be sure to post on a G37 forum also...Good luck OP

TullyMN

The Infiniti wasn't even a choice for me after I drove it. But the other factor for me was there are a ton of them on the roads in the Twin Cities and you get tired of seeing them. I have yet to see a MBM TL!

1islandparadise

Granite I went from a 3G TL-S to M45S. These are my notes owning my Infiniti:
Cons:
1. Infiniti navigation locks out when moving (as stated above)
2. Infiniti navigation does not update the time when driving across time zones
3. I actually disabled the function where the seat and steering wheel moves ever time you turn off the car.

Pros:
1. Infiniti motors are timing chain driving only require water pump and spark plugs at 100k miles
2. A/C seats (I know the '12 Advance TL has this)
3. Little more luxury amenities

Hope this helps some

ucf_bronco

iTrader: (1)

Google Infiniti paint problems...that sealed the deal for me.

Warranties will fix a lot of issues, but not when it comes to paint.

Good luck with your purchase!

mightl

Yes, it does TTS and I think it only has 2D view.
The touch screen is a no brainer, more intuitive for sure. but the rotary wheel is pretty easy to get use to. And you don't have to stretch out since the Nav screen on 4G is further away and not easy to reach when driving.

lji

I don't know about the SH model averaging 14 miles to the gallon (guess it's possible with entirely stop n go traffic). I drive 30% city and 70% highway and have consistently gotten 22-23 mpg over the life of the vehicle. I do occasional spirited runs and this has been my average. My best tank was around 28 mpg which was 100% highway and better than the EPA estimate of 25mpg highway. I have the 18" wheels on mine and have no issues with the ride although I wish it was a bit quieter (the Lexus may have spoiled me in this regard). The trunk space on the SH model is 12.8 cubic inches to 13.0 cubic inches for the base model. The rotary wheel is actually not half bad, I use it more than the voice commands themselves. I think I prefer it to the touchscreen now... lol.. hope this helps out..

sarge_in

jasonwdp10 - that is excellent info - thanks!! Seems like there are a few minor disadvantages to shawd but it is still well-liked. MPG, space and less noise are all important, I will have to drive one and see whether I want to shell out for it.

NwTSXmt - Yes, I do intend to post on G37 forum as well to balance things out . Which one is the bubble car and why?!

TullyMN - I know what you mean about so many Infiniti's out there. Not sure what is worse - having a car everyone wants to drive, or the one noone wants to drive!? Not to say TL is not popular, it is just that G37 has a bigger following.

donnieb83 - Your comments are helpful! That NAV thing is bad. A/C seats - I know I have never used the seat heater in LA (of course). I wish they gave a choice of heat or cool for the seats!

ucf_bronco - Wow...lots of talk about swirls and peeling paint and what not. TL is becoming more attractive by the minute. I am sure it has its share of some issues too though. Any major ones to be aware of?

mightl & lji - thanks for the info! As long as it has TTS, I guess I can get used to the rest.

4GTL

Sarge_in: To answer your earlier question, I have the Taupe interior, with white exterior. As far as MPG goes, I get 22mpg combined (6spd automatic). In terms of the ride, the SH-AWD is more sporty than the base model, so the ride is stiffer than the base but not harsh. If you can, test drive the base and SH-AWD on the same road to feel the difference, especially if you can find a twisty road to feel what the AWD system can do.

redfarsi

Hes looking at 2011 not 2009. 2009 had self healing paint.

Anyways, I was considering the 2008 tl-s and g37s, I went with the g37s because:

I wanted a coupe, that was manual.
I wanted AWD or RWD.
I test drove the g37 before I could test drive the tl and I liked it so I went with the G37.


Recently I did get a chance to drive a 2008 TL-S though and here are my thoughts...
The controls seem very alien, the seats are softer, and the handling is worse than the G. The CF interior of the TL is nice. The TL also has a bigger screen I think but that doesn't really matter to me. The G has PUSH start which was actually a big deal for me (no fiddling with keys/exposing hands to freezing weather).


One more point, I'm in college and I don't have any kids so the TL will probably the next thing I get.

ucf_bronco

iTrader: (1)

My research seemed to point out years of issues with Infiniti's paint...it wasn't limited to a year or two. I specifically remember one vehicle I saw for sale that was a 2010 and it had numerous problems with chips / peeling.

Unfortunately I've only been an owner for about three days so no major issues yet!

lji

If you're looking for issues on the TL, check out the problems & fixes subforum. Here's a thread where some common issues on the 2010 model's discussed:

https://acurazine.com/forums/4g-tl-problems-fixes-297/2010-acura-tl-common-issues-828225/

jangkai

One reason I would stay away from the G37 is that it's due for a full model change soon. I believe next year?
Great car but I wouldn't want to buy something and have a completely new model come out right after.
Unless you get a smoking deal on the G37 (at least 5, 6k off msrp since it is also a 2011 model) I wouldn't get one.

diddy_nyc

iTrader: (1)

OP - Which Infiniti forum are you going to check out?

RIneuron

I can help with one of these: Use the #1 keyfob. Set the #1 seat position to way back for ingress. Set the #2 seat position for driving comfort. When you open the door, the seat will draw back and then you can press #2 seat position on the door for driving.

jasonwdp10

I'd do that if the 2nd memory button wasn't already taken :X

kenny powers

ya definitely drive the SH-AWD version before you make your decision as well, i own a 2010 AWD with tech and compared to a base model which i drove a few times its night an day difference as far as sporty feeling and handling....the AWD is louder over bumps and what not but its well worth it to me

Acura2010

Speaking from experience, i loved both cars so much, that i ended up getting one of each. I've got a 2010 TL SH-AWD, Crystal Black, and a 2010 G37x w/Premium pkg, Blue Onyx.

