2012 Infiniti G25 Sedan Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Infiniti G25 review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 G25, and includes Infiniti G25 safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The 2012 G25 is the least expensive path to Infiniti ownership, an entry-luxury sport sedan that’s bigger inside than many competitors, priced just higher than a Nissan Maxima, but equipped with a rather underpowered V6 engine.

A year after its arrival, the G25 rolls into 2012 with virtually no changes. It continues in standard and Journey trim levels, with rear- or all-wheel drive.

The 2012 Infiniti G25 is sold in standard and Journey models. If you choose the G25x all-wheel-drive model, it comes standard with Journey trim.

Each G25 is equipped with leather seats, an eight-way power driver’s seat and a four-way power front passenger’s seat, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, and a single-zone automatic climate control system. As expected, power side mirrors, power door locks, and power windows with automatic front glass operation are standard, along with cruise control, a trip computer, and a six-speaker stereo system with satellite radio, an auxiliary audio input jack, and a CD/MP3 player. The G25 is also equipped with genuine aluminum cabin trim, Infiniti Intelligent Key with push-button ignition, and a seven-inch color in-dash information display. Xenon headlights, fog lights, LED taillights, and 17-inch alloy wheels are also included.

Since the standard G25 is unavailable with factory options, if you want more equipment than this it’s necessary to upgrade to the G25 Journey or the G25x. These models add dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, heated outside mirrors, a reversing camera, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, and a USB port. Additionally, they come with an eight-way power front passenger’s seat, automatic headlights, a HomeLink universal remote transmitter, and automatic operation for the rear windows.

The 2012 G25 is available with a single option, and that’s a power sunroof on the G25 Journey and G25x models. Any other add-ons are dealer-installed accessories.

It’s not coincidental that the Infiniti G25 has a starting price in the low $30,000s. The car’s 2.5-liter V6 engine is down 110 horsepower and 82 pound-feet of torque compared to the more expensive and powerful G37, with ratings of 218 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 187 lb-ft at 4,800 rpm, respectively. Adding insult to injury, premium fuel is required to extract these values out of the puny V6.

A seven-speed automatic transmission with Adaptive Shift Control, a Drive Sport mode and Downshift Rev Matching happily delivers the power to the rear or all four wheels. Fuel economy estimates, according to Infiniti, are 20 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway with rear-wheel drive, and 19-city/28-highway with the all-wheel-drive G25x.

The Infiniti G25 comes standard with a simple roster of safety equipment including six airbags, a traction and stability control system, and four-wheel vented-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist. A reversing camera is standard on the G25 Journey and G25x.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) does not rate the G25’s crashworthiness, as the agency has not evaluated the car since revamping its crash-test program for 2011. The only rating the NHTSA supplies is for rollover resistance, for which the G25 is rated 5 Star.

Results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicate that the G25 does a Good job of protecting in frontal- and side-impact collisions, and roof crush strength is deemed Acceptable. However, it looks like you don’t want to get rear-ended while driving a G25, because rear-impact injury prevention is rated Marginal.

One thing you’re unlikely to worry about is dependability. Both Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates expect the G25 to provide better than average reliability over time.

The Infiniti G25’s engine is mounted aft of the front axle, giving the car what Infiniti calls a front-midship powertrain layout. The result is a front-to-rear weight distribution of 54/46 (55/45 for G25x), which translates into better-balanced handling. By the way, if you choose the G25x, you’re automatically adding 188 pounds to this Infiniti.

The federal government classifies the G25 as a midsize sedan thanks to its generous interior dimensions, but this Infiniti’s trunk measures just 13.5 cubic-feet, on par with many compact cars.

Every G25 is equipped with standard “Shodo” aluminum trim, which has a pattern inspired by Japanese calligraphy.

The Infiniti G25 sedan is expressly designed for the driver who wants a luxury badge, but doesn’t want a luxury-size car payment. On that front, the G25 competes in an increasingly crowded entry-luxury niche that is also occupied by vehicles like the Acura TL, the Lexus IS 250 and the BMW 328i xDrive.

Our test vehicle was the well-appointed 2012 Infiniti G25x and had a base retail price of just over $36,000. That’s less expensive than comparably equipped all-wheel drive versions of the BMW 328i, the Acura TL and the Lexus IS 250. Score a win for the Infiniti on price.

Infiniti representatives note that the G25 is an entry-level sports luxury sedan and is a natural step up for longtime Altima, Camry or Accord drivers. We don’t disagree.

The G25 is sleek, features comfortable heated leather seats and drives very well. In fact, the seven-speed transmission is remarkably smooth and responsive.

The G25 is not particularly quick—you can only ask so much from 218 horsepower. But as a daily driver, the G25 is a competent and comfortable performer around town. If more exciting performance is on your shopping list, also consider Infiniti’s impressive G37x sedan as well.

Fuel efficiency is average for the class. During our week driving in cold, wintry conditions with a sizable amount of highway motoring in the mix, we averaged 22 mpg. That matches the EPA projections and we covered more than 200 miles and still had just under a half-tank of gas.

Trunk space is adequate. We piled in a large suitcase, a massive Barbie camper with Barbie and her entourage (gifts from Santa Claus for the kids), ski clothes and helmets, a small backpack and a few hardback books and we were soon out of space. But again, as a daily driver, you’ll have adequate passenger and luggage space for most situations.

Having driven both the Infiniti G25x and the more powerful, sportier Infiniti G37x, our hearts choose the G37. But our heads, which are often ruled by such nagging things as logic, car payments and practicality, find a natural place where an entry-level luxury machine like the Infiniti G25x can find a happy home.

Believe it or not, lots of people want a luxury car just because it has a luxury badge. They don’t care what’s under the hood, or how fast it will go, or whether it’s equipped better than a mainstream compact car that’s $10,000 cheaper. They just want the badge and associated image of success. The Infiniti G25 is for that person. Everyone else probably wants the G37.

By Christian Wardlaw and Michael Waterman