I'm in Ottawa with a 6MT G37S. I don't have any problem with the snow, but if you get the manual it comes with summer tires. I have a second set of rims with snow tires (Michelin X-ICE2) and don't have any regrets.

P.S. I have previously had (in Ottawa with snow tires) a BMW540 and a Mazda RX-8GT. With the traction/stability features none of them have been a problem to drive in the winter.

 

G37 AWD Sedan

...

or perhaps the "more refined" Evolution X?

 

Day 2 in massive snow here in IL, running the X on HP A/S, so I must politely refute the statement that snow tires are a must for the X. The X with the A/S runs like a champ. I must admit though that I didn't test drive the non AWD sedan prior to making my purchase....guess I went into the purchasing process w/ my mind made up.

 

I drove an 08xS last winter. And so far I can honestly tell you the my current RWD G37S sedan with the winter tires steers, stops and drives better in the snow compared to my 08xS with the all season tires.

The only area where the 08xS has an edge is accelerating from a stop. But once both cars are under way and moving without a doubt the car with the winter tires drives better. If you drive your car in the winter in an area that snows buy winter tires regardless if you choose AWD or RWD.

 

Well being a Subaru STI owner... I dunno if I can say that Infiniti's is the BEST out there... but it is definitely one of the better ones. And if you have driven the RWD and the AWD cars back-to-back in non-snowy conditions (both with ATs) I do not think that you would find that large of a difference. I did when we were buying the first G35 for my mom, and it really wasn't a big difference at all. If anything the X felt a little bit peppier from a stop light when you are taking off fast.

+1.... X on stockers works fine in Toronto, even in deep snow. I'm a non-believer in snows, used them for 1 winter and never again... with the old G35x and the new G37x snow has not proven to be a problem whatsoever!

Heck my "winter" setup on my 09 STI is all-season Pirellis on 06 BBS STI wheels... again no problems at all this winter. As long as you drive sensibly and not like an idiot there is really no problem with all-seasons IMO.



BTW to the OP, if you do end up getting a G you have to come out to the mega G/Z meet that's gonna happen in June or July or August in Mississauga probably!

 

You might wanna look into the differences between running a car with AS tires vs winter tires. Just because you drive an X doesn't mean you shouldn't have winter tires. Your AWD isn't going to make you brake any quicker on snow or ice. I guarantee you that my RWD with my blizzaks will out perform your X with AS when it comes to stopping and cornering. Take a look at this demonstration if you don't believe me.

Be Tire Smart – Play Your P.A.R.T. - Videos

There are some things that truly baffle me when it comes to people unwilling to buy winter tires.

* They will spend a ton of money in high performance summer tires, but when it comes to winter tires, they completely cheap out.

* People are willing to sacrifice the safety of themselves, their family, and their car by NOT running winter tires.

* They view winter tires as a cost, when in fact it is not. For example, running winter tires for 6 months of the year and stock AS tires for the other 6 months of the year really won't cost any more than running AS tires all year around. Your AS tires are going to last twice as long if you run winter tires in the winter.

So yes, I stick to my original statement that winter tires are a must (no matter how many drive wheels you have) if you want you, your passengers, and your vehicle to be safe.

 

You also might wanna take a look at the video I posted. It's not always about how YOU drive, it's also the other people on the road as well. If you need to brake hard fast, your AS tires are not going to cut it if you are on snow or ice.....and again AWD means nothing at that point.

 

+10000.

Yep, no question about it. As you saw for yourself your G37S with winter tires will out perform any G37X with AS tires.

 

The OP asked for opinions, and those of us who believe all-seasons are fine, simply provided our input based on our actual usage of A/S tires in the snow and not a third party video. We never said there wasn't any benefit of having winter tires, all we're saying is that winter tires are not a must.

No doubt whatsoever that using winter tires is safer, but running A/S on an X if driving smartly is more than adequate. As for a car armed w/ winters outperforming a car armed w/ A/S in the snow, no doubt....but why would I be looking to take corners at high speeds (relatively speaking) in the snow/ice? Why would I look to outperform the car next to me? Regardless if I'm using winters or A/S, no way would I consider taking corners like I would on a sunny day....it's not safe for me, for my passengers, nor for the other drivers on the road.

IMHO, the key is to drive safely in poor conditions, regardless of what kind of rubber you're using. Also, give yourself plenty of space when stopping behind someone, and keep your eye on your rear view mirror, b/c inevitably, someone will brake to late and may rear-end you; for this reason I prefer to drive in the right hand lane and give myself 10 feet of space between my car and the car in front, that way I can pull out onto the side of the road if someone starts sliding in my direction when coming to a stop.

FWIW, I've maintained a set of summer tires AND a set of winter tires for my previous two cars (G35 coupe and BMW M3) and am a STRONG believer in winter tires for RWD cars. The Dunlop Winter Sport M3 tires are great tires, but I digress. Going back to one of the reasons I stated my decision to go w/ the X, I didn't want to keep two sets of wheels/tires anymore and ask my buddies w/ SUVs to help run my wheels/tires down to the tire shop twice a year. That being said, I was ready to pull the trigger on a set of winter tires for my G37xS if the A/S didn't perform well, but alas, they performed just fine.

This has been a fun thread as it demonstrates how passionate each of us is, and how in some cases there is no clear cut right or wrong answer....it boils down to the individual driver (their habits and what's important to him/her), the car, and the local/regional conditions. Go Hawkeyes!!!

 

We can debate RWD/AWD and AS/Snow tires all day. My comments:

For the application we're talking about which is a daily driver not generally driven hard, wanting to drift or burn rubber, etc., the AWD system provides exceptional performance and handling. In northern climates it's more beneficial to have than not to IMHO and reduces the need for snow tires depending on the driver's preference, whereas a RWD increases then need for snow tires.

 

Calm down?? Show me where I have been not been calm.

You are giving your opinions and I am giving mine based on over 20 years of winter driving. IMO, winter tires are a must, you say otherwise......fine with me as it really makes no difference to me. I am simply giving my opinion just like you are.

And for the record, when I speak of winter tires out performing AS tires, I am by no means talking about taking corners at high speeds. Not sure where you got that from as I never mentioned that. You don't need to be going fast to lose traction when cornering. I am not talking about driving aggressive. What I am talking about is when sudden hard braking or a quick maneuver is required, any car equipped with snow tires will out perform any car with AS tires.

 

Yeah, sorry about that...I edited that part out when I realized it wasn't appropriate...my bad...can't judge tone in an" email."

I agree that we're all just stating our opinions based on our personal experiences to help a fellow potential G owner out. Good luck!

 

Great videos and leaves no questions unanswered. Should be a sticky.

 

Toronto = x

Palm Springs = RWD

 

I am debating on this myself. My thinking at this stage is if I get an S and the winters, then I can switch to winter tires in December till March. When driving my 08 X and taking corners, the car "feels" heavy. Some articles state this in their reviews and I am assuming the S will not have this problem. I know I lose some seconds in acceleration in snow but gain better stopping distance and handling with the RWD with winters. This is a trade off I am very happy with. I don't like the sports seats though but everything else on the G37S is pretty sweet. Can you get the S with wood trim?

The only question I have for those with the S or Journey is how does the car handle when its just rain in the summer? I am just worried about the 328 horses on wet surfaces and summer performance tires.