REVIEWS AND ROAD TESTS

Like a hot knife through butter

For 2002, nothing new for the G20. Infiniti has already let it be known that the XVL prototype (see our prototype section) will replace the current G20 in a few months and will be called G35.It may not constitute a full blown trend, but this Infiniti (Nissan) is easy on the eyes. Sportier but still conservative, the new G20 is longer than the previous generation, the better to provide more useable space for its occupants. A brief look at the list of accessories shows that the number of options is limited. Good. But as soon as you open this model’s doors (longer in the front to provide easy entrance and egress), you’re bound to have mixed feelings. On the one hand, you’ll immediately appreciate the impeccable manufacturing quality. On the other, you’ll immediately notice the inferior quality of some materials and their overly strong resemblance (old-fashioned and drab) with current Nissan products.

Get over the initial disappointment and you’ll find an ideal driving position, nicely designed bucket seats and detailed instrumentation. If you’re a sporty kind of driver you will have one objection, though: the small dummy pedal.

The G20’s target market may be couples without children, but most (I hope) will have friends — ideally, only two, if they want to ride in the back seat reasonably comfortably. Three? Well, they’ll just have to fight for elbow room. A small observation intended for rear-seat occupants: watch out when you move your right (or left) foot to get out of the vehicle; almost inevitably you’ll hit it against the centre pillar (the B pillar if you’re familiar with our technical lexicon) given the narrow door openings. Lastly, while we’re still inside, note that the rear bench seat folds down for extra cargo space and the trunk’s low sill makes it easy to load and unload.The G20 is proud of its chassis, and with reason. Well- balanced, consistent and predictable are all adjectives that can easily be used to describe the G20’s handling. And it’s comfortable too! But only when you adopt a sporty driving style can you truly appreciate the difference between the base and Touring versions. The base has 15-inch wheels with less gripping power, while the Touring features high- performance tires and a limited slip differential that improves cornering capabilities.

While the chassis’s quality is unquestionable, this model’s mechanical system doesn’t have the power it needs to capitalize on it. In lieu of electrifying performance capabilities, this 2.0-litre is recognized for its sturdiness and its responsiveness — it likes getting pushed, and pushed hard. To transmit power to the front drive wheels, the G20 proposes a partially revised manual transmission to favour overall performance (acceleration and pick-up), but the steering system is still imprecise. An alternative? The anesthetizing four-speed automatic. Since it’s always wise to choose the lesser of two evils, my preference goes to the manual.

Although an even more powerful engine would have been an excellent idea, the fact remains that the G20 brakes efficiently and its four discs are good at resisting overheating.

PROS
Excellent chassis adjustment
Sportier Touring version
Detailed equipment

CONS
Still marginal engine power
Outdated interior presentation
Imprecise steering (manual transmission)