The differences, you nailed right on the button. Comfort goes to the TL. The seats in the TL hug you and the cockpit layout is nicer. But that's my opinion, unlike alot of people, i like seing alot of buttons. lol. As for the G37, it's the power and feel of the engine that i love.

I can keep going on about pros and cons of both vehicle, but that would make the thread very long. Both cars are beautiful, and i can understand how hard it is to chose from either. From owning both, i will tell you that i feel the G37 is better built. I bought the G37 about 6 months after the TL. Both cars are driven quite alot,and hard. The G37 has never seen the dealer for any warranty issues. The TL on the other hand, has had a new Drive Shaft, and has been in the shop numerous times due to rattling in the roof, and speaker rattles.

In the end, i couldn't decide, so decided to get one of each! I know, not much help here. sorry.

sarge_in

4GTL - good to know!

redfarsi - Yeah the handling was a bit better on G37, but not bad in TL too IMO. Also, TL with Tech package has the push button start, and is nice! Good to know the ther perspective though..

ucf_bronco - 3 days! Congrats!

lji - i did read that thread - seems people dont have much to complain. Perhaps some rattles etc..

jwjang86 - thats another good reason against the G37, sure!

diddy_nyc - I was going to post on myg37.com. Any better alternates?

Acura2010 - You are not much help LOL. Wish I cud do the same! Surprising that G37 has been more reliable than TL though - I was expecting the other way. But really, if you have more to add to pros/cons already mentioned, wud love to hear them! Even repetition is not bad actually

I did go out and drove the SH-AWD earlier today. Handling was certainly much better on turns. Didnt seem a lot noisier too, maybe just a bit. But that cud have been due to smooth roads in the area. The $4K upgrade cost and lower MPG are still steering me to the 2WD. Have another 10 days to think and decide.

But overall, I loved the TL even more than last time. The controls are SOO much better than all the other I tried. I am 98% decided on the TL now for all the above reasons. Just gotta wait for the insurance check to come now.

Btw, the NAV is not completely TTS - it says "Turn right" etc, but does not say the name of the street. Oh well..

Also didn't like the white color much - it has more yellow tinge than I would have preferred, and only comes with parchment or black interior (the AWD white comes with taupe, but not the 2WD). So now leaning towards the graphite with taupe interior.

Pete2010

I'm pretty sure with the infiniti you can't use the NAV while the car is moving. That was one of the big turnoffs for me. I think Lexus is the same way.

BUT - If i lived in a place that didnt' snow - I'd be driving a RWD car of some sort. But in NE - having SHAWD does rock. It really makes the drive very sporty.

Good luck on your search.

gibjer

What drove me to the TL was the transmission (even when I was considering an auto TL, I did end up with the 6MT), even after the "fix" infiniti released on the 7 speed the lag and randomness of the g37 shift pattern just pushed me towards the TL.

That and in a former life I had a '10 Murano with the same tech toys and wasn't blown away by the NAV or audio options, not that the nav in the TL is stellar, but it is at least functional.

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

I still think that pound for pound, dollar for dollar-the TL is the best value in it's class.

winstrolvtec

There is a street name guidance mode under the routing and guidance menu which activates this. You will need to turn this on since the feature is set to off as a factory default.

Two very simple things I really like about the TL's navi, one is the above and the other is, it always displays the name of the street you're on.

sarge_in

Oh cool! That's perfect!


BUT...just saw a reported problem with 2012 models importing phonebook every single time they go to use the phone. Damnn! Hope they fix it!

winstrolvtec

Is that the "active pairing" feature they added in 2012? Or is it an actual glitch?

That would be funny to hear if people complained about having to manually input each time they added a new contact, since in their line of work it was everyday, sometimes twice, etc, etc, and now that they don't have to, it's annoying the phone has to pair each time you use it.

Edward'TLS

The only minus I have for the 2012 TL is that it's 3.7L-V6 is 23HP short when compared to the G37 sedan (also 3.7L-V6).

Acura 3.7L-V6 = 305HP
Infiniti 3.7L-V6 = 328HP

smarty666

Yeah, but the difference is not that much. I do agree if you get the wrong interior color on the G37 it does look a bit blah/drab, but I've found if you get the parchment with the extra rosewood, that definitely makes it look better. Mind you, the G37 is going to be going into it's 6th model year with the 2012s and is due for a redesign soon. I suspect that Infiniti is going to upgrade the interior even further toward the new M and essence concept.

scv76

Sarge.....it is tempting to get the AWD version, but as you said early on; you live in LA.
People in LA really have no need for awd except possibly for vanity purposes (flame suit protection required) lol. This thing with the need for larger, faster, more gas consuming engines really amazes me!
The performance and handling of a fwd version will be just fine.
To me the fwd is a no-brainer...less expensive, better milage, not as noisy in the cabin, and a little smoother ride. Why send extra 1000's for something that in all honesty you will never miss?
In the end only you will be able to make the decision...You are getting lots of opinions here that may or may not help you in your decision.
Good luck with what ever you decide to go with