G37X snow performance report

[Hi Alt G]

I had an AWD drive Volvo (S60R turbocharged 300 hp -298 ft lbs torque - about same weight, 6 speed manual) before getting the G37X. I was awaiting the first good snow of the season to see how the G's AWD worked. I still have the stock Goodyears on the car.

We had about 8 inches of snow and temps in the teens last week, so I went out and gave the snow performance a test. Bear in mind that the snow we get here is very light and fluffy. But this time it was initially warm and then cooled so it was a bit heavier, but not the really heavy wet stuff some of you get. Here are some observations.

Snow mode switch is very helpful. Even with the stock tires (which get crap reviews on Tire Rack) and temps in the teens traction was very good. Much better than the Volvo, which had better tires (but was a manual - and up here at 7200 feet had probably more wheel HP and more torque).

Without snow mode switch on the performance was about like my Volvo. Hit the accelerator hard and wheel slip light comes on pretty darned fast.

This car corners in the snow and on snow packed roads better than the Volvo did. Seamless shift from the 7 speed auto in snow mode. I am actually pretty impressed.

I would say that until the snow is deep enough to pile up under the body (10-12 inches unpacked) that this thing will work VERY well.

Previous AWD, 4X4 experience
Three Chevy trucks (all V-8's with auto 4X4 option)
Isuzu truck (LOL - old stop, engage hubs and transfer case option)
Subaru Forester (auto AWD)
Toyota RAV4 (V6 auto AWD with 4X4 lock option)

[Triple_X]

nice review, I love my AWD, performance wise

[Mike P]

I had a similar experience here in Indy with about 14 inches of snow in one storm right after I got the car. I was very impressed with the way it handled the snow. Can actually race this thing in the snow.

My past 4X4 expereince:
1965 Ford Truck - Locking Diff
1989 Ford Bronco - Locking Diff
2005 BMW X5 - pre BMW x drive

Felt the peformance of this car was as good as the locking diff models, except that Bronco would climb a cliff while locked in.

[Hi Alt G]

I think if you put dedicated snow tires on the car it could almost climb a cliff!

[Tariq - G37x S]

does anyone find the ground clearance to be an issue while driving in the snow?

I believe the car sits 4.9 - 5.1 inches off the ground, which is quite low.

[Hi Alt G]

Obviously it will be when driven in heavy dense snow that is not much deeper than that or when driven in light snow quite a bit deeper than that. This is true of any vehicle. I have been stuck in the snow in every 4X4 that I have owned when I tried to traverse dense/drifted snow much deeper than the ground clearance - be it 5 inches of the Infiniti or the effective 12" or so of a stock Chevy Silverado. That is even true when running chains on the vehicle. Deep enough snow eventually means loss of traction - well except of course for snowmobiles (and I have even been stuck in deep powder on one or two of those)!

[classy37]

Thanks for the review. I am very pleasantly surprised how well you rated these tires' performance. I find them downright dangerous on any kind of wet road, but I guess snow is a different animal. The smallest moisture on the ground makes my stock goodyears slip and slide, throttle or not. Nothing to do with AWD/RWD- the slipping and sliding is sideways and not due to wheel spin. Before I read this review I was all but convinced that I needed at least a new set of A/S tires, if not dedicated Winters.

[classy37]

Originally Posted by Tariq - G37x S

does anyone find the ground clearance to be an issue while driving in the snow?

I believe the car sits 4.9 - 5.1 inches off the ground, which is quite low.

Really? The stock ground clearance is that much lower than other cars in its class? If that's the case, then Infiniti must have the largest cut wheel fenders I've ever seen. At stock height, the car looks like an SUV! I figured this was due in part because the car sits a bit high and in part large fenders.

[Hi Alt G]

Originally Posted by classy37

Thanks for the review. I am very pleasantly surprised how well you rated these tires' performance. I find them downright dangerous on any kind of wet road, but I guess snow is a different animal. The smallest moisture on the ground makes my stock goodyears slip and slide, throttle or not. Nothing to do with AWD/RWD- the slipping and sliding is sideways and not due to wheel spin. Before I read this review I was all but convinced that I needed at least a new set of A/S tires, if not dedicated Winters.

I was also concerned about the performance of the stock tires. Enough so that I call the Tire Rack rep who is listed on the tire portion of this forum. Believe it or not, although he is a salesman, he felt that the tires would be okay given the AWD of the Infiniti. At least on this one occasion, his assessment proved correct. I can't vouch for them in the rain though. Seems a bit odd that yo have no slipping under acceleration but you do in cornering.

[Tariq - G37x S]

Originally Posted by classy37

Really? The stock ground clearance is that much lower than other cars in its class? If that's the case, then Infiniti must have the largest cut wheel fenders I've ever seen. At stock height, the car looks like an SUV! I figured this was due in part because the car sits a bit high and in part large fenders.

Yes, it is pretty low. I'm very cautious when I drive into a parking spot where there is a curb. There's an added risk of scraping, or cracking your bumper if you run into it.

You'll notice how many cars can park their front end over a curb while you can't do that with the G37. Cars.com pointed this out too when they did their review.

I think this is one of the negatives about this car.

[nitromt]

Originally Posted by Mike P

I had a similar experience here in Indy with about 14 inches of snow in one storm right after I got the car. I was very impressed with the way it handled the snow. Can actually race this thing in the snow.

My past 4X4 expereince:
1965 Ford Truck - Locking Diff
1989 Ford Bronco - Locking Diff
2005 BMW X5 - pre BMW x drive

Felt the peformance of this car was as good as the locking diff models, except that Bronco would climb a cliff while locked in.

Please try and report back to us.

[nitromt]

Originally Posted by classy37

Thanks for the review. I am very pleasantly surprised how well you rated these tires' performance. I find them downright dangerous on any kind of wet road, but I guess snow is a different animal. The smallest moisture on the ground makes my stock goodyears slip and slide, throttle or not. Nothing to do with AWD/RWD- the slipping and sliding is sideways and not due to wheel spin. Before I read this review I was all but convinced that I needed at least a new set of A/S tires, if not dedicated Winters.

Too bad this car doesn't come in a very popular size for most ultra high performance all season tires.

[dkmura]

We just came through a very big winter storm here in Denver, CO. Being that it was an early season snowstorm, it brough nearly 20" of wet, heavy snow. Interestingly enough, my '09 G37xS sedan came equipped with Dunlop Sport Maxx A/S tires and fared quite well. While I didn't take it out in the peak of the storm (when it would have been high-centered just off my driveway), it still performed well during the first day.

I didn't use snow mode at all that day, but still found the G had plenty of traction and balanced handling to handle the conditions. It's rearward handling bias was a delight as I found I could hold a slight bit of oversteer when accelerating around corners. Just a slight bit of countersteer and then VDC would step in and allow the G to go full neutral once again.

As a racing driver, I appreciate the level of technology that allows a bit of fun, while still providing an ample amount of control and safety. The grip displayed by the Dunlops seems adequate for everything but icy conditions and I'm considering not buying snow tires for now.

[Alex57r]

Originally Posted by nitromt

Too bad this car doesn't come in a very popular size for most ultra high performance all season tires.

Ultra high performance A/S tires are a gimic. I had a set which neither handled like summer tires nor was ANY good in the snow. Don't waste your money even if you do find a good size. Cannot have your cake and eat it too without 2 sets of tires.

[Hi Alt G]

Originally Posted by Alex57r

Ultra high performance A/S tires are a gimic. I had a set which neither handled like summer tires nor was ANY good in the snow. Don't waste your money even if you do find a good size. Cannot have your cake and eat it too without 2 sets of tires.

Specially true when it gets really cold. Although much better than summer UHP tires (which turn into blocks of ice in cold weather), the UHP A/S still get pretty slippery when the temps get down around the 0 F range. I think most would agree that if you live where you get a lot of snow, snow tires would be your best bet for winter